doombert

Hello everyone. Don from showandshine.ca here. Like to thank everyone for their support! 
This spring we celebrated our 10th year with Adams as a dealer.
We pride ourselves on Great customer service. A good selection of Adams Products at competitive Canadian Dollar pricing. All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Tecumseh Ontario.
Hope to be of service.
Don

Hi Jerome,
 
I'm sorry we haven't been 100% clear with you here...I'm just seeing these messages now from the 27th. As I've mentioned many times on here before to many individuals, I don't always see every issue reported on this forum, so I do apologize for the delayed response. Usually I don't find out about issues like this until a volunteer moderator brings them to my attention, as we do not have any team members dedicated full-time to the forum. I was also dealing with massively severe flooding in my town this weekend and trying to help out some friends in need, so my presence on the forum this weekend was zero. As always, it is best to contact us directly by email for questions such as these. I do believe I've responded to you in the past a few months back both here and through email, so I'm sorry if you did not receive those responses. I just checked the email you have registered with this forum, and I do not have any emails from it in my inbox, and I do not delete any emails.
 
We did not try to sweep anything under the rug and we are not playing any pranks - I simply did not have answers to report from higher-up people in the company, so I did not want to report anything falsely or incorrectly.
 
Unfortunately we can no longer offer free shipping to Canada, so we now have the same policy for all international orders as well as orders to Hawaii or Alaska. We do have a flat-rate $20 USD shipping option to Canada now (which would be slightly more when converted to CAD). We are also paying any extra duty fees incurred for Canadian orders. If you or anyone incurred any duty fees that you had to pay, please email us to orders @ adamspolishes . com and we can investigate. All orders from AdamsPolishes.ca are being fulfilled from our Headquarters in Colorado for the immediate future. If and when that policy changes, an announcement will be made here, but that is all of the information I have at this time.
 
The original Canadian website had hacking attempts from a massive attack to many websites worldwide. We do not store any credit card information in our servers and back-end systems for just such reasons, so no credit card information was compromised. Measures had to be put in place quickly to disable the old website and migrate things to the new website. This did cause a loss of order history, so again, we do apologize for that inconvenience. 
 
We do have two authorized Canadian dealers at the moment, Glen and Don that can both help out as well, and possibly help with high shipping costs. Please email us for their full contact information. They may not have all of our promotions such as mystery boxes, but they should be able to help out with most items if you would rather not purchase through our website directly. They obviously will not always have the most recently released products on the first day they are launched, but they should be able to help. We also have authorized Amazon and eBay stores as well.
 
Again I am sorry for the inconvenience and frustration. We are an extremely small company of around 25 people, and it is no small task to try to re-do and re-work an entire website. There will be things that need to be worked out. Even as I type this, our Ceramic Coating Kit pages are linking to the login screen instead of the product pages, and our web developers are working as quickly as possible to fix this and every other issue.
 
Respectfully,
Dan@Adams

So I've got some time off from work after having surgery to remove a few bone spurs from my ankle. I decided it was time to give my Lotus Evora some proper love. It only has 4,000 miles on it but it's had some swirls from the dealer I just hadn't gotten to taking care of yet. Most people wouldn't even notice them, but I know they're there and it's enough to bother me.
 
The car wasn't horribly dirty before, but figured I'd document the process a little bit. Here's a few before pics...so far I've gotten it strip washed and decontaminated with DWC. Just getting ready to start claying, but ended up starting a thread while I grabbed a bite to eat. It might take me a few days before the final product is really done. But I'll update here and there as I go! Enjoy!
 
And if anyone knows why my photos post at different roatations from my phone, I'd love to know why. And more importantly how to fix it.

I had the distinct pleasure to give some Adams love to a coworkers new Hellcat. It was a great day in my garage to have this beast in for a lesson of claying, polishing, sealant and some Patriot Wax. Joel the owner is thrilled with the car and can't wait to be able to unleash 700+ HP! After making this beauty shine and doing some painting of rotors and leather treatment, it was time to get a ride......WOW what a beast this thing is. I hope to get to experience the full blown power after it is all broken in. 

We just took delivery of our Hellcat this week. It is Ivory White Tri-Coat Pearl 6 speed manual. Today after work I was able to wash it for the first time. I am up to 4 buckets to wash the car. 2 for the paint, 1 for just the wheels, and 1 for the tires and wheel wells. I was getting a lot of grit at the bottom of the wheel bucket that is the reason for the extra bucket. I only had time to wash it. Due to my work schedule I will have to do this detail in segments over the next few days. I am now a believer in the foam gun with the new shampoo.
 

