Getting a black car "show ready"
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Victoria - Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Getting a black car "show ready" I'll be taking one of my boyfriend's cars down to the Washington/Oregon boarder for a big Subaru show (gag, I know...), this weekend, and offered to detail it for him, as he'll be busy getting his other car ready. I haven't waxed a car in years... help!
I was told to wax first, then use a decent polish to seal it, is that correct? Any suggestions? I have a cheap orbital someone gave me a while back, but I've never used the thing in my life.
I was told to wax first, then use a decent polish to seal it, is that correct? Any suggestions? I have a cheap orbital someone gave me a while back, but I've never used the thing in my life.
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Victoria - Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
The car has been sitting in a yard for about 6 months. It was one of his "projects" (hes got about 6 of them), that he got bored of, so its sat a while. The paint doesn't have any massive gouges in it, but its seen no love, not even a wash, for quite a while. So typical swirls/marks/etc.
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: AZ
The car has been sitting in a yard for about 6 months. It was one of his "projects" (hes got about 6 of them), that he got bored of, so its sat a while. The paint doesn't have any massive gouges in it, but its seen no love, not even a wash, for quite a while. So typical swirls/marks/etc.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Victoria - Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
After talking with one of the paint guys at a local shop, I bought Meguiar's Scratch X 2.0...he said to apply it by hand, then buff it off with the orbital. Does that sound right? He said to follow up with a wax, he recommended the Meguiar's #26
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo 12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: AZ
that will work for the time being. That scratch X will disapate and not fill after awhile but will get you through the weekend.
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Victoria - Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Awesome, thanks for all your help 
Im not too concerned about how it will look after the weekend, this is probably the last time the car will be driven for another 6 months. He's not too interested in the car, he just slapped it together so I'd have something to take down to the Subaru meet because I wasnt too thilled about the idea of a 9 hour trip in the passenger seat... I go a bit nuts if Im not the one driving, and he wanted to be able to drive his own car...
Im not too concerned about how it will look after the weekend, this is probably the last time the car will be driven for another 6 months. He's not too interested in the car, he just slapped it together so I'd have something to take down to the Subaru meet because I wasnt too thilled about the idea of a 9 hour trip in the passenger seat... I go a bit nuts if Im not the one driving, and he wanted to be able to drive his own car... 12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
From: AZ
Awesome, thanks for all your help Im not too concerned about how it will look after the weekend, this is probably the last time the car will be driven for another 6 months. He's not too interested in the car, he just slapped it together so I'd have something to take down to the Subaru meet because I wasnt too thilled about the idea of a 9 hour trip in the passenger seat... I go a bit nuts if Im not the one driving, and he wanted to be able to drive his own car...
Im not too concerned about how it will look after the weekend, this is probably the last time the car will be driven for another 6 months. He's not too interested in the car, he just slapped it together so I'd have something to take down to the Subaru meet because I wasnt too thilled about the idea of a 9 hour trip in the passenger seat... I go a bit nuts if Im not the one driving, and he wanted to be able to drive his own car...
i prefer the tropi care swirl cutter then the megs scratch X, and i use all megs products. youll get very little results by hand. for a true swirl remover to work, you need a PC. it does, however, take HOURS to do it right. im talking starting at 8am and not stopping till its dark out (hopefully youll be doing this in a garage, and not out in the sun).
another tip to just get through a weekend is to use something like megs glaze, which fills in small swirls and scratchs, and give the appearance of doing a PC job without doing it. but remember youre just covering it up, not removing the swirls.
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Victoria - Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
I have a 4x4 as well 
I'll be working on it for the next two days in a row after work...probably 5pm-dark (about 9:30 around here). So a good 8-9 hours worth of work.
Which meguiar's glaze? I asked about those, but the guy at the shop said not to bother with them. The easier this is the better. It doesnt have to be show car perfect, just would be nice to show up with a decent looking car!
PS - what's a PC?
i prefer the tropi care swirl cutter then the megs scratch X, and i use all megs products. youll get very little results by hand. for a true swirl remover to work, you need a PC. it does, however, take HOURS to do it right. im talking starting at 8am and not stopping till its dark out (hopefully youll be doing this in a garage, and not out in the sun).
another tip to just get through a weekend is to use something like megs glaze, which fills in small swirls and scratchs, and give the appearance of doing a PC job without doing it. but remember youre just covering it up, not removing the swirls.
another tip to just get through a weekend is to use something like megs glaze, which fills in small swirls and scratchs, and give the appearance of doing a PC job without doing it. but remember youre just covering it up, not removing the swirls.
Which meguiar's glaze? I asked about those, but the guy at the shop said not to bother with them. The easier this is the better. It doesnt have to be show car perfect, just would be nice to show up with a decent looking car!
PS - what's a PC?
me too
Porter Cable. an orbital buffer. not a high speed polisher, not a grinder with a pad on it. its a specifically designed machine just for car care. a very wise investment would be to go to tropi-cares website, and get one of their starter kits. you can then add to it with whatever else you buy on your own.
i forgot the exact name, but it says GLAZE on the bottle. its the professional line, in the beige bottles, not the usual black bottled variety. when i go out to the garage again ill look for it.
when i detailed my TA for the tech calendar, i spent a total of 12+ hours on it. an entire saturday, from 8 till dark, and the better part of half a sunday. this was in june of last year, so it was light till 8ish. the longest part is the PC with swirl remover. you have to move so SLOWLY with it, only doing a 2x2 section at a time, each section taking upwards of 10+ minutes each.
Porter Cable. an orbital buffer. not a high speed polisher, not a grinder with a pad on it. its a specifically designed machine just for car care. a very wise investment would be to go to tropi-cares website, and get one of their starter kits. you can then add to it with whatever else you buy on your own.
i forgot the exact name, but it says GLAZE on the bottle. its the professional line, in the beige bottles, not the usual black bottled variety. when i go out to the garage again ill look for it.
when i detailed my TA for the tech calendar, i spent a total of 12+ hours on it. an entire saturday, from 8 till dark, and the better part of half a sunday. this was in june of last year, so it was light till 8ish. the longest part is the PC with swirl remover. you have to move so SLOWLY with it, only doing a 2x2 section at a time, each section taking upwards of 10+ minutes each.
TECH Resident
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 896
Likes: 1
From: Holmes County (thats right Amish Country), OHIO
Just wash
Run a clay bar over it
Apply a polish/swirl remover like scratch X
Then wax with Meg. NXT 2.0
Clean the windows with invisible glass
Clean the rims with Mothers Mag polish
And a good tire dressing and your ready to rock!!!
You'll love how it looks when your done
Run a clay bar over it
Apply a polish/swirl remover like scratch X
Then wax with Meg. NXT 2.0
Clean the windows with invisible glass
Clean the rims with Mothers Mag polish
And a good tire dressing and your ready to rock!!!
You'll love how it looks when your done
