Bird Droppings

[hennared323i]

Any tips or techniques to remove 3 1/2 year old bird droppings from metallic green paint without causing lots of damage would be most appreciated

[gooner1]

How do you know the bird was 3 1/2 years old?.

Would imagine if its been on there that long any chemical reaction has already taken place mate.

[bmwsport]

Let it soak, soak and soak before rubbing and applying pressure.

[lance1a]

[quote="gooner1"]How do you know the bird was 3 1/2 years old?.

LOL!

[d6dph]

I'd say that the clearcoat is etched by now, You may find scratch-x will remove some of it.

Where abouts in the country are you?

[hennared323i]

I'm in Kent - the car has been sat in a dry barn for a few years - I'm guessing the answers above means a lot of hard work for me then

[d6dph]

Well yes and no, If you know anyone with a machine polisher (Not one of the halfords cheap things) locally that knows what they are doing it could be fairly easy.

Is the car in question henna red as your username suggests? If so, It may not have a clearcoat layer.

[bazza93]

Well yes and no, If you know anyone with a machine polisher (Not one of the halfords cheap things) locally that knows what they are doing it could be fairly easy.

Is the car in question henna red as your username suggests? If so, It may not have a clearcoat layer.

if you read his first post dave, he clearly states metalic green, LOL

[d6dph]

It's early and I have man flu.

[bazza93]

It's early and I have man flu.

so do i, i've had it for a week
but being a mod you should be reading things properly man flu is a feeble excuse

[hennared323i]

Well yes and no, If you know anyone with a machine polisher (Not one of the halfords cheap things) locally that knows what they are doing it could be fairly easy.

Is the car in question henna red as your username suggests? If so, It may not have a clearcoat layer.

No, it is not henna red although I wish it was. It is either malachite or lagoon green, difficult to tell due to the gloomyness of the barn and the volume of the aforementioned droppings - car is a j plate 316i touring that was laid up 3-4 years ago because of an unspecified MOT fail and damage done to the drivers door when someone nicked the stereo.

the owner is moving to france and I have agreed to take it off his hands for a nominal sum

What is wrong with the Halfords cheap things btw and I assume by clearcoat you mean the laquer layer?

I also assume that much soaking and gentle cleaning will be required to get the dried droppings off (as said above) - would jetwashing (£25 b & q special) be of use?

[TrikCyclist]

To remove the remains of the droppings deposited by said 3 and a 1/2 year old bird your best bet is warm water and a mild detergent. Once clean I would flat the marks with 2000grit wet or dry, follow with 3000grit if available and keep it clean to avoid scratching (take it steady, you don't want to flat through the lacquer!). Follow this by machine polishing with a mild compound such as Farecla G3 or Trizact fastcut plus ( available from your local paint factors) then wax and polish as usual. Try the process out on an old panel to practice first, it is a professional skill but easily attainable.You probably won't be able to remove the stains completely but this will improve it considerably. Good luck!

[hennared323i]

Ahh,

Thanks for that TrikCyclist.

I'm picking it up today so I'll be able to judge its true state

[1an]

To remove the remains of the droppings deposited by said 3 and a 1/2 year old bird your best bet is warm water and a mild detergent. Once clean I would flat the marks with 2000grit wet or dry, follow with 3000grit if available and keep it clean to avoid scratching (take it steady, you don't want to flat through the lacquer!). Follow this by machine polishing with a mild compound such as Farecla G3 or Trizact fastcut plus ( available from your local paint factors) then wax and polish as usual. Try the process out on an old panel to practice first, it is a professional skill but easily attainable.You probably won't be able to remove the stains completely but this will improve it considerably. Good luck!

that isnt a technique you want to take on particuarly as you can very easily go through the clear coat you would need to be working with a paint depth gauage to stop you having to go and have it resprayed.

Like Dave said your best of finding someone who has a decent polisher and paying them to machine polish it for you

[hennared323i]

Well it wasn't as bad as expected - severe hosing and a mild detergent wash has left the nearside looking like this:



but the droppings have left their mark - this is the bonnet:



The O/S door and wing are fubared and will be replaced:





time to bone up on my detailing skills

[d6dph]

That etching doesn't look too shocking. Megs scratch-x may get sot of some of it?

[1an]

now that is some awesome rust on that door,

Dave scratch-x should get some of it out.

[Alex]

How did that door rust lyk that, was it a cheap replacement

[Brianmoooore]

That's three of us looking for a lagoon green RH front wing now!

[hennared323i]

How did that door rust lyk that, was it a cheap replacement

The scrotes that broke in to it to nick the radio caused some of the damage to the door skin - How it got so bad in a dry barn is a bit beyond me too.

[hennared323i]

That's three of us looking for a lagoon green RH front wing now!

And aren't they a b****r to find

[hennared323i]

Hmm,

I've tried the scratch X but it doesn't seem to be doing much. Maybe I'm not applying enough pressure or something.

On the plus side I've got a replacement wing and door and am currently respraying them - on the basis that I'm never going to get a proper colour mach anyway I may as well have a go myself.

[hennared323i]

Well, the wing and door are on.

These are the old:



These are the replacements:



I'm quite pleased with the finish given it was spraycans - there are a few blems here and there but I'll deal with them when the clearcoat has had time to harden.

Also some jigglng is still required to get the gaps even.

Bring on the timing belt