1) What pads do you recommend for polishing and/or waxing, foam or microfiber pads? I have both. Autogeek foam pads, and Turtle Wax Ice, and some other brand of microfiber pads.
2) Is it really neccessary to claybar a car B/F polishing it? I work with a guy who sometimes details people cars on the side if they pay him enough.(normally pretty big project cars that require very indepth detailing) Anyway he says that polishing a car after claybaring it defeats the purpose of claybaring it in the first place. I told him I thought you did that to remove dirt and whatever else from the paint to not have it dig in when polishing it, and he tells me not to worry about that, and that claybaring it B/F waxing would just be wasting time as its not neccessary.
3) How should I go about removing all the caked up dirt, and whatever else that gets built up on the painted surfaces inside the fenderwells? It doesn't like to come off.
Here is a picture of what I'm refurring to.
____________________________________ Born: 9/2/02...# 2512 of 8394
Mods:
Magnaflow Catback with Ford Racing M55 Mufflers, MAC Prochamber, Steeda Tri-Ax, K&N FIPK, 2.93" upper pulley, MM FLSFC, MM K-Member Brace, MM Coilovers, ac427cobra's Complete IRS Bushings, Billetflow IRS Brace, 18x9 Front, 18x10.5 Rear AFS factory replicas, McLeod RST TD Clutch, Ram Billet Aluminum Flywheel, LFP DP H/E, ETC.
1) Depends on what you're trying to do. Polishing tight areas by hand, MF 'bricks' work well. They also work nicely for applying waxes. Some sealants, I prefer to use one of the tight cell yellow foam "UFO" discs.
2) Do you HAVE to? No. Is it better to? Yes. You are right, your 'friend' is wrong. It is best to remove contaminants before polishing and I'm not sure how he gets that polishing after clay defeats the purpose of anything...that IS the purpose is to get any major bonded contaminants off. And you always want to clay first since it can induce some marring unto itself.
3) That looks like some super nasty Wildabeast type stuff... Try Meg's Body Solvent (detailer line); Acrysol, K1 Kerosene and of course a clay bar on the painted surfaces. WD40 may also be worth a shot. Get a big can or two and go to town, then wash the wells with a terry washcloth. This would be easiest to do with the tires off as well.
____________________________________
04 Redfire Coupe, #187
09 GT500 Vista Blue/white stripe Coupe
Could always try some simple green in the fenderwells. A power washer on the linings will help and you can hit the inside of the sideskirt with it, just stand back a few more feet
im no expert, but started using the clay last year and would say you are right/your friend is wrong. clay takes off a lot of contaminents, i wouldnt want to polish with out removing that first
Wow. Remind me not to let your friend near my car.
You need to clay before you polish. UNLESS the paint is free of contaminents. Take a plastic ziplock bag, and GENTLY rub your paint with your fingers inside. If it is smooth, you don't need to clay. If it feels like sand paper, you NEED to clay, or you will just drive the contaminents in further. It is like polishing a turd.
As for your fenderwells, spray it with simple green, and pressure wash them.
for wells that bad, simple green and a mothers powerball. diluted of course, and let it sit up for a bit and soak into the debris/gunk, respray a second coat then attack it with the powerball and a corded drill.
always claybar before polish; you want to remove contaminants so they dont interfere with the polishing process. otherwise youll just be dragging contaminants across the paint at a high rate of speed with the pad.
any "polishing" by hand (other than tight spots a PC/Rotary cant get to) isnt really "polishing" at all. I wouldnt even bother; just get a wax with a good amount of filler or something that seals the paint well if thats all you have to work with.
My friend, its time to step up your detailing game and get a PC, some pads, some good product, and really make that Sonic Blue shine.
____________________________________
1998 GST Spyder
2003 Redfire Cobra | 448wp/435wtq | 2.93" Upper / Stock Lower | bunch of other stuff | SOLD
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeremy Clarkson
What it makes me feel though, is sad. I just can't help thinking that thanks to all sorts of things, the environment, the economy, problems in the Middle East, the relentless war on speed, cars like this will soon be consigned to the history books. I just have this horrible, dreadful feeling, that what I'm driving here, is an ending.
Last edited by thomas91169; 11-09-2009 at 03:07 AM.
Linear Mode
