Work in progress - cutting back the paintwork

[Guest]

A few forums I go on have some quite nerdy people who record in great detail how they cleaned their car and what products we use. Not seen anyone on here bore us todeath with all that, but I thought I would show you my progress this weekend in cutting back the Stag's dull paintwork and then polishing it.


^^^ The whole of the near-side and the off-side of the bonnet had been done in this one, which was late Saturday afternoon.



^^^ The light was going by the time I finished and today it rained so not good for taking pic's other then this detail.

[aerosilver]

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Looks great Ian. I see you've got the knack of lowering the hood now Hope you've put it back up though it's p***ing down outside!

Bob.

[m9fdb]

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i quite like reading the updates on Detailing world and such like and plan to give my Stag a good cut and polish wheni get it back as the repaint isnt going to happen for a while. I will nodoubt end up getting covered in black paint as it is painted in straight black paint and not been lacquered

Your Stag is looking good Ian and its surprising how well you get to know a car after a good clean imo

[nib]

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Magenta especially comes into its own with a deep shine,looking good Ian.

Darren are you familiar with Faracla products,ive got a tube of there G3,very good but not too forgiving where theres not a lot of paint.

Mark

[Guest]

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Thanks Darren and Mark.

You do get to know a car cleaning it - and get depressed as you find a little dent or scratch you KNOW wasn't there last week! Mines in cellulose and is looking better in the pics than reality as you can't see the patches of microblistering - that said I am very pleased at how well its come up. I was going to use G3 as Deanoed recommended it but I couldn't find any, so used Tutle Restorer.

When it is up and running I will go round to a few paintshops and see if they are happy to prepare and blow-in the affected areas. As you used to be a sprayer Darren, can you tell me if celluslose is likely to still be available?

[XFSTag]

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Stag's looking good Ian, hope the weather improves so you can get on with the rest mate!

Closet polisher here :shock:

I used to be heavily into this detailing lark with my XK which was kept puuurrrrfect .Bought the 3m's system in the end as it was highly thought of and they match the various polishes with the right applicators foruse with a rotary polishing machine. Although I never use anything too abrasive just in case, unless you have a paint tester to know the thickness your chancing it with some of the heavy cutting compounds.
I used some of the 3m's gear on the stag and the results were very good. She now has a real shine and a good layer of wax. 3m's gear is very good if used properly with a rotary polisher, not really that effective by hand.

Meguiars is one of the better three stage schemes for applying by hand and gets a good finish without taking off too much paint, and a severve case of back ache! Still experimenting with waxes and top coatsthough and yet to find one that lasts for more than a month.
I'll put my annorak away now

I did my daily driver this Saturday with the 3m's stuff as it hasn't had a good waxing for a while and can barely walk now!:shock:Still it looked stunning afterwards. I know sad git eh :P

Now look at the weather...... back to square one then!

[m9fdb]

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yes i knwo G3 and G6 - i have a 2.5ltr tub of both them in the garage

[m9fdb]

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piscean57 wrote:

Thanks Darren and Mark.

You do get to know a car cleaning it - and get depressed as you find a little dent or scratch you KNOW wasn't there last week! Mines in cellulose and is looking better in the pics than reality as you can't see the patches of microblistering - that said I am very pleased at how well its come up. I was going to use G3 as Deanoed recommended it but I couldn't find any, so used Tutle Restorer.

When it is up and running I will go round to a few paintshops and see if they are happy to prepare and blow-in the affected areas. As you used to be a sprayer Darren, can you tell me if celluslose is likely to still be available?

yes youu can still get celly paint but it is hard to come by now - i know of paint factors in romford who used to sell it but not sure if they still do

[m9fdb]

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XFSTag wrote:

Stag's looking good Ian, hope the weather improves so you can get on with the rest mate!

Closet polisher here :shock:

I used to be heavily into this detailing lark with my XK which was kept puuurrrrfect .Bought the 3m's system in the end as it was highly thought of and they match the various polishes with the right applicators foruse with a rotary polishing machine. Although I never use anything too abrasive just in case, unless you have a paint tester to know the thickness your chancing it with some of the heavy cutting compounds.
I used some of the 3m's gear on the stag and the results were very good. She now has a real shine and a good layer of wax. 3m's gear is very good if used properly with a rotary polisher, not really that effective by hand.

Meguiars is one of the better three stage schemes for applying by hand and gets a good finish without taking off too much paint, and a severve case of back ache! Still experimenting with waxes and top coatsthough and yet to find one that lasts for more than a month.
I'll put my annorak away now

I did my daily driver this Saturday with the 3m's stuff as it hasn't had a good waxing for a while and can barely walk now!:shock:Still it looked stunning afterwards. I know sad git eh :P

Now look at the weather...... back to square one then!

Try Zymol concours for a lasting shine - it is expensive though (£100+) for a pot but they do come up on Detailing world in the forsale section sometimes

Or another fave of mine are the Dodo and Clean your car ranges of polish - they are both good and a lot cheaper than the Zymol and Swisswax etc

[Guest]

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XFSTag - Thanks (sorry I don't know your name!). I have done the Stag by hand although have in the past toyed with the idea of buying a small machine polisher. They are all the range with keen detailers but I would only have bought a small cheapie (RAC or Halfords sort of thing) but could just see me making a righ cods of it and having no way back other than a repaint..lol.

Which XK did you have?

Darren - I am just betting any local paint shop will say they don't do celly anymore. If that was the case, and it was a blowing in rather than full panel paint, would I just ask them to put on the colour element from two-pack and then I polish over it?

Like you say in the "proper" detailing world products are massively expensive and the difference they give to the untrained eye often doesn't make financial sense. For the M3 I read al lot about Dodo but I use the Wwrkstatt sysyem designed for silber metaillic paint which cost about £45 and will do about 10 applications I think. it's not too backbreaking and comes up with a really good deep reflection.

[pcoleman]

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don't forget the clay bar guys, it's non abrasive and lifts the crap out of the paint prior to glazing or waxing. I tried this on my java green stag( yeh yeh i know!) when a cutting agent didn't remove the crud that had settled on the flat surfaces when the car had been stored in a garage/paintshop the effect was brilliant and easy to achieve.I don't know the science behind it but it works a treat.p.s. anybody heard of the deep foam cleaning system using a pressure washer ?

pete.c

[m9fdb]

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shame you cant get the Stag over to Essex as i know a good few paint shops that would sort it out for you and enjoy doing the work also

[Moraystag]

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Pete I have never used the clay bar stuff but have been toying with the idea for both the Stag & Disco which is Java Black.

Sorry for my ignorance but could you explain the sequence of how you go about using this system as I'm a bit scared to start ladelling this stuff on without some simple instruction. The Stag is pretty clean although I have noticed quite a lot of swirls, but the Disco could do with a good going over as I only everbung on that black scratch cover polish on it



Mike

[Guest]

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Pete - Claying can give amazing results in lifting tar and other crap - you just need to be careful you are not too aggressive. Did it on my M3 which being silver, made all the little black tar specks very visible.

Darren - Once the car is up and driving, I am not adverse taking it to Essex if the local places won't play ball.

[Guest]

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Mike it's an easy process and you can buy clay bars in 3 different "strengths". The middle one is best for taking off tar IMHO - but it's not a paint corrector so will do nothing for swirls.

You just wash the car and then either spray on a detailing liquid or dip the bar in water and start to rub slowly over the paint. The bar quickly becomes covered in the tar (you will be amazed) so you just need to keep turning the bar and - keeping it lubricated - to get a new surface. Very cheap as bars are about a fiver.

After that apply your wax / polish as normal.