AudiOx Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I've been working 60-70hr weeks since the end of September so my paint correction has been on hold for a number of weeks. Now that my project is wrapping up, I wanted to finish getting 'Ava' ready for winter and most importantly, for the Dec 3 Atlanta clinic with the Junkman. <FONT color=black><FONT face=Verdana><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comhttp://www.adamsforums.com/forums/wash-dry-clay-bar/13832.htm<o:p></o:p> http://www.adamsforums.com/forums/machine-polishing/13870.htm<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> (9/13 Tues: 1st 'chisel' wash, engine detail, wheel well detail ~3hrs) (9/15: Thu: Door/trunk wells detail, 2nd final wash ~1hr) 9/15 Thu: Top of trunk lid, 2hrs 9/18 Sun: Hood+Dr.Colorchip'd, 4hrs+1hr (incl. 1hr polish rework) 9/21 Wed: Roof, A and C pillars (C pillars need more), 4hrs<o:p></o:p> (9/25 Sun: Major interior/exterior detail wash, ~5hrs)<o:p></o:p> 9/25 Sun: Rear quarter-panels, a frustrating 3.5hrs 10/6 Thu: Front quarter-panels, 3.5hrs<o:p></o:p> (10/18 Tues: Exterior detail wash, 2hrs)<o:p></o:p> (11/21 Sun: Interior touch-up and exterior wash, 3hrs)<o:p></o:p> 11/21 Sun: All four doors, redid passenger front quarter-panel and C pillars, 5.5hrs<o:p></o:p> (11/21 Sun: Paint sealant and paste wax entire car, 1.5hrs)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> (Detailing Time: 14hrs) Correction Time: 25hrs<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Remaining Work:<o:p></o:p> -Hand/machine polish: front/rear bumpers, rear of trunk, and the side mirrors -Polish the black, plastic B-pillars....hmmmm? -2<SUP>nd</SUP> shot at cleaning interior of wheels now with an “iron-removal” cleaner (Aquartz IronCut).<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Detailing Products:<o:p></o:p> -2 bucket wash w/ grit guards, quick-release Kit, shut-off valve, Gilmore foam gun<o:p></o:p> -2x Jumbo Car Wash Pads, GWDT, Blue Waffle Towels, green glass MF towels, black utility MF towels, non-Adam’s (Uber brand) blue MF towels, foam VRT applicators<o:p></o:p> -Fender brush, Boar’s hair wheel brush, Adam’s Boar’s hair lug/detail brush, Turbostick, foam interior applicator, 16-oz sprayers and funnel<o:p></o:p> -Adam’s: Car Shampoo, detail spray, waterless wash, glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, carpet/upholstery cleaner, leather/interior cleaners, leather conditioner, old VRT, new VRT, In and Out Spray, Glass Sealant -Blood, sweat, and tears<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Correction Products:<o:p></o:p> -Flex with 2 sets of Adam’s Flex Pads<o:p></o:p> -SSR, SHR, FMP for some and also a non-Adam’s (Menzerna) similar 3-step polish set<o:p></o:p> -Non-Adam’s paint sealant (Menzerna Powerlock) and paste wax (PS21 Concours)<o:p></o:p> -3M Green tape<o:p></o:p> -Adam’s detail spray, waterless wash, Adam's and non-Adam's clay bars, and microfiber towels<o:p></o:p> -1x 500w clip halogen light on my 6’ ladder, a dual 250w tripod halogen light, and a Maxfire Xenon rechargeable LED light hand-held<o:p></o:p> -Dr. Color Chip<o:p></o:p> -Plenty more sweat and some 4-letter words<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Being the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> owner of this car in which I didn’t have possession for the 1<SUP>st</SUP> 73000 miles, I’ve come to accept that I cannot remove all the scars. Every panel and body part has a least some flaw that I can’t fix, at least not totally w/o a lot of $$$. With this realization, I’m finally at ease…..well, almost. Many of these scars I’ll at least make better with time and sweat. <o:p></o:p> The Beginning: (after a disgusting muddin’ adventure on torn up roads) <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The Setup: (found a use for my non-Adam’s wash pad….a seat cushion)<o:p></o:p> Trunk Before:<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Trunk After:<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Door Before:<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Door After:<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Interior Before: (including my bucket of collected trash and 1 gold necklace from under the rear seat from the previous owners….blech)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Interior After: (These are 9/25 pics. I’ve since done some more crack/crevice cleaning.)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Finished Product: (Is it ever really finished?....no)<o:p></o:p> These 3 wheel shots are all from 9/25 prior to correction (dressing is the old VRT I think....too shiny to be the new stuff that's on there now):<o:p></o:p> These are from this morning 11/21 on a strange, foggy day in Atlanta<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Tegeler Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 nice work! that leather interior looks real soft and comfy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ryan Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Great work.. the car looks fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE Mook Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Really nice work man! That car is nice! I want one!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudiOx Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 Really nice work man! That car is nice! I want one!! Thanks, Mook! I ONLY buy used cars (never had a new one actually). It's ridiculous how inexpensive these cars are used, especially if you can turn a wrench to do some of the work yourself (spark plugs, oil, brakes, and timing belt change). I got the car for almost 1/4 of the new price and that wasn't a steal. You can pay for a LOT of repairs for that kind of discount. So far, my unexpected repair was to replace a $50 trunk latch mechanism (which I did myself). