Mcnabs 5th Gen Progression Thread

[mcnab]

Thanks for the complements

Regarding your question, my best suggestion to you is to use more than 1 bucket. It's not so much what SOAP you use, as apposed to HOW you wash the car. The best and most expensive soaps won't help if your wash technique sucks.

So get ATLEAST 2 buckets. You want 1 bucket for RINSING, and 1 bucket for SUDS. Wash 1 panel at time. Get a good sheepskin mitt, 1 for lower body panels, and one for upper body panels, and use them for each. Start by dipping it in the sudds and washing a panel. Put it in the rinse bucket, then back into the sudds. The idea is you want to release all the grit etc into the RINSE bucket, and not back into your sudds water. That way your sudds water stays clear, and you dont' get as much grit in your wash mitt when you're washing and will put less marring into your vehicle.

Now for which soap to use. If you just want to stick with stuff you can find at Autozone, etc, then I'd suggest the Meguiars Goldclass Soap. It works quite well. My suggestions on what NOT to use are any soap that has "wax's" in it. They don't do a very good job, and the wax's in them dont' actually do anything.

Also NEVER use dish soap (ie dawn etc). Those are for washing your DISHES, not a car. IT will dry out all the seals etc on your doors, windows etc. Never use that stuff.

Originally Posted by PreludeNmphs

Your car is awesome and I love all the detailing info I have collected in this one post. I do have a question regarding the best soap to use for the average guy like me. I'm not going to foam my car as you have, but I always want to protect the investment I made in wax and choosing a decent soap. I have been using ArmorAll soap and it seems to do a good job and doesn't streak too badly. I'm sure there is better and want your opinion.

Thanks!

As an update to this thread, It's been a crazy summer for me. I haven't done much to the prelude as I've been riding my motorbike all summer and got totally hooked on that. So much so that I'll taking it off the street for winter and putting it into race prep so I can race it next year

I did very well and finished off our AutoX season. I was VERY happy with how I was able to get the car dialed in. We have our annaul AutoX banquet in November, but I was able to get some awards this year in our AutoX Club. I nailed down

-Rookie of the Year
-Winter Series Champion
-Spring Series Champion
-Summer Series Champion
-2008 Drivers Championship

Im very happy with how the car performed this year with the suspension and tires. I was really able to improve my driving.

I will post up some pics of the awards when I get them, really stoked tho!

[PreludeNmphs]

Thanks man. Two buckets a great suggestion I actually haven't tried but will. Keep up the inspiration to clean our cars! To add another note, I cleaned my engine bay after reading this thread. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and I am totally pleased with the results. Got great completements!
Thanks again!

[Kaloft]

Originally Posted by Ndforspeed

Mcnab, After reading and going through your thread more than a couple of times, you have really inspired me to do some well deserved cleaning on my 98 lude. Besides from the standard wash and wax i really am intrested in cleaning up the wheel wells from all their dirt and grime. One thing I woudl really like to do is take the suspension off and clean and repaint them just as you did. If you could or anyone, is it possible for you to let me know how to take off the front and back springs? I have taken some days off work so no rush for replys.

Thanks alot for all the inspiration!!!

NDF

Yeah, I took a look at this thread and it made me want to clean my car. :O. I'm still working on the dough to get my full OEM lip set and fresh bumper, but once those are done, I can't wait to get my car detailed.

I actually took the time before school to vacuum my car with my house vacuum. Lol.

Still waiting for that write up on how you cleaned your engine bay!

Keep it up man, you are definitely a cleaning inspiration.

[mcnab]

So just as an update. I have our AutoX banquet this week, and I'll update the thread with some of the hardware that the Prelude helped me bring home this year

It's been a really fun season this year, but Im actually thinking of selling the Prelude within the next 3-4 months. I don't intend to AutoX next year, as I've shifted my focus from AutoX to Motorycles, and I'll be racing my R6 with my brother next year. I mostly had my Prelude as part daily driver, and part go-fast for AutoX. But with that not happening anymore, Im likely going to sell it and get something a little more comfy for me. I was thinking of getting an Infiniti QX4.

I will be putting the car back to stock, so that means I'll have some parts up for grabs. The parts that I'll be selling will be

Full AUTHENTIC OEM Kit (sides, rear and front) - Painted Nighthawk Black Pearl
Neuspeed Front Strut Bar
Tanabe Sustec Rear Upper Strut Bar
Tanabe Sustec Rear Lower Tie-Bar
Eibach Prokit & Bilstein Sport Suspension (w/ Bilstein Bump Stops)

I'll update things when I know what I've got some of these things for sale :S

[hnguy4]

It'll be a sad day to see one of the cleanest Preludes in the hands of a new owner! but in the case of if and when you do part out..I'd like to call DIBS on your OEM Lip Kit!

[Solid]

Yep, sad to see great prelude owners go.

[M0BManBB8]

well that car.. puts a lot of us to shameeee.... shame on ussss shameeeee

[mcnab]

Well we had out banquet the other day, and I pulled home a little hardware.



I won:

Spring Series Champion
Winter Series Champion
Summer Series Champion
Total Points / Drivers Champion
Rookie of the Year

All and all Im proud of how the car progressed, as well as my own sloppy driving! My friends certainly helped me out plenty this season in wrenching on the car when it needed it.

I'll make sure I update things if I do decide to sell. For right now Im not putting anymore money into the car.

[Tola]

Hey I didn't read through everything, but saw your post about the alignment. Did you get it all sorted out? The toe should be very easily adjustable when you bring it in for an alignment. As for the camber/caster - if you adjust the caster, you will slightly affect the camber.

And dammmnn. Your car is sooooo clean!

[vipastyle]

Great job on the awards!! Glad you're representing.

[PJizle]

Bring this back from the dead and re-up pics please

[mcnab]

Wow I had completely forgot about this thread. Sorry guys, I took down the domain I had hosted all the pics on, I still have a backup of it somewhere, so when I get some time I will re-upload all of the pics to my other domain. Will take a few days

Im not dead though I still have the prelude, but it's just my daily driver. I got into racing bikes, so all my cash goes into my trackbike now

Here's a little pic of what Im currently up to

[PreludeVTEC01]

Ya that would be awesome to re up-load the pics! Nice bike btw!!

[mcnab]

I've dug up the backup from the dead and resurrected all the pics for you guys. Enjoy! I'll make sure I check in on the thread

[SocalPreludeBB6]

holy **** ur still around

[PreludeVTEC01]

You do such a great job! Thanks for putting the pics back up!!

[HavoK041]

Originally Posted by SocalPreludeBB6

holy **** ur still around

I hope he's still around! I live in Victoria too and I wanna buy some of his stuff!

[97rEdLude01]

Originally Posted by PreludeNmphs

I hate to ask a question about cleaning spots off the glass on my lude in this thread, but since you seem to be an excellent detailer. These spots seem to be just part of the glass now. They have been there for quite some time and I have had it with them. I've tried all kinds of chemicals, cleaners, steel wool, detailers clay bars. I have thought about using a razor blade scraped but haven't yet. Nothing has removed the spots. How is it that I can get the finish pretty dang spotless but can't seem to ever get the glass as nice?

hey man maybe it will help or not but, if your talking about hard spots on your car maybe a little vinegar will help....ive washed my car with vinegar with a wash mitt and i was pleased with the results....if this helps or not i'm just trying to help out