 

 
 
 
Since the car was made just 2 1/2 weeks ago and shipped quickly I thought maybe I did not have to clay it. If you can see in the picture I did find spots of rail dust. It did take a train from Brampton, Ontario to Niagara Falls, NY. I will be claying tomorrow before work.

 
The spoiler is a matte black. I'm thinking of using Quick Sealant? I have used this on matte wheels before. Does anyone have experience with this?

 
I'm using Quick Sealant on the wheels, lights, and trim.
 

 
For the paint the plan is to use the Liquid Paint Sealant then a coat of Patriot Wax. I will dress the plastic parts in the engine with the In and Out Spray.
 

 
 
The last picture was taken at our first cruise-in of the season last night.
 
 

We needed more lighting and I didn't like the selection at the local store so we made our own. It is a overhead light bungee strapped to a dolly. It's sturdy and works great.

A little up close action with the new Z/28
 

 

 

... what would it be?
 
Would you revamp an existing product?
Would you come up with a whole new product?
 
Lets hear your wildest detail product fantasies... no idea is too outlandish... you never know where it might lead.

Time for an update. I ended up having a shop replace the clutch to save me from having to drop the tranny in my driveway. I had them replace the clutch kit, slave cylinder, rear main seal, and after a visual check...the flywheel. The guy that did the replacement for the PO didn't resurface the flywheel so it was marred to hell and back and missing two teeth. They identified two oil leaks while they had the tranny off. One from the valve cover and one from the oil pan. I also noticed that I was having an issue with vibrations through the entire RPM range so I figured the motor mounts were shot.
 
On Thursday I pulled the valve cover off and found four of the eight bolts I could get off with my fingers. The rocker valley had a good bit of sludge that was crusted...I'm lucky nothing has broken. I cleaned the valley up as best I could with a scraper and my shop vac and got the mating surfaces cleaned. After about an hour with degreaser and brake cleaner I managed to get the inside of the cover cleaned off. The outside looked like crap so I scrubbed it down and then sanded starting with 380 grit and working my way up to 1000. I finished it out with the MP combo and it came out looking pretty decent considering how beat up it was. Buttoned everything back up and haven't had a problem since.
 
I decided to knock the motor mounts and oil pan leak out at the same time. Started disassembly and found out the shop cross threaded one of the exhaust flange bolts when it snapped off. I ended up pull the whole header off and will be taking it to the same shop to have them get the broken piece out. I got the mounts removed and one rubber insert crumbled and the other has cracks all in it. Pretty sure I found my vibration problem. This job will take a few days to finish because of time so another update to come.
 
I did get my replacement carpet in but I'm waiting to install it so I can replace the seats and dynamat the floor while the carpet is out. I also picked up a replacement window for the passengers side since mine has some deep scratches from (what I was told) a horse rubbing his bit against it. Now if I could only find me some heated leather seats out a TB SS or Blazer I'd be set.

The next in my series of FAQ threads where I open up a discussion on a common concern or problem people face when detailing.

An area of confusion for many people is the process of "stripping" their car as part of the detailing process. No, this isn't a process where that lovely college co-ed trying to put herself thru medical school comes over and washes your car in the nude. 
 
A strip wash, or stripping the finish, is a way to remove all the previously applied waxes, sealants, and/or dressings that have been applied. Removing or weakening these coatings makes for an easier detail in terms of claying and polishing. 
 
 
WHY SHOULD I STRIP WASH?  
When it comes time to do a full detail on your ride, whether its one you've been maintaining for a number of years, or a fresh off the lot car, there will be some layer of buildup on all the exterior surfaces. Waxes, sealants, glazes, dressings, and things like tree sap will have accumulated.
 
Without strip washing these layers are then pulled up by your clay bar and/or your polishing pads. This clogs them up prematurely and, in the case of polishing pads, can lead to reduced performance. 

A clay bar clogged up with wax will be messy to work with and deteriorate quickly. A polishing pad clogged up with wax will be less effective and require frequent cleanings to finish a detail. 
 
 
DO I HAVE TO DO A STRIP WASH? 
No. Its not required, but does result in a dramatically easier detail by helping remove or degrade existing coatings on the car. If you choose not to strip the exterior surfaces of your car simply be prepared to adjust your technique to compensate. 
 
