g_murray

Yesterday was the “Great Marques” car show & competition at Old Westbury.

This was my first time entering the car in a ‘competition’ so I really didn’t know what to expect.

As I drove into the paddock area – in amongst all the other cars -- I felt like doing an about face and high-tailing it back home – I felt totally out of my league glancing at all the pristine paint and chrome now literally gleaming in the blue sky sunshine.

I figured, what the heck, I had ‘done my best’ in ‘preparing the car’ so we would, instead, just treat the event as a ‘nice day out’, enjoy the gardens etc., look at all the other cars, BMW’s, Ferrari’s, Aston Martin’s etc. etc. and maybe I’d take home something from the experience.

Well …I ended up taking something home all right …the trophy for first prize.


Some pix of Old Westbury

http://ifly.freeyellow.com/miscell/o...bury/index.htm

The competition

http://ifly.freeyellow.com/miscell/t...tion/index.htm

First Place

http://ifly.freeyellow.com/miscell/1st-prize/index.htm

The other marques
http://ifly.freeyellow.com/miscell/o...ques/index.htm

Scott 1996 993c2

Very cool pics. Thanks for sharing them and congratulations on the 1st place -- very nice 993 you have there. That looks like a great location too.

Scott

Arrwin

Gerry,

That's awesome! I told you, you had nothing to worry about! You have a perfect record so far: 1/1. It was great meeting you and your wife. I wish I was able to stay longer and I'm glad I could not enter as am definitely not in your guys' league.

I have a few pics I will post once I upload them.

Congrats again!

InTheAir

CONGRATULATIONS!!

That is awesome.

InTheAir

BTW, do you care to share what you did for the show (i.e. preparation, etc.)?

g_murray

Yup, sure ...way back when ...when I got the car and was in the process of 'transforming' it from the state that the PO had it in ...I let folk know what I was up to, viz.

https://rennlist.com/forums/showpost...2&postcount=11

So to summarize:

Paintwork: Wash the car then 'clay' the car. Repair all 'nicks' 'gouges' in the paintwork using touch-up-paint kit. Apply the 'detailing dynamics' products to the paintwork. (Note I do not work for nor do I get any kickbacks from these guyz -- I just use their stuff and, IMHO, it's fantastic.)

Glasss: "Invisible Glass" -- a can of which is available at any auto-store e.g. Pep boyz. For any 'nicks' I used the wife's (Thanx Janet!) 'clear laquer' to 'fill in' the chips. Then using a NEW razorblade ...'slice off' the excess (like a salami-machine!).

Plastic (lenses etc.): Clean with alcohol and a 'vibrating toothbrush' (You NEED to get out -- from the 'lettering' -- any of the 'excess wax buildup'!!!) then 'polish' with a LIGHT coating of wax -- not too much ...otherwise you'll 'fill in' the lettering ...bringing you back to square 1.

Wheels -- jacked up the car and took them off. Cleaned the INNER surface with a combination of turpentine and 'bug and tar remover'. Removing the baked in cosmoline was a B&^%H. 'Polished' them with a layer of wax so as to MINIMIZE the chance that brake dust has to 'adhere' to the surface in the future. The OUTER surface I examined for 'nicks' and repaired them with the ubiquitous 'german silver wheel paint' (and a tiny brush!). Then polished the 'outer' suface with a layer of wax. All lug nuts were painted with gloss black. The valve stems were 'Armoralled'.

Brake rotors -- aluminum PAINT on the part where the wheel 'attaches'. I just used a small paintbrush and was VERY careul! On MANY cars this area is completely DULL and, IMHO, makes the 'wheel' area look 'old and worn'. As your eye travels from the nice wheel to the brake rotor towards the (shiny) brake-surface towards the back of the wheel -- if there's no 'continuity' in 'cleanliness' then it's like having a zit on yer nose.

If you take a look at this pic:
http://ifly.freeyellow.com/miscell/t...n/image020.htm
Look where the wheel 'bolts' to the brake rotor. See the 'silver/aluminum' paint?
Now go home and look at the same area on your own car and compare.

