Quote: How long should I wait before waxing this thing? I would like to have a couple of layers of wax to protect everything, but I don't want to put it on before the paint has cured...or does it matter?
I don't have an answer - but what kind of wax are you talking about? It is different than the cheap turtle wax polish you already applied (or did you?). If you're talking the polish, it can be applied right after the final wetsand- but wax maybe a different animal.. 69charger has probably done it, charger, where art thou?
i've allways waxed right after the final polish, never had issues, and the paint on both my cars is rock hard, but i never intentionally tried a scratch test on my cars, only reciently when the whole scratch debate started did i test the charger, which was painted 5 months ago.
as for the wetsanding, i clean the residue off while it's still wet, just after wetsanding, i use a shammy and a bucket of clean water, it's alot eaiser to clean while wet, then just before painting, i clean with mineral spirits, and then use a standard autobody "tach cloth" which is a sticky cheese cloth rag you can get at any auto parts store for $1, before i paint each pannel/area i use the tack cloth, and have virtually no dust/dirt issues.
as for painting over plastic bumpers, i've never had any problems with any parts i've painted, but like any paint if it's flexed enough it will crack. i've painted my 85 CRX bumpers, and my old 86 mustang gt, no issues with the paint sticking or cracking. the front fenders on the charger are fiberglass, i've popped them in and out while working on the engine by accident and nothing happened to the paint, in the sun when those fiberglass fenders heat up they get about 1/4" longer and expand from the heat, no issues.
