eric@thompsonracing.us

I also found an old label (New Formula) bottle of 16oz Car Shampoo (blue), if anyone's interested.

Most automotive interior shops are men who sew.  No insult there.
 
Also, I was digging through my inventory last night and found 2 Adam's aprons brand new.  I think I'll put one on my site.  Most likely FREE with a purchase of another product!

Most automotive interior shops are men who sew.  No insult there.
 
Also, I was digging through my inventory last night and found 2 Adam's aprons brand new.  I think I'll put one on my site.  Most likely FREE with a purchase of another product!

Most automotive interior shops are men who sew.  No insult there.
 
Also, I was digging through my inventory last night and found 2 Adam's aprons brand new.  I think I'll put one on my site.  Most likely FREE with a purchase of another product!

Most automotive interior shops are men who sew.  No insult there.
 
Also, I was digging through my inventory last night and found 2 Adam's aprons brand new.  I think I'll put one on my site.  Most likely FREE with a purchase of another product!

Most automotive interior shops are men who sew.  No insult there.
 
Also, I was digging through my inventory last night and found 2 Adam's aprons brand new.  I think I'll put one on my site.  Most likely FREE with a purchase of another product!

Thank you tlbullet for the plug!
 
Yes, we have some old label products in stock.  The contact number I post is my cell, so text is best.  email works too: eric@thompsonracing.us.  I try to keep our site up to date with inventory, but we do have some in-store sales that I have to update the site manually for.  We love Adam's, but have so much going on, we just don't have much time to hit the shows up anymore!  We used to have some crazy detail clinics, thanks to Adam and crew!
 
We usually offer Free Shipping over a certain amount.  We don't ship enough to get rates like Adam's, Amazon, etc.  If you can give us a big enough order, we'll help you out!  For smaller orders, I put in our FedEx account into our website and all products have an estimated weight.  We don't charge for handling, so the price you get is what FedEx charges us.
 
A few people inquired about my banners, tents and table cloths.  I don't plan on selling them at the moment, but I do have some older DVDs and the Vol 1 Catalogue left. 
 
I do have a two sticker set of the old Adam's logo.  they are 36"x15" each.  I put them free with purchase of the 5 Gal Glass Cleaner.  I have a couple Adam's hats and a couple 16oz Detail Spray demo bottles.  I'll put them up free with other products soon.

Thank you tlbullet for the plug!
 
Yes, we have some old label products in stock.  The contact number I post is my cell, so text is best.  email works too: eric@thompsonracing.us.  I try to keep our site up to date with inventory, but we do have some in-store sales that I have to update the site manually for.  We love Adam's, but have so much going on, we just don't have much time to hit the shows up anymore!  We used to have some crazy detail clinics, thanks to Adam and crew!
 
We usually offer Free Shipping over a certain amount.  We don't ship enough to get rates like Adam's, Amazon, etc.  If you can give us a big enough order, we'll help you out!  For smaller orders, I put in our FedEx account into our website and all products have an estimated weight.  We don't charge for handling, so the price you get is what FedEx charges us.
 
A few people inquired about my banners, tents and table cloths.  I don't plan on selling them at the moment, but I do have some older DVDs and the Vol 1 Catalogue left. 
 
I do have a two sticker set of the old Adam's logo.  they are 36"x15" each.  I put them free with purchase of the 5 Gal Glass Cleaner.  I have a couple Adam's hats and a couple 16oz Detail Spray demo bottles.  I'll put them up free with other products soon.

Revive Polish is one of the best products, but people don't appreciate it!  We use it at the shop all the time.  Great for a quick job by hand, or use it with a small polisher, like the Porter Cable.  I've always used a black or white pad on the polisher.  Speed setting depends on polisher being used.  Focus pads and drill even work.  Revive works well to clean, as well as polish.  I always start with Revive when cleaning up headlights. 

Looks like you have plenty of space in your garage, I'd wash it inside. 
 
At my house, I did my floors in epoxy so I wash my cars in the middle bay, then squeegie the water out at the end.  Your concrete looks in good shape and you could probably do the same.