 
WILL STRIP WASHING HURT MY CAR? 
As long as its done in moderation and done using the appropriate chemicals and follow up there really is no concern. Some 'old school' guys will claim things like it will dry out your paint, which is not true. Strip washing is a perfectly safe way to prepare your exterior for detailing, and in all honesty the chemicals used are less harsh than those used in your average drive thru car wash. 
 
 
METHODS FOR STRIPPING YOUR FINISH
There are a number of ways to go about performing a strip wash, each with their own merit and benefits. The various processes are outlined below:
 
A.P.C. + Car Wash Mix - this is the method most often recommended by the team at Adam's Polishes. By adding a few ounces (typically 3-4oz) of APC (acidic) to your wash bucket along with your usual amount of Car Wash Shampoo (neutral) you get a mixture that has a slightly acidic pH. Still plenty safe for washing, but strong enough to weaken and/or remove most waxes or sealants while washing.
 
By using a 2 part mixture, ultimately you get control over how strong or weak the mixture is. Add more APC for a stronger strip wash, less for a mild wash. The 2 products both foam very well so using this application with a foam gun or foam cannon is also great. The suds are very thick and sustain well thru an entire wash. 
 
Perform your wash like usual, the only thing to avoid is allowing the mixture to dry on the finish. Since you are no longer working with a pH neutral bath water spots can occur if allowed to dry. 
 
Dawn Dish Soap - Wait! What? I've been told never to use dish soap! Correct... dish soap is never ideal for washing IF you want to keep your wax intact on your car. For removing waxes and sealants from your finish it great. Simply replace your Adam's Car Wash Shampoo with the same amount of dish soap and wash like usual. 

Use only Original BLUE Dawn dish soap. Other soaps are not going to be as effective and may also contain moisturizers and lotions to prevent 'dish pan hands'. 
 
The drawbacks to dish soap are a lack of sustained suds, it will go flat much faster and doesn't perform nearly as well in a foam gun or foam cannon to produce a thick lather. The lack of sustained suds decreases the dwell time of the soap and ultimately its effectiveness. 
 
Additionally it limits your control over the concentration. Unlike the APC/Car Wash method you can't control or tweak your concentration for different tasks. 
 
Panel by Panel Stripping - Sometimes you may not want or need to strip the entire car. Maybe its perfect, except that one panel where someone accidentally rubbed up against it. In situations like this you can use diluted isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, otherwise known as IPA, to strip a small controlled section for repair. 

IPA is available at almost any grocery or drugstore and is typically sold pre-diluted to 70%. Cutting that at least another 1:1 with water will give you a great panel by panel stripping mixture. 
 
After cleaning the area to be worked on with waterless wash, simply spray the diluted alcohol mixture onto the areas to be striped and wipe clean with a plush microfiber towel. 
 
AFTER THE STRIP...
A couple of final tips to make sure your strip wash is a success and helps make your detail process that much better. 
Try to wash out of direct sunlight, in shade, or early in the day before sun is too harsh. Because the strip wash mixture will be slightly acidic it will be easy for the mixture to cause spots if its allowed to dry.  If your car has severely sun damaged or oxidized trim avoid strip washing as it can accelerate already damaged or trim parts.  Make sure to rinse very thoroughly when the process is done. Strip wash mixture left pooled in door jambs or other areas can potentially dry out surfaces.  Rinse your wash media (mits and buckets) out very well before returning to your usual car wash routine to avoid cross contamination.  Be sure to dress all exterior trim that is exposed to the mix with a quality water based trim dressing like our Super VRT. Restoring moisture to these surfaces will be important after they've been heavily cleaned.  And there it is... the ins and outs of strip washing as a part of your detail routine. Remember that this process is designed for use just a few times a year, when you intend to do a FULL and complete detail from start to finish. 
 
Stick to just your mixture of Adam's Car Wash Shampoo for your in between washes and upkeep. 
 
By stripping the finish before big details not only will you make the process faster and easier you'll prolong the life of your clay as well as keep your pads working better for longer! 
 
Happy Detailing! 

A little long in our world of short videos, but worth the watch.
 

Well I had this long, lengthy post about what brought me to buying this truck, but I managed to hit "backspace" while not click in the text box and lost all of it. It took me about 40 minutes and I honestly would rather throw my laptop at the wall rather than type it all out right now. This is a truck that will be a work in progress over the next few weeks and I wanted to bring you guys/gals along for the ride. This is my fourth S-10 and I'm only 25 if that gives you any clue to how much I love these little trucks. Anyways, here are some pictures of what I'm up against to get started.

