ausgeflippt951

Hi all,

So this is the first time I've browsed the Concours forum, mainly because I've never considered my car concours-worthy.

That said, my car is nevertheless in great condition, but I could use a little help in getting it to conform to my high standards.

Question 1: Seats and vinyl trim. I have the vinyl/cloth sport seats in my 951 (see picture below) and while leather is very easy to clean, I am at a complete loss on how to clean the cloth inserts. The last time I shampooed my car, I really went at it on the cloth. But, given that the cloth is 22 y/o, I didn't want to manhandle it too much. Even after using a bit of simple green, I didn't really get much of a difference. How can I clean the cloth inserts on my seats? At best, it seems like I've induced more stains w/ that last cleaning.

I heard about using the carcinogenic carbon tetrachloride (which is no longer being used by dry cleaners) but I've no idea how to find it.


Here's a shot I took just now of my dirty interior...it's all dusty from the DE I did yesterday. See what I mean about the seats?





Question 2: Small swirl marks on paint. The car's paint is gorgeous from ~10 feet away, but once you get close, there are swirl marks all over the damn thing, as if the PO was wiping a dusty car down w/ a towel. What's the most effective way to be rid of the swirl marks? In a thread concerning a certain red 993, I noticed he used some kind of yellow Edge pad or something like that? Anyway, the result was splendid. Advice/help?

Stealth 993

You need a carpet extractor for the seats. If you use a mild carpet shampoo it should be fine. If you don't have a carpet extractor, just spry the shampoo onto the cloth, then use a damp towel to spread it lightly. Then use a wet/dry vac to clean it up. You will want to angle the tip, so that you are not giving 100% suction on the cloth. The other way is to purchase a chemical cloth spray, & follow the cans directions.

If you do the spray/vac, it may need to be done a few times, just don't get it to wet, & don't vac it to hard.

For the paint, it just needs to be polished. Easiest way is to purchase a Porter Cable, & some polish. Then wax over that. This is what I would do.....
1. Car wash
2. Clay
3. Dry
4.tape rubber up
5 polish
6. wax

yes, it will take you the whole day the first few times you do it.

OR you can take the easy way out.
PAY to have a good pro detailers get it 100%, then have you maintain it.

ausgeflippt951

Forgive my ignorance, but what's a carpet extractor?

Thanks for the quick reply!

Black993

+1 on the porter cable. Mine looks brand new after using my newly purchased PC. I used Lake County pads and the optimum brand of product.

1 - lake county yellow heavy cut with Optimum compound
1 - Lake county orange with optimum compound
1 - LC orange pad with Optimum polish
1 - Gray pad with Opti-Seal
waited 24 hours
1 - coat of S100 (available at local harley dealership) wax.
waited 24 hours
2nd coat of s100.

The car looks 100 times better and it was in VERY poor shape.

started by washing the car with the two bucket method, dried, taped up the rubber, and clayed with Mothers clay bar.

Anthony Orosco

OK, my suggestion would be get new inserts but if that isn't an option then your next best choice would be to find a professional detailer who comes highly recommended. Cleaning fabric can be tricky because if you get it too wet you'll end up with water stains.

This usually happens from wetting the fabric and then attempting to clean it. Fabric should be cleaned with cleaner being applied to your towel rather than the material itself, this helps prevent staining and rings.

A pro might use a foam cleaner and shampooer as this reduces the amount of moisture being used. Some newer foams don't need to be rinsed or extracted but vacuumed well after the fabric dries, which is around 20 or 30 minutes.

Steam vapor is also another choice (which is my main method) as this also decreases the amount of moisture put into the fabric. So you may want to look into soma dry foam cleaners if doing it yourself.

For your paint, a PC won't do much as your single stage paint is on the hard side. If I were doing your car I would most likely use a lambswool pad to level the paint down and then polish the luster back with a series of foam polishing and finishing pads. A rotary polisher though is needed as an orbital just doesn't have enough umph to level the paint properly.

Good luck,
Anthony

ausgeflippt951

Ok, I'm a schmuck, and I've never heard of a Porter Cable outside of the power tool company....I do a search and come up w/ power tools...I'm assuming that a PC is some kind of mechanical buffer?


Unfortunately buying new inserts isn't an option, as that fabric has been discontinued years ago and is no longer obtainable. FWIW, I've got a buddy who's got a portable steam cleaner -- looks like a vacuum. Would that work?

Black993 -- Any reason you used the Harley wax? Why wouldn't a Meguiar's Carnauba wax work fine?


I apologize for the ignorance...I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie and every track car I've owned before this hasn't been in nearly as good shape! I've also never loved any of my other cars like this one...Hell, I can take my car completely apart in under 12 minutes (hyperbole, mind) but I just don't know where to start when it comes to detailing my car! You guys take "clean" to a whole other level...

Stealth 993

Basically ,it's a big vacuum, with a spritzer nozzle on the end. It sprays the heated water/cleaner mixture on the fabric, then sucks it out along with the dirt.

That's why I said, get some carpet cleaner, put in a spry bottle, spray it on, then vacuum it out. If you spay it on evenly, & then use a damp MF towel, to even it out, & pick up the surface dirt, it will not give you the water halo.

The PC is a orbital buffer, it doesn't have cut like a direct drive, it basically moves back & forth really fast. It's like using your hand on Steroids. I would HIGHLY NOT recommend using a direct drive buffer & wool. This can be far more hazardous then just about anything else.

You can pick up a full PC kit from detailersdomain.com, there a site sponcer, & give 10% off.

You can try your friends steamer, just make sure you don't use to much heat & water. It can & will loosen any adhesives that hold the insert in. You will need a few MF towels for this.

IMHO, just about anything you pick up locally, from the discount auto parts store is crap. Use good products, they will last longer, shine better & be far easier to work. You can't go wrong with the 1Z/Einszett kit from detailers domain.

Marine Blue

I would agree with Anthony on replacing the cloth. If you intend to concours the car then that is the only way to go. If you just want to get it clean you can look for a good local detailer to do only the inserts.

If you want to go at it yourself you try plain Woolite diluted with water but you will risk water stains with that cloth.

Some good tips on the paint already!