First off, welcome!  Next, where are you located?
 
While it is a great opportunity for flexible side work, there are a lot of risks involved, you need to consider.  I agree, you need to get really good at paint correction and detailing.  Practice on multiple cars, as paints are different per auto manufacturer; some hard, some soft, some have really thin clear coat.  Also, you need to be comfortable working on a range of interior materials, leather, cloth, suede, etc.  If you damage someone's paint, or stain a leather seat, you're looking at thousands of dollars to repair and replace.  You might be working all summer just to pay off one mistake.
 
Start local and start small.  If you can, work on family and friends' cars, then branch out to neighbors.  Start with wash, clay and wax.  Get a real handle on the basics before taking on a full paint correction.  This will limit risk, as well as build a feel for your ability to budget time and establish prices.
 
Once you get established, the internet is the best place to market.  I work with a lot of local detailers and they gain 90% of their business from Facebook, Tweeter, etc.
 
Good luck Matt!

New rig looks great!  Good luck Dave and crew!

for more info visit adamspolishes.com/origins

Nice work!

I bought a bunch of them right before the switch and still have a few of them left.  If anyone needs a non-China Porter Cable, let me know.

Chances are you've encountered tire blooming and you don't even know it. Blooming is what causes a tire to look brown. That new set of tires that you have to scrub over and over again to get them to look black, or the tires on a car you detail less frequently that are closer to the color of chocolate than they are black. Modern rubber compounds are becoming increasingly complex, far more than most people realize. Tire manufactures are continually pushing the envelop with chemistry and design to create tires that can keep up with the demand of todays cars and drivers. Higher mileage, more miles per gallon, better all-weather traction, or high speed and cornering as cars get better, faster, more intense the tires they roll on must change to keep up.

We expect increased performance from our vehicles and tires are an integral part of that, but rarely do we take the time to understand what exactly has changed about tires other than going from bias ply to radial in the late 1960's.

What does this all have to do with your tires turning brown? Read on.

ANTI-OZONANT
An anti-ozonant is probably something you've never heard of. Its an organic compound added to rubber materials that prevents, or at the very least, slows the deterioration caused by exposure to the elements. Anti-ozonants are used as an additive in most all of the exterior rubber and plastic parts to one degree or another, but they are most prevalent in tire manufacturing. The anti-ozonant additive keeps plastics and rubbers from becoming dry, brittle, oxidized or cracking. It does this by preventing the surface of the material from oxidizing and keeps the material pliable.

Thanks to anti-ozonants in rubber compounds we have have high mileage tires, performance tires, and everything in between. Without it sports cars would shred tires incredibly fast after just a few high speed turns or long track runs where the tires were heated up. Even your daily driven commuter car would need tires far more often as the sun and heat slowly rotted away the rubber compounds.

TIRE BLOOMING
Tire rubber compounds are designed in a wat that allows the anti-ozonant to continually work its way to the outside of the tire and as such, continually keeps the outer surface and sidewall pliable and resistant to oxidation.

Once anti-ozonant reaches the outside of the tire and is exposed to air and moisture it oxidizes, the result being a brownish residue. The term for this ugly brownish tire look is 'tire blooming'. Just like metals left exposed to the outside world will slowly begin to rust (oxidize) as it is exposed to water and air, so does the anti-ozonant component of the tire rubber.

Making matters worse is the use of mold releases in the manufacturing processes. These lubricant type chemicals provide a non-stick surface for the inside of a tire mold. The mold release chemical bonds with the tire and hold anti-ozonants onto the surface of the tire.






While some people will point to mold release as the primary and/or only source of tire blooming, it is in fact often times only a part of the problem. Even after the removal of mold release a tire will continue to push anti-ozonant to the surface allowing the brown residue to return.
 
