could anyone please give me the 411 on what all needs to be done?
i was told that this event they will check under the car to see if its clean as well and fender wells etc. the event is in a saturday so i felt that the thursday before i should lift the car up and start to spray amaral foam spray all on the underside and engine degreaser. and then go to work friday and from right after work to the event to leave my car over night with the reast. and then clean it all again from the drive. im also going to get some fine brushes to clean the air vents and crack inside. should i make the dash real shiny or clean and not shiny? shoul i put any fancy air freshner in there also?
and for a car show wax job what steps should i take? please list details.
For the engine bay use tire foam it works really well. I use an air compressor to clean the inside of the air vents and cracks, just make sure there is no moisture in the air. Another good tip is use baby oil on the weather stripping it keeps it shiny. And as far the body of the car, wash, clay, buff, polish, and wax.
I hope this helped
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For cleaning your engine bay, start with a degreaser/water solution. Because I don't know how caked on the dirt is on your engine, it's going to be up to you to decide how much you should dilute the degreasing solution. As a general rule of thumb, start with 50/50 and increase the degreasing solution as needed. People use either citrus-based degreasers or Simple Green generally. Cover up all the important electrical components such as your distributer, wires, etc with aluminum foil. It's a cheap alternative to using plastic baggies and works great since it's very pliable and maliable. Spray the degreaser/water solution onto the surface and let it soak for 3 to 5 minutes. You don't want to let it sit in one spot for too long, since it can discolor the surface. Work your way from the bottom of the engine to the top of the valve cover because you don't want the degreaser and the caked on dirt dripping on your hand as you work. Scrub with whatever tool you want to get those hard to reach areas and stubborn spots, but for the most part the degreaser should do the work. Afterwards rinse with water, but I would just use a steady stream instead of a pressurized hose.
About your dash, I would say it's better to leave it a satin, non-shiny finish. You know how people have those carpet-like covers that go on top of your dashboard? It's to prevent the reflection onto the windshield because it can obstruct your vision. The same rule applies; you don't want to be driving and have the sun hit the dashboard and blind you. Use q-tips for the vents, a microfiber towel to wipe away the dust.
Now onto the paint, my favorite part. Make sure to clay bar the car. You'll be surprised how far that little bar can go. After the surface is smooth and contaminant-free, I'm assuming that you want to get rid of swirls and spider-webs that are in the surface of the paint. For this, you would need to use an abrasive polish to level down the paint instead of filling it in. However you could use a filler for the swirls if you just want the car to look good for the show, but I think it's a better idea of you level down the paint right the first time. Do you have any orbital buffers or rotary buffers? With the rotary buffer, do you have experience with it?
Depending on how much time you have, I would invest in a Porter Cable 7336. You can buy the machine from Lowe's right now for $119. Afterwards invest in a 5" flexible backing plate, 3 yellow cutting pads, 3 white polishing pads, and 3 black finishing pads. Many people will tell you to buy many different brands, but Lake Country is a very reputable name and favorite among other detailing enthusiasts. Also Meguiar's offers their own line of foam pads, but I've read they tend to come apart easier than the LC ones.
Here's a link from the detailing forum where I posted more information about what to do about leveling your paint:
If you're going to polish by hand, it's going to be hard to get the same results if done by machine. You can use a terry towel and fold it into 1/8s so that it will apply pressure more evenly as well as able to generate enough heat to level the paint, but I don't know how much stamina you have.
After polishing, waxing is the final step unless you want to use a sealant. Anyway, NXT is a pretty cost-effective and easy to find product that produces great results for its cost. Although NXT on its own with no prepping will hide swirls, when you prep the paint beforehand, it will make the surface look even better. If not NXT, then you can use whatever other wax products you want. Each wax has different characteristics and strong points. If you care to let us know more about what kind you want in terms of depth, longetivity, how much static electricity it creates, etc, then I'll be glad to let you know more.
Good luck with the show and if you have dust on the surface when you arrive at the show, use a GOOD QUALITY microfiber towel with a quick detailer to make that final touch. Hope you get great results
well i have only waxed my car one time by hand. i have never used a buffer of any kind. and i have never clay bared. so im worried if im going to be rubbing to hard and go through the paint etc. if you could give me some more details on clay baring then i think ill be ready to attack.
also, how soon before the show should i do most of this? could i do it the weekend before? like this up comming weekend? cause the weekend april 10th is the show.
i looked up weather for my area (area code 75207) and its going to rain over the weekend. but i think i have a place i can do this indoor. or should i just wait to do it during the week right before the show? look like i need to.
You will usually get better results if you polish & wax when there is lower humidity, so you might want to do it before the weather gets bad or wait until it dries up again. I would recommend going ahead and doing the prep work as soon as you can, then apply one coat of wax now. Then a day or two before the show, wash and dry the car then apply another coat of wax. That way you won't be rushed since all of the tedious prep work is over with and you just need that last coat to get the "just waxed" look.
Best of luck getting this done before the show on Saturday.
