"The Full Menzerna" Pics (56K BEGONE!)
07-31-2005, 09:59 PM
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"The Full Menzerna" Pics (56K BEGONE!) OK, I'm going to break this down into a few posts of pics, then post up my thoughts/experiences tomorrow.
First few pictures are how the car looked when I started.
-Mike
First few pictures are how the car looked when I started.
-Mike
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07-31-2005, 10:06 PM
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And, yes, I know the wheels, tires, and windows need work. The wheels and tires are about to come off. I'll get to the windows tomorrow or whenever.
-Mike
-Mike
07-31-2005, 11:56 PM
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Originally Posted by navyblue2000
that's what I loved about NBM .
Cleaned up, that's the BEST looking color on a camaro. Period.
Cleaned up, that's the BEST looking color on a camaro. Period.
Can't wait to splurge on a Menzerna kit myself. 
08-01-2005, 09:20 AM
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The process
Wash - Washed with Black Magic car wash, which is what I typically use on wheels, the undercarriage, etc. It's cheap, and works moderately well. Perfect for a session before a claybar. Used a lamb's wool mitt.
Clay - I had some Zaino clay left over, so I used that and some Clay Magic lube. The claybar ended up surprisingly clean, so that was encouraging.
Second wash/dry - Washed with Meguiar's Gold Class, rinsing often. A fresh lamb's wool mitt was employed. Dried with a pair of waffle weave microfiber towels, but didn't sweat too much about water spots, since I knew I was going to polish.
Menzerna Final Polish II - I walked around the car, under and over several times, looking for any spots that might require Intensive Polish. I had a couple spots with light swirls, but nothing major. I got out a white pad and my Final Polish II and went to work with the polisher set on 4.5. I used one pad on the lower half, the quarter panels and doors, then it got pretty saturated, so I switched to a second white pad and did the roof, hood, and nose. Buffed off with water and two microfiber towels. This polish never ceases to amaze me. I thought the car looked good after the clay, but the polish really brought the life back into the paint and took out the minor swirls, especially around the deck lid and window.
Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze - This is the second time I've used the Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze and...WOW! It really adds a great depth to the shine and makes the metallic flakes in the paint pop. Went on very easily with a dry black pad, but I had to turn the speed down to about 3 to reduce splatter. The whole car was glazed in about 20 minutes.
Menzerna FMJ - My first time using FMJ. I applied by hand with a microfiber applicator (which I prepped with some detailing spray to keep the FMJ out of the sponge on on the car). Went on smooth, but was a little stubborn coming off. It's very possible it wasn't totally dry when I went to remove, though. It didn't spread as easily as Blackfire, but Blackfire is a thinner product. This is more the consistency of NXT or Zaino, whereas Blackfire almost feels like a glaze. Next time, I'll let it set a little longer and possibly remove with a buffer.
Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Spray - My first time with this spray. I ran into some problems here. This stuff dries so quickly that it got a little splotchy. I had a devil of a time getting it buffed out quickly enough to keep it from spotting. Part of this is likely due to the fact that it was 95+ outside with high humidity, but it's also thicker than other detailing sprays. I used a pair of Dragon microfiber towels to buff out, as those seem to work best with detailing sprays. My advice on this product is to mist from farther away, wipe quickly, and apply in as cool an environment as possible. Houston summers are remarkably hard to detail in, since the heat makes it difficult to work the products in, not to mention the toll it takes on the person doing the detailing...
Overall, I'm very happy with the results. The car is clean and a wonderful deep blue again. The glaze really impressed me again, and I'll be interested to see what kind of longevity I get from the FMJ.
-Mike
Wash - Washed with Black Magic car wash, which is what I typically use on wheels, the undercarriage, etc. It's cheap, and works moderately well. Perfect for a session before a claybar. Used a lamb's wool mitt.
Clay - I had some Zaino clay left over, so I used that and some Clay Magic lube. The claybar ended up surprisingly clean, so that was encouraging.
Second wash/dry - Washed with Meguiar's Gold Class, rinsing often. A fresh lamb's wool mitt was employed. Dried with a pair of waffle weave microfiber towels, but didn't sweat too much about water spots, since I knew I was going to polish.
Menzerna Final Polish II - I walked around the car, under and over several times, looking for any spots that might require Intensive Polish. I had a couple spots with light swirls, but nothing major. I got out a white pad and my Final Polish II and went to work with the polisher set on 4.5. I used one pad on the lower half, the quarter panels and doors, then it got pretty saturated, so I switched to a second white pad and did the roof, hood, and nose. Buffed off with water and two microfiber towels. This polish never ceases to amaze me. I thought the car looked good after the clay, but the polish really brought the life back into the paint and took out the minor swirls, especially around the deck lid and window.
Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze - This is the second time I've used the Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze and...WOW! It really adds a great depth to the shine and makes the metallic flakes in the paint pop. Went on very easily with a dry black pad, but I had to turn the speed down to about 3 to reduce splatter. The whole car was glazed in about 20 minutes.
Menzerna FMJ - My first time using FMJ. I applied by hand with a microfiber applicator (which I prepped with some detailing spray to keep the FMJ out of the sponge on on the car). Went on smooth, but was a little stubborn coming off. It's very possible it wasn't totally dry when I went to remove, though. It didn't spread as easily as Blackfire, but Blackfire is a thinner product. This is more the consistency of NXT or Zaino, whereas Blackfire almost feels like a glaze. Next time, I'll let it set a little longer and possibly remove with a buffer.
Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Spray - My first time with this spray. I ran into some problems here. This stuff dries so quickly that it got a little splotchy. I had a devil of a time getting it buffed out quickly enough to keep it from spotting. Part of this is likely due to the fact that it was 95+ outside with high humidity, but it's also thicker than other detailing sprays. I used a pair of Dragon microfiber towels to buff out, as those seem to work best with detailing sprays. My advice on this product is to mist from farther away, wipe quickly, and apply in as cool an environment as possible. Houston summers are remarkably hard to detail in, since the heat makes it difficult to work the products in, not to mention the toll it takes on the person doing the detailing...
Overall, I'm very happy with the results. The car is clean and a wonderful deep blue again. The glaze really impressed me again, and I'll be interested to see what kind of longevity I get from the FMJ.
-Mike
Last edited by chupr0kabra; 08-01-2005 at 09:36 AM.
08-01-2005, 09:43 AM
#19
Another great write-up...as usual.
I thought my finish looked great with just the Intensive Polish...then I hit it with the FP2 and WOW!...I didn't really notice much of a difference between the first and second coats of Final Polish II, so I did two applications on the flats (hood, roof, deck) and one application on the sides. Today, I'm going to hit it with the Finishing Touch Glaze and Sovereign...I'll make sure I turn the speed down to 3 for the glaze.
Anyone who is still on the fence about Menzerna products...or even the Porter Cable...run, don't walk...get this stuff...your paint will thank you!
...and thanks to chupr0kabra for the great write-ups...they have been very helpful.
I thought my finish looked great with just the Intensive Polish...then I hit it with the FP2 and WOW!...I didn't really notice much of a difference between the first and second coats of Final Polish II, so I did two applications on the flats (hood, roof, deck) and one application on the sides. Today, I'm going to hit it with the Finishing Touch Glaze and Sovereign...I'll make sure I turn the speed down to 3 for the glaze.
Anyone who is still on the fence about Menzerna products...or even the Porter Cable...run, don't walk...get this stuff...your paint will thank you!
...and thanks to chupr0kabra for the great write-ups...they have been very helpful.
So did it take you all day?