THE ROLE OF COLOR CHANGING WHEEL CLEANERS
Wheel cleaners used to dissolve metallic contamination (Deep Wheel Cleaner among them) can have an accelerating effect on the oxidation of anti-ozonant. The reaction you see when brake dust it turned to a reddish slurry by Deep Wheel Cleaner or a similar product is, in a very simplified way, oxidation. The chemical reacts with the metallic contamination and begins to dissolve it.

Tires that have not been cleaned properly before or have been left uncleaned for long periods of time will have substantial amounts of the anti-ozonant built up on the surface of the tire. When an active wheel cleaner comes into contact with this buildup it will accelerate the browning or blooming. Because of this its imperative to regularly scrub tires to remove the buildup of anti-ozonant and 'dead' rubber - think of it almost like exfoliating your skin. If you are a regular user of Deep Wheel Cleaner or similar color changing wheel cleaners for their ability to remove stubborn brake dust then be sure to spend an extra couple of minutes scrubbing your tires as well.

Does this necessarily mean you should discontinue the use of Deep Wheel Cleaner? No, but it should be used with the understanding that the tire needs deep cleaning after the wheel to remove any residues or prevent tire blooming acceleration as a result of the oxidation process. Abrading the tire sidewall to remove this will prevent the blooming in the first place - the reason your sidewalls brown, but your treads don't is that the treads are continually worn away by driving so the surface never is allowed to sit long enough to display blooming.
 
DON'T BLAME THE SILICONE
For years the prevailing thought has been that silicone based tire dressings are the culprit for brown tires. Read any number of forums and the first thing most casual detailers will point to is the choice of tire shine the person with the issue uses. While silicone can be a messy and sticky solution to making your tires shine it isn't always the main culprit of the brown issue.

Most browning related to silicone will be due to the silicone holding dirt and debris on the tires surface, not the tire itself turning brown. This type of browning is very easy to remove as silicone dressings also remove with scrubbing and a degreaser like All Purpose Cleaner.





Don't think this means you should immediately start to treat your tires with tons of silicone, there are still a lot of reasons it's not an ideal way to dress your tires, but don't believe the story that your choice of tire dressing is the ONLY source for the brown residue. Silicone and water based dressings can be used and the tire can still exhibit blooming... its the tires surfaces and/or lack of heavy cleaning more than it is anything you've treated it with.
 
REMOVING THE BLOOMING
Removing the blooming is really a simple process - the use of a good degreasing agent, like Adam's All Purpose Cleaner, and a stiff bristle brush should be more than enough to remove even the worst blooming within a few treatments. Be sure to rinse the tires extremely well with clean after each cleaning to remove any chemical buildup.

Once the brown residues are removed regular cleanings with All Purpose Cleaner shouldn't need to be as aggressive or frequent, but if you notice the blooming returning just scrub well. The application of a quality water based dressing like Super VRT or a dressing low in silicone content like Adam's Tire Shine will help slow the reappearance of blooming by providing a barrier between the tire surface and the environment.
 
IT WILL COME BACK, ITS JUST A QUESTION OF WHEN
Because anti-ozonants continue to work their way towards the outside of the tire even a car which sees very little use or doesn't have very dirty tires may experience tire blooming when eventually exposed to oxidizers due to lack of cleaning. As such it is recommended that even relatively clean tires be treated to a semi-regular scrubbing to remove the anti-ozonants from the outer layer of the tire sidewalls.

Each tire will have a different amount of blooming it is prone to. Some tires may bloom very slowly, while others will bloom almost before your very eyes. The amount of anti-ozonant and the way the tire is designed to push it to the surface will determine how fast or slow it happens. Regardless, one thing remains true - regular cleaning and dressing of your tires will prevent or at the very least minimize the appearance of brown on your tires.

Where the 75e has an advantage over the PC is the overhang - the shroud of the rupes mini doesn't protrude past the edge of the plate at all, unlike the PC. Also its designed to run a small pad so its extremely balanced and operates at the correct speeds, vs the PC which can be adapted to run smaller pads, but isn't necessarily designed to do so.
 
The trade off is of course, the price... if you have the extra couple hundred to spend on the 75e its worth it, but keep in mind its a tool that will maybe get used on 10% of the surfaces of your car, so you have to justify the price.
 