Calipers -- small toothbrush, bug and tar remover and alcohol to remove 'crud'. Then 'touch up' dull areas with gloss black paint.

Tires -- cleaned (both sides) with Acetone so as to remove years of crud and car wax. Then - being careful NOT to 'overdo it' or cause 'new buildup' - used McGuire's 'Endurance' on the rubber -- using a 4" paintbrush. LEAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR THIS STUFF TO DRY -- IT TAKES AGES!

Black Trim etc.: -- Mother's 'back to black'. If you go 'wide' when applying this stuff - and you get some on your paintwork -- wipe off immediately as it tends to 'dull' any shine on said paintwork.

In this 'semi-restoration' I have used rags, chamois, paintbrushes, toothbrushes (both 'normal' and 'vibrating'), terri-cloths, lint-free wipes (like you use for your computer monitor), q-tips, etc. etc.
Use 'microfibre' cloths to 'finish off' the shine. Do not be cheap with these things - -once they start getting 'ratty looking' -- then spend $5 and get a new packet!

Try NOT to (inadvertantly!) mix the 'polish-soaked' microfibre cloth -- that you use to 'bring a super shine to the paintwork -- with the 'pristine' microfibre cloth that you clean the glass with !!!!

As I've posted in the past (with pix) -- I have physically REMOVED the headlights, the front emblem, the fog lights, the side-indicator lights, the front bumperettes, etc. etc. (because sometimes you NEED to remove them otherwise you'll get an unsightly 'edge' where such 'trim' meets paintwork.) Excess wax builds up 'around' these parts and stands out a mile. I found NO other way of 'properly' cleaning them other than to remove them - clean them (and the surface that they 'interface with' -- and reinstall them.

When removing such items -- be VERY careful with pointy tips!!! - e.g. philip screwdriver heads etc. Remember, you're trying to IMPROVE on something not cause a new scratch in the area!

exhaust pipes -- metal polish and a black and decker drill with a circular 'abrasive bit'. BE VERY CAREFUL ...BECAUSE IF YOU TRY AND 'DO TOO MUCH' YOU WILL END UP 'SCRAPING' THE PLASTIC BUMPER!!! ****These are 'very close' quarters ****
Those parts that I felt were 'too close to the bumper' I did, 'by hand', using metal polish and some sandpaper.

All in all, between taking things off, cleaning + repairing them and putting everything back -- and 'cleaning/polishing' everything -- I reckon I spent about 80-100 hours.

And THEN ...as we all know ...(YOU think your car looks clean INSIDE your garage?...) ...now take it out and examine everything AGAIN in the sunlight.
Whoa !!! ...NOW you realize how much MORE work lies ahead!

_____________________________________
Now I just have to find a hermetically sealed chamber to put this thing into for next year! ....ONLY KIDDING! ....wifey and I are going on the 'Fall Foliage' trip on Oct. 22nd. See u there!
_____________________________________

Arrwin

Here are some additional pics....

Slavin' away....


Finished product...


1st Place Winner...


Miscellaneous shots...

Monique

Heck, your chrome dome looks as good as my wheels!!

Well done... I intend to take away the "Concours event" at Euro Porsche parade next summer.... wish me luck!

g_murray

Bon chance!

InTheAir

G -

This part in particular is on my short list of things to do.....that's why I'm in the mark for a new floor jack, stands, and torque wrench. I really want to get my rotor hats/hood looking better.

I'm curious what particular paint you used. I have checked Rustoleum's High Heat sprays. I was hoping to find a gun metal color, but it looks like they only have 3 or so colors to choose from in the High Heat line.

As you can see, mine are indeed looking pretty ratty (I also need to get the wheels off to get to the inside for their first cleaning ):

g_murray

[QUOTE=InTheAir]G -

As you can see, mine are indeed looking pretty ratty (I also need to get the wheels off to get to the inside for their first cleaning ):

Hi,
Yep, "that" part of the brake rotor system can either enhance or detract from the whole "wheel experience", IMHO.