Google won't search for Dylan because it knows you don't find Dylan, he finds you.

Your search - Dylan - did not match any documents.

Suggestions:

Run, before he finds you.
Try a different person.
Try someone less dangerous.

Improved how? It's already the color of butter.

Taste like butter? Smell like butter?
 
HMMMM?

 
 
AHA!

 
Butter goes on toast, toast comes with breakfast, breakfast isn't complete without bacon...BACON!!!
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
BTW: The store website says it's out of stock, I guess it's coming REAL soon!

Please Take a Look at Some of The Amazing Results We Have Accomplished
 
 
Water Etched and Swirled Up Deck From a BMW (Before):
Complete:

 
 
Dulled and Dirty Carbon Fiber Roof (Before):

Complete:

 
 
 
Dirty Engine Bay From a Range Rover (Before)

Complete!

 
 
 
Another From a Ferrari 360 Modena (Before):
Complete:

 
 
 
Swirl Marks From a Volkswagen CC (Before):
Complete:

 
 
Hologram Removal From a Saab 9.3 (Before):

Complete:

 
 
Beat Up Fuel Door (Before):

Complete:

 
 
Dirty M3 Wheel (Before):
Complete:

These are our pups, Clancy (named after a local beer) and Lacey.

We are so cool!  Hahahaha....  I'm reminded of a great book title, "Everybody Poops."
 
Just normal people here at Adam's.....real normal.
 

Oh GOD NO!  That could be BAD!  
 
It'll be like Mr. Mom all over again! 

Good Afternoon!
 
I am sorry I haven't been posting more write ups, I have been very busy and fighting a stomach bug at the same time.  Let's try and get caught up!  Here we have a Shelby Mustang Hertz Edition.  The owner came to me in preparation for The Rocky Mountain Mustang Round-Up, and needed an exterior detail.  This included paint decontamination, paint correction, metal polishing, engine bay clean and dress, etc.  
 
Here is what it looked like when it showed up...
 

 
The sky was a bit overcast, but I could see through the dirt that I would have my work cut out for me.

 
The wheels needed polished, the tires and wheel wells, cleaned and dressed.  Not to mention some rubber needing removed from the rear due to some good ole' racing the night before.

 
The Exhaust Tips needed cleaned and polished.

 
As with pretty much any detail I've had come through lately, the wiper cowl was trashed.

 
You will be able to see the swirl marks soon...

 
(Continued...)
 
 

Just a couple of shots of my Gtr from Friday night.  Did a complete detail on Thursday.  Hope you guys like it. 
 
 
                 

Ok so this past Monday I used SVRT for the very first time and here how I feel about.
 
Found out a little goes a very long way.
Applies easy.
Not oily, no sling, dries very fast.
Doesn't attract dust.
My tires never looked this black using any other product out there.
Doesn't have that super high gloss like most which is a plus for me.
 
Here is what makes me smile,
 
I was driving on the interstate a coule of days ago amd got caught in a storm, today I looked at them and I swear it looks like I just applied it, every other tire dressing I ever used has Always washed off, even without rain my tires looked horrible just with all the driving I do.
 
5 Stars to Adam's SVRT
 
I'm sold:)
 
Thanks,
Kevin

My MAN JBLACK!  He HOOKED me up and I already gave him PROPS in another thread!  My three pack should be delivered soon making that a total of 5.5 cans. Man, that means I have three gallons of APC, WW, and DS. 2 Gallons of almost everything else.  And my Towel collection is most impressive!  I guess I'm a hoarder, but instead of rotting food, old cars, and feces, I hoard Adams!  I can also still sleep in my bedroom, I know how many animals live in my house, and I don't have any vagrants living here without my knowledge... Yep, I'm in good shape!

Got together with some of the guys over the weekend for some photos taken by my girlfriend AKA DJL Photography. First stop, secret locations within the Kings Park Pysch Center! Took the McLaren off road to get to some of these spots.
 

 

 

 

 

 
After that, we met up with a few more friends before cruising down to Elite Motorsports in Farmingdale. Once we arrived, Kai (owner of Elite) pulled everyone inside for some AC and beers! Gotta love it:thumb:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
It's going to be a good summer, that's for sure!!!

Two words for pet hair on short pile carpet and cloth upholstery.......
 
Latex Glove
 
simply wipe the seat with your gloved hand and the hair will "roll up" as you wipe. Have the vacuum hose in the other hand and suck it up as you go, or just roll it all up and then vacuum at the end.
 
- Darryl