Start tonight with the cleaning .. its easier to give a spray down when pressed for time as opposed to doing the full deal on the appearance of the car.
I agree with doing the 2nd coat of wax before the show ... Also, when washing your car use a bucket and some good car wash soap .. use a microfiber cloth or a good sponge when rubbing down the car, dont use the car wash brushes as they will create swirls.
another note on the NXT , the maguirs 3 step did NOT elminate my swirls at all. It might be in your interest even to pick up a less expensive rotary buffer (preferred with variable speed) to do the cutting at least ... you'll hear terms like "rubbing compound" and "cutting agent" ... these are different than the scratchx and swirl remover type polishes you get ... they ARE abbrasive and what they do is ... to compare , say a "wet sand" .. it will rub away layers of clear coat/paint and give an even unscratched surface ... my advice, take your car to the car wash tonight .. get some fast food too because you have full evenings of work until the show - especially if doing it all by hand ..
get a plastic grocery bag or produce bag and after you wash/dry the car (I'd use dawn degerent instead of car wash to get off any remaining wax/polish from before since your waxing soon anyways) put your hand in the bag and run it over your car .. the paint should feel smooth and if you feel any small bumps/contaminents stuck on the paint you will need a claybar.
In a pinch you can use something like maguiars deep crystal paint cleaner .. its a thick liquid like wax but wont cut particles on the paint as well as a clay bar.
After that .. do the cutting compound -by orbital buffer , using the yellow cutting foam type pads.. then use some paint cleaner on a terry towel (btw, nows a good time to buy like 20 for this process, i got a pack of 8 at partsource for like 10bux CDN, they're perfect) apply/remove to the whole car to make sure the compound is gone .. THEN ... apply the polish (i like to apply polish/wax by hand and remove by power buffer because its easier to apply it evenly) and finish it off with a good coat of NXT wax.
My advice is to clean the undercarraige of the car first as well as the engine bay before doing the pretty stuff on the outside .. this way you wont slash age old dirt on a freshly waxed surface.
one thing standing out , get one of this scrubby brushes with a handle on it (sorta like the ones for cleanin the toilet ) to clean the tire wells and under car, get some jack stands when you goto the wand wash ... lift her up and dont be afraid to take off the tires to get in those wheel wells.
I think you have a huge novel now, and although my hands on is limited I hope this gives a good description of what you'd need to do.
Can you guys back me up ?? ... - sure its a lot of work but its the way to get a flawless show car shine and if you follow these steps a couple times a year (waxing more frequent) then your car will be sparkling for the long haul ...
For dust during the show, you can always get one of those dusters that limo drivers carry around with the long handle that cover a big area of the car at once..
Good luck! You'll be busy and get into it .. but stop here and there to take some pics to show the progress! ..
Hmm, I don't think it's a good idea to start doing any major cutting and polishing on the paint especially if you don't have any idea. Since you're strapped for time and just want the surface of the paint to look good without waiting for special parts here and there to come, then do this:
1)Like I said in the previous post, clean the undercarriage and the wheel wells the same way. Use the power sprayers at the car wash stalls that yohan420 said.
2)Wash the car thorougly with a mixture of Dawn dishwashing detergent and water. Use a wool mitt, or a cotton chenille mitt. Don't use a terry towel to wash the car since it will introduce new swirls and marr the surface. You could use a microfiber towel as well if you'd like.
3)Clay bar the car. Get the Mother's California Gold claybar since you'll be able to find it at places like Pep Boys and Autozone. If you can find ClayMagic, then get that but otherwise the Mother's brand is decent.
4)Hand apply 3M's Swirl Mark Remover for Dark Color Cars. You won't get great results using it by hand, but it does having filling abilities and will help your surface some. Use a foam applicator pad and buff the surface until it starts to disappear. Don't use a terry towel to wipe away the surface since they will create new swirls after you've worked hard to get rid of them. Use a good quality microfiber towel that won't marr the surface. Order from www.pakshak.com and get those. I have ones from Pep Boys, but they're only good for wiping down windows and the dashboard since they marred the surface for me.
5)Use NXT Tech Wax. If you're in a jam, this is the product to use IMO. I haven't seen any product out there that will give results like this with the effort given to apply. Make sure to let the product sit on the car after application before buffing it off. Again, use a quality microfiber towel to buff.
Note, step 4 is optional depending on how much time you have. I recommend washing about a couple of days before the show if you're car is a daily driver. The morning before the show, just wash the car with regular car shampoo get to rid of the dust and the wax should keep the surface shiny. Spray on some quick detailer and you should be good to go.
I haven't really seen much of a difference between detailing in high humidity versus low humidity. The main difference I think depends on how hot it is outside, where it'll affect how well your wax/polish will bond to the surface. I suppose the humidity can affect it, but I don't think it would be anything too serious. However, if you can, detail on a dry day.