I too looked for some 'high temp' paint but - time not being on my side - eventually settled on some run-o-the-mill rustoleum 'aluminum' from Home Dept. I **deliberately** chose paint that I can apply using a small brush. The thought of having to mask everything off for such a 'small' job -- i.e. using 'spray paint -- didn't seem to make sense.
So far (and I *have* applied the brakes since then) this 'normal' paint hasn't appeared to 'degrade' (visually nor chemically) from being 'on the rotor hat'.

When you decide to 'clean the wheels' be VERY careful of the 'outer finish' (i.e the side that EVERYONE sees!). This part has a paint layer and a clearcoat/varnish layer. This part you do not want to mess with. The inner part of the wheel (i.e. the 'backside') can be cleaned with a stiff nylon brush (you'll probably need more than one!) and some 'bug and tar remover'. DO NOT USE ACETONE OR XYLENE !!! You run too great a risk of this stuff 'migrating' towards the FRONT part of the wheel finish and causing havoc. Remember, the purpose of the job is to end up with NICE wheels ...there's no time limit ...there's no prizes for rushing the job and finishing fast ...and having 'collateral damage' on the front.

It will take several 'attempts' (using the bug/tar remover) to get the crud off -- use copious amounts amounts of water (hose!) -- 'in between' applications of bug/tar remover.

Don't be too surprised if you see that the inner surface has 'dings / dents'. Stones get 'knocked around' in here due to it being a 'centrifuge'.

When you're happy with the 'cleaned' wheel -- put a decent layer of wax on the surface (I've heard that Rain-X make a great product) -- so as to 'minimize' accumulation of brake dust and general 'dust n stuff'.

It will be a filthy, filthy job --been there done that-- so dress accordingly and keep a tub of 'gojo' handy for your hands and nails !!!

Oh yeah, one other thing, ...when you're cleaning the wheels -- try and clean them on grass!!! Why? Because if you're cleaning them in your driveway and you lose grip (remember, your hands will be full of greasy/crappy stuff!) ..the wheel could FALL OVER and ka-bam! ...the "nice" frontal area is gonna get scratched/dinged by concrete !!!
You can always 'hose off grass n mud' along with the crud -- but ya canny hose off dints/dings and scratches!!!

Latah,
G.

Jastx

Well done! Even knowing the "tricks" like you do, it still takes a heckuva lot of work. Great job.

LuftKopf

Where's the foliage run? It's still top down weather and if it passes through Eastern NY or Western CT maybe we'll jump in...

Arrwin

Here's the link to info

g_murray

Hi again,
Oh yeah, "in addition" to all the other stuff that I wrote in that long/detailed reply....I remembered some more 'stuff'.

i) The right front fog lamp had a chip in it. (discovered during the ppi) Weird thing, tho', the chip is in the 'inside' of the glass - so the outside glass is 'fine' and the unit does NOT 'accumulate' condensation. However, it was -- umm - aesthetically uppealing -- so -- even tho I 'had' toyed with the idea of 'repairing it' -- I bit the bullet and REPLACED the whole unit instead. (Yes, I know they're expensive!!!)

Actually speaking of which -- if any of you guyz want to buy this 'less than perfect yet completely functional' right-front-fog lamp ....e.g. to replace the one u busted at the DE! :-O - just send me a PM. First one in my PM-mailbox gets first dibs.

ii) The car 'came to me' with the stoneguard(s) on the rear fenders. I tried and tried and tried and spent more effort and time trying to 'clean up' the edges of these damn things than was worth it! The 'edges' were just caked with 'wax buildup' that it looked like someone had stomped a big cookie-cutter on the side of the car. I knew I'd get CREAMED at a street class event with these things on ...so...I just decided, one fine day, to rip them off -- and did so!
As you can see from the pix (where the 'rear quarter(s)' of the car are visible) -- the result is MUCH better.

Yep, datz all I can remember and datz all she wrote...

Gerry