To the OP - our pads actually fit just fine on the stock 75e backing plate, I've tested the combo extensively myself. One thing to keep in mind though is with the foam pads and the plastic guide ring. They seem to use a less sticky velcro on the 75e plate so I did experience some issues with the pad wanting to jump off the machine. Make sure you seat the pad very well before use. Its a non-concern with the mf pads b/c the ring isn't there and you get more positive contact.

Today, we let the cat out of the bag.  The Shine Doc is in, and Dylan holds an honorary Ph.D in OCD detailing!  He dialed in our product line and upgraded our detailing system since 2008, and manifested multiple product and process improvements....at all times.
 
Dylan's attention to detail, his process of measuring perfection, and his pursuit of a flawless finish has earned him an incredibly positive reputation in this company, and industry.  Our company suffered without him.
 
Adam's is way better, and more complete with Dylan on our team, and it feels FANTASTIC having him back.
 
Welcome back my friend, and I'm honored to be on the same team again!
 
-Adam

Congrats Dave!

Honored to have Dave Eyster on board now as our newest Moderator!  He has been running our events at Carlisle for a while now, is extremely well versed in our product line, and knows much about detailing. 
 
Besides being a genuine detail freak, he is a truly fantastic human, and every time we connect, it's a blast!
 
Thank You and Welcome Dave!!!

Thank you Kingsford for the plug!  Dealers are def. a good option when Adam's is low on supply.  We offer FREE shipping on orders over $95, so that should help anyone not local!  We try to stay loyal to Adam, but carry a couple discontinued items, as well as a couple other branded products. 

This isn't really an answer to your question but you can always check with resellers for OOS items.
 
Thompson Racing is my go to. They have the a Travel Bag in stock but the Kwazars are out of stock.
 
http://stores.shopthompsonracing.com/

Hi all, I have always wanted to learn how to properly maintain and detail my cars. I finally decided to get on it. When I brought how my 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee. It is in showroom perfect condition with only 800 miles on it. I also am trying to restore the paint on my 2009 charger r/t. So I hope to learn alot and help whenever I can. 

Once again, Thompson Racing will be hosting another Spring Clinic.  Every year this clinic grows and last year was so big, we filled the parking lot a couple times over.  The clinic is FREE to attend.  All makes and models are welcome and we have a good mix of every car you can imagine.  The clinic is hosted by Bucks County Exotics, who runs the local Cars n Coffee and Susquehana Valley GTO.  These guys (and girls) show up with some crazy machines!
 
Adam Pitale from Adam's will be there for the first time!!!
 
We will be offering multiple raffles this year and discounts on products.  We will be cooking again this year and food is FREE with a donation to our friends at Justice Rescue.
 

 
If you would like to pre-order for the clinic, use discount code: SPRING14.  Select Will Call for shipping method and bring your receipt to the clinic for pickup
 
Shop Thompson Racing

I always use two wash pads.  I use a Jumbo Wash Pad or a Merino Wool Pad on the top and a 9x9 Pro Wash pad on the bottom half.  There are two reasons for this.  1: you never want to use the "bottom pad" on the top half of the car and vice versa.  This includes the car wash next time.  The size or material difference will alert you which pad to use where.  2: I like a smaller pad for the bottom half of the car.  The large pads are great for covering a lot of paint up top and spreading a lot of suds, but on the bottom half of the car I want to make sure the pad does not touch the ground.  On low cars, like sports cars, this becomes tricky.
 
Also, I use an Air Force Master Blaster or Blaster Sidekick to dry my car.  I avoid contacting my paint when drying, unless on the road and electric is not available.  That said, if you use microfiber, use a lubricant, such as Detail Spray or Waterless Wash.
 
Make sure to have a good coat of sealant on paint and use the pooling technique to reduce the amount of work on your paint to dry.
 
If using a microfiber to dry, go one direction with the wash pad when washing, and go the perpendicular direction with the drying towel.  This may alert you to the source of the damage.