- My model of MX-5 is: 1.8l MK 2
- I’m based near: North West
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: Getting the paint back to its original
Hello everyone I have a MK 2 I’ve recently brought and looking on getting back to its natural beauty before modding it to my liking, the previous owner looks like he’s either sprayed it for some stupid reason or the paints been sat in the sun, not been looked after and baked! I’ve wet sanded it down and buffed it out which got rid of most of this access stuff that was on the bonnet and on some of the front wings. But it’s not coming back to its natural black! Is there a really good polish that will bring back the natural colour and make it look the way it once was?
Thanks in advance
(If it’s worth just re spraying let me know)
Hi Matty. I hope you manage to get the paintwork sorted
I wonder, is the black covered in a clear lacquer?
Some modern non metallics utilise a top coat of clear lacquer to give the high shine that we’re used to.
If the lacquer coat has been damaged or removed it will be very tough to get that high shine back simply through polishing.
Cheers,
Guy
2 Likes
I’m pretty sure that the clear coat that has been put on in the first place is still there as once buffed it does come out with a nice gloss finish bur just not as 'Black as the other areas of the car
1 Like
There are two brilliant blacks just to confuse us all🙄 PZ doesn’t have a clear coat on top, A3f does?
Barrie
1 Like
It’s A3F mate if that helps 
I had a clear coated black CR-V few years ago which was an absolute pig to keep looking good.
I bought “Poorboys World Black Hole” which did work very well.
I still have probably just over half a bottle left (more than enough to try on yours) which you are welcome to have if you want it. It may/may not work but nothing to loose perhaps.
I was going to chuck it yesterday as it won’t work on a white or red car!!
PM me if interested. 
So it does have laquer then?
Barrie
1 Like
This stuff from Autoglym is designed for dark colours. My NB is Twilight blue and this polish gives a deep, rich shine albeit temporary.
Apply it in the same way you would any polish.
1 Like
Barrie yeah I’m pretty sure it does, If you look at the pictures before I started to polish it, it looks like the previous owner has possibly started to spray it then given up after like 5 sprays
1 Like
Yes, I see that, TBH, you’ve done a decent enough job bringing it back from its previous condition I’ve just had a quick look on the bay of E, thinking there may be a black mk2 bonnet? They seem fairly cheap (if you could get one near enough to you for collection) but not one in black that I could see. 
Would a respray show up the rest of the car or is it generally OK?
Barrie
Judging from the black I can see on your pad, and the aggressive polish used on a rotary, if it was clear coated painted (2 stage) you’ve possibly had a strike through onto the base paint so it won’t be further improvable without a respray (or you could try spraying some lacquer yourself from a can but no idea how that would pan out, I’ve never done it). What you have so far is a lot better than how you got it though!
If it’s a 1 pac finish (single stage) then getting colour on the polishing pad is fine, you probably just want a finer polish, ideally something diminishing, to bring out a final finish.
Poorboys Blackhole as recommended by others is suitable for both 1 and 2 stage paint, and leaves a lovely finish by filling in all the defects. However, it is a temporary fix because it’s a glaze, so after a couple of months it will degrade or be washed away, you can top it with a durable wax or sealant to make it last upto around 6 months but then you would need to reapply. Autoglym UDS is a similar boat, it lasts better than Blackhole but UDS cannot be topped by anything to extend that.
