Speedtoys

My nice white shark...really needs a deep clean and polish put to it.

Probly hasnt seen it in over a decade...I can wax the car, but it doesnt seem to hold it well, so..time for a deep massage of the finish.


Any recommendations?

jej3

You should PM MoeMistry.

From what I've read he is probably one of the most accomplished professionals in the detailing profession and he's based in SoCal. He's a Rennlist sponsor and could probably either point you to the products you should use yourself OR point you to a detailer in your neck of the woods.

I would imagine he could probably also tell you what a good detailer is going to cost. I don't expect anyone he'd recommend is going to be inexpensive.

Good Luck!

Jim Devine

Might be worth a trip to Canepas'- right in your area.
They should be able to give you a good referral.


http://www.canepa.com/about/location.html

Speedtoys

What do people here think about the Meguiars 5-step programme?

dr bob

Jeff, it's been a while, but...

At the last Devek event (~~5 years ago) there was a pretty excellent detailer who gave a clinic. Lots of F-cars in his portfolio, but it's certainly possible he can do cars that aren't red. Someone local who was there may have a card or contact info for him. I didn't grab one since he was too far from me. He did share some excellent tips and did a very impressive demo.

Anybody still have that contact info?

Nicole

Check Groupon today for a detailing offer at EMC in Fremont.

I have no first hand experience with them, though.

finally!

A good, quality detail job will take on the low side 4 hours, 8+ is not unusual. Ones I have had done in the past generally range, depeding on work done (interior, exterior, engine bay, etc.) and condition of paint as well as how far you want them to go with it, from about $350 and up.

Speedtoys

Ahh..screw it, do it myself.



Spent time with the clay bar..and that didnt have to do much, the car was kept in a storage container during it's 12yr slumber...so no complaints.

However, going thru a couple three passes of Meguiars rubbing compound, then polishing compound...until I could see no more evidence of remaining oxidation/crud with a fingernail swipe, I noted that this one square foot of roof is now about -2- whole shades whiter than the rest of it.





More next weekend..this is gonna take a while.


Getting into creases and edges...any hints?

safulop

Since you have a white car, I could recommend some good quality boat paint

I'm planning to do some work on my car soon, too, though mine needs less assistance than yours by the sound of things. If you're starting with rubbing compound, you better be careful with that stuff. Before and after pix will be interesting, I'm waiting.

Have fun,

Sean

Speedtoys

Its...in normal light, it would be almost impossible with white to get a photo of the difference..gotta be standing at the car, at the right angle before the difference pops out.

The Meguiars RC is pretty gentle..ive used it before, which is why I took it slow, and needed three passes to see just how much I had to pull out of the finish.

safulop

Yeah, Meguiars stuff is very good, I really notice a difference with how well it scrubs and does not ever scratch, this is important with my new dark car. SwirlX actually does get rid of swirl marks.

-Sean

dr bob

In my experience, rubbing compound is used ONLY on new paint to flatten spray problems or get gloss levels to match up with an existing section. I cringe when I hear of folks using it on aging paint. Maybe as a last resort to cut through years of neglect, but by then there isn't much if any good paint below the damaged levels. Without some good knowledge of how thin the paint is, there's always the serious risk of burn-through. On a white car that came with white undercoats, you might not notice that until it's too late. Your comment about finding a section of the roof that's now a different color white is a huge warning flag to me.

-----

I spend eight hours or more doing a casual external paint clean and finish detail. Interior takes another four to eight hours depending on how much attention the carpets need. If undercarriage work is on the list, there's an hour in each wheelwell, and a couple hours for just "general" cleaning on the chassis. My engine bay cleaning efforts were stalled a bit with the deteriorated finish on the old intake and cam covers, bit will now go forward again in earnest. There's a good four hours of cleaning and recovery time just under the hood. Folks who say they can do the whole car in a day are using much more aggressive chems and techniques than I do, I guess. Do no damage!

IcemanG17

Jeff
Back in the day I considered myself a PRO detailer...however I haven't done it since I sold Sharky....the pro level detailer that Dr Bob talked about from the last Devek Days (when I was the JUDGE of the 928 concour competition) was Robert Willis of "Auto concerige" very popular with Ferrari and concour guys...NOT CHEAP by a mile...but he does good work....

However I am willing to help you....since I need help working on my racecar changing the waterpump....we can work a deal!!! I'll help you and you help me!!!

Speedtoys

I could surely help ya..its just scheduling..

I was gonna work on the car this weekend, but..its goddamned FEBRUARY weather all over again.

IcemanG17

I'll make you a deal......help me change the waterpump on my racer prior to the race June 24 (I'll pick you up at the airport) and I'll help you detail your ride....I have EVERYTHING....claybar, hi speed buffer, random orbit buffer, every type of compound-polish-wax you can imagine...

I don't have a gear puller to remove the T belt pulley or crankshaft gear... Do you?

I think Bill has all the tools....