About the California Car Duster, my parents used it on their car and it created swirls. I talked to a fellow luder on this board, Ludatic, and he said it worked fine for him. Different opinions, but I wouldn't feel safe wiping the dust across the surface without some sort of lubricant IMO.
heheh.. The fun doesnt stop... What Kb798 said .. the fastest way to get detailed work .. but you've got a nice lot of information for the next show =)
Curious about the terry towels and swirls ..I've been using 100% cotton terry towel for drying .. its the recommended material to use on all the instructions for maguiar's product ... all of the attachment's i've seen for buffers are cotton terry towel ...
What do you recommend for removing the swirl remover/paint cleaner/buffing wax?
well ill be showing at www.traxionevents.com
the show is april 10th and im leaving the car there friday night. so i might take that friday off before the show or detail the hell out of my car before the show after work.
i thank yall both for the information. i do have a long road ahead but after the first major detail i think the rest of the year will be better. and i will post pics as i go along and at the event to see the help yall have done.
It doesn't take attending a class to learn about the art of detailing, but it does take time to learn about different methods for different applications. Just remember to take your time and leave yourself plenty of time to do things right.
Quote:
Originally posted by yohan420 heheh.. The fun doesnt stop... What Kb798 said .. the fastest way to get detailed work .. but you've got a nice lot of information for the next show =)
Curious about the terry towels and swirls ..I've been using 100% cotton terry towel for drying .. its the recommended material to use on all the instructions for maguiar's product ... all of the attachment's i've seen for buffers are cotton terry towel ...
What do you recommend for removing the swirl remover/paint cleaner/buffing wax?
Meguiar's said to use terry towels but I would stay far away from them. When applying the steps, use a foam applicator. When buffing off, use a quality microfiber towel. I used to use a terry applicator and a terry towel because I was following the instructions, but I soon realized that I was introducing new swirls as I was filling in swirls.
well i keep looking at the forceast and im getting upset. shows it will rain sat and sun...then on wed and again on friday.
if you want to see for yourself then check my zip code @ 75207
would it be ok if i washed one night.....and then clay bared.......then 2 nights later wash the car again and then scratchx it and wax it? or do it all in one day only? cause now it looks like i need to take friday off and do the detail indoors and then again when i get to the show.
i think im going to clean the engine bay over the weekend at the car wash so i will have less to do when i get to the show.
Terry towls are truly better for buffing off most wax/polish residue because the towl doesn't clog up as fast as a good microfiber towel. However, there is more of a chance to create swirls with the terry towel. You should be fine though as long as you use soft, clean, 100% cotton towels. Just use them folded, flip over to a clean portion often, and don't rub hard with them. On the other hand, if you use a wax that dusts off very easily then I would use microfiber instead.
I started using microfiber towels to dry my car soon after what I like to call "the microfiber craze" but they just can't soak up water like a good ol' cotton towel. Plus I had to wipe the microfiber towel across the paint to dry the car whereas you can just blot the paint with a cotton towel and it will soak the water right up!
As long as you blot, you won't get swirls when drying with a cotton towel. If you don't believe me, just ask any female.. she will tell you "Blot, don't wipe!"
lmao thats a good way to make a point. what are your thought of using the water blade to dry off most of the car and then get a shami to get all the spots the blade didnt? thats how i clean mine. is this good or bad?
water blades are really a great way to cut down on towel usage and time of drying. As for chamois (shammy) personally i cant stand the site of anything that might represent one. Both 100% hide or a synthetic mixture. IMO it takes just too damn long. Use a water blade and then a towel. Sometimes after i have waxed like one or two washes ago and I am pressed for time, I will water blade, then just drive it. That will dry the car real nice and then if you see any water spots (which are minimal becuase of the current wax) they will just buff out with a light wipe of a micro fiber. Also for a great last minute detailer, use meguiars California Golf Spray Detailer. The same stuff that comes in the Clay bar kit. This can be used as the clay bar lubricant as well as the spray detailer and really gets that mirror finish going. Hope we have been able to help you. Gawd i cant even begin to think about the fact taht you might do all this work only to have the show cancelled at the last minute. Is this indoor or outdoor show?
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I would stay away from the Water Blade if I were you, unless you can get your car absolutely clean. It does save time though, especially if you have a car with large, flat panels. But once it picks up any type of sediment, it will most likely scratch the paint. I use the Absorber instead, and use the blot technique with it. I can get an entire half side or sometimes 3/4 of the car without wringing the Absorber. Whatever spots there are, I use a microfiber towel in conjunction and works perfectly everytime.
well get this......i planned on waxing the car this week and all and then i get a call from an old friend that was gonna do some vinyl wrap on my car a long time ago and never got to it. he calls me today and ask if we can meet up today after work so he can take pics of the car and dim. the car. then he tells me we can split the cost on the vinyl wrap. he will pay 1/2 and ill pay 1/2. so i tell him the show is this saturday and he claims we can at least get 1/2 the car wraped for sure but he would like to get the whole car wraped before thursday night. i tell him thats fine with me. i do have a million little rock chips in the front and on the hood so i want the wrap to start there and then fade into the rear or something. just thought i would share. i will take pics if this really does happen.
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