Fork501

BUT DAYUM!!!!

I think I did a helluva job on the car wash today =) Took me about 3 and a half hours. I'd been complaining for months, now about how there is dirt embedded into my paint. I don't see it there, anymore ^_^ I believe all of the rubbing compound I've been doing over the past few weeks has gotten rid of it..

There's construction going on in the parking lot at work, so I figured that when I go to work on Wednesday, it won't be this clean any more =( So I wanted to share while all was still good!

Before the pictures..

The Supplies:

Body -

Meguire's Deep Crystal System:

Car Wash (The soap.. smelled pretty good, actually! lol)
Step 1: Paint Cleaner
Step 2: Polish
Step 3: Carnauba Wax

Windows -

Invisible Glass

Wheels -

Eagle 1

Aluminum Wash and Polish
(I didn't wash these down, as it suggested.. I got an old chamois cloth and wiped it down.)

I'm getting the ZR-1 Rims in about 3 months, so don't pay too much attention to the wheels =)

Now for the pictures!












(This is the cracks from the accident.. for having an SUV sitting on top of my car, I didn't do too bad! )

Well, I hope you enjoyed =) I just figured I'd share, since I've NEVER seen my car this clean ^_^

~Derek

flannel_man

I know what ya mean man just spent 4 hours today on the truck, even took the plastic bedliner out and put it back in. You have a pressure washer?

Fork501

I have a pressure washer. The only thing I use it for is the engine (since I don't have an OptiSpark) and it gets the job done pretty well

~Derek

Cozmo

Looks good!

Good thing you blacked out the licence plate. One of us might have shown up at your house.

Fork501

Well.. if anyone shows up @ the house, I'll just have to let them wash the car for me again =)

Naa, I'm used to blacking out the license plate.. it makes me feel good =P!!!

~Derek

prime22

Your car came out nice, that color looks good, when you have some wax on it. Dark Blue is a good looking color, it is also the same color as my vette. Their NXT wax also does a good job, with some new wheels you will be looking sharp!

Ricks94vette

Looks good but based on the image of yourself, it appears your paint needs color sanding. Look at your reflection in the windshield then again from your hood. You'll notice your image is much sharper when you look from the windshield. This is because the surface of the windshield is a smoother, more even surface. The smoother the suface of paint, the better it reflects light resulting in a "shinier" car. Show cars have this done all the time.
What is color sanding? Well, its when you take very fine (1500) grit special sanding paper for this type of work, wrap it around a simi firm ruber block and lightly sand the very top layer of paint down. Too much and you've gone too far. This is followed by various grades of compunds. I use Meguiar's because the polymers (the gritty stuff) in their compounds eventually break down with the friction (heat) of the buffer, resulting in less scratching. Next step is to polish it and finally apply a coat of wax. I wouldn't recommend doing this as you must have experience and patience. A good detail shop should be able to do this and gaurantee not to go thru the paint.
On another note, where do you live? I ask because you mentioned you where getting new rims and I what to buy two larger rims to place them on the font of my '94. Yours appear to be the same sawblade type I have on mine. Your rear rims should be 9.5' and thats what I need on the front of mine so that I have the same size all around. By the way, I'm in So. Ca.(Los Angeles) so if your back east I'll just look for something closer. Good Luck, Rick

Fork501

Thanx for the tips! I'm getting the whole car painted in April. If you see the car up close, it's easier to see the image through it. I have a filter on that camera, since it's actually my art photography camera.

If I don't get the car painted soon enough, I'll definitely take it to a detail shop! I have an orange peel texture on the hood, so I need to find someone who will gaurantee they can get rid of that when they paint the thing.

I live in Florida. A bit far for you lol But you don't want these rims, anyways.. unless you want to have them refinished. They look horrible, texture flaking off, brown spots from brake dust and oils, which won't come out, no matter how much I try =(

But thanx again =)! I always welcome suggestions!

~Derek

Ricks94vette

Thanks for the info on the rims Derek. Good luck and send some pictures when you get it painted.