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris@Adams Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Real nice job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganSRT8 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 way to be! that color looks amazing with that metal flake, also gotta love the big land boats my friends dad just bought an '11 A8L and man is that thing nice, when my jeep goes I think an RS4 will be taking its place if i can find the right one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase@InsanePaint Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 KILLER WORK so far my brutha!!! CRAZY turnaround. Wonderful dedication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gone & Forgotten Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Great work, good pics. Nice turnaround. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman2008 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Very impressive results! You definitely have embraced a solid technique and have applied it well. I love the simpleness of your work area. Just a man and his car. Nothing else to distract you. So much solitude. That's the way I learned. Looking forward to meeting you in Atlanta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudiOx Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 way to be! that color looks amazing with that metal flake, also gotta love the big land boats my friends dad just bought an '11 A8L and man is that thing nice, when my jeep goes I think an RS4 will be taking its place if i can find the right one Thanks. That Oyster Gray is unusual, and I love it. Depending on the light it looks gray, blue, or almost purplish. mmmmm.....RS4. I LOVED my '00 S4. I can't imagine the performance, structural, and technology improvements in one of the B7 RS4s (similar in magnitude to compare to my old '00 A8 to my new one....like they were made in a different century....oh, they were.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudiOx Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 Very impressive results! You definitely have embraced a solid technique and have applied it well. I love the simpleness of your work area. Just a man and his car. Nothing else to distract you. So much solitude. That's the way I learned. Looking forward to meeting you in Atlanta. Awww chucks. Thanks, Junk! I guess I picked up a tip or two from watching hours of videos from you and Adam's on technique. Invaluable is all I can say. It was NOT luck. I still hum Copacabana sometimes during the process. hehe. See you 12/3. I sure hope something doesn't come up that makes me cancel. By the way, while the 2-car garage is spartan from that angle, the 'other' side is more my wife's, and its, erm, uh, not so organized. The 3rd car garage is my man cave, chock-full of racks, hooks, tools, organizer tubs/lids, and a heap 'o Adam's products. When I started taking detailing seriously, I moved all the landscaping stuff to the basement. It keeps the garage infinitely cleaner, free from grass clippings, not to mention the extra real estate. I had hoped for that to be the detailing area, but it's too small to work in (I can't close the door with the A8 in it due to the racks). The 2-car is much better....just move my wife's car out, and then take my half out of the middle . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman2008 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 ... I still hum Copacabana sometimes during the process. hehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudiOx Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 Weekend Update: Nov 27 This weekend I spent about an hour messing with the barrel of one of my wheels. I got little improvement from successive steps of Shampoo, Green Wheel Cleaner, APC, Clay/Detail Spray, and elbow grease. I didn't bother taking the other 3 wheels off. Perhaps I'll address this again later. Last Night's Update: Nov 30 Spent about 4 hours last night and got the back of the car knocked out. -WCW -APC wipe down to remove old sealant and wax -one Flex pass each of green, orange, and white on bumper, rear of trunk -one hand polish pass of orange and white with hex grips on the license plate surround, behind the plate, around badges -one Flex pass each of orange and white on top of trunk (top was the first part of my correction back in September) -one pass each of orange and Revive with hex grips on the tail lights -IPA wipe down -1 coat of Spray sealant and wipedown with blue hex grip (P.S. don't inhale this stuff. I was in a closed off garage and it's pretty strong but stayed localized around the car). Wait 30 minutes. -1 coat of Brilliant Glaze -1 coat of non-Adams paste wax Results: The back has several 'scars' and touched up spots from the previous owner. I also have a paint crack in the lower bumper from a light rear end collision a couple of months ago. Grrrr -Upper trunk paint: ~98% This 'redo' was very beneficial. It removed a lot of the blemishes that were there. -Rear Paint: 90% of the swirls/scratches are gone. Numerous scratches are still visible that would take more dedicated work to improve or remove. Since this area is chock full of curves, badges and such, it's difficult to get great results. -Tail lights: <25% I didn't take before/after pics, but I didn't notice any improvement. I'll have to get some hand polishing tips at the 12/3 clinic. -Sealant/Glaze/Wax: Like a baby's bottom, but static'y. Everything was very easy to apply and buff off. I didn't do a DS wipedown so it's pretty charged. No results on beading/protection yet. Remaining Work: -Front bumper and grille surround. Again there are some scars that are beyond full repair, but not too bad. -'Take 3' on the wheels if I get the motivation to try again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudiOx Posted December 18, 2011 Author Share Posted December 18, 2011 Tonight's update for Dec 18. There's polished black plastic on the B-pillars. It's also between the rear door windows and the tiny triangle C window. As the rest of the paint was, it has tons of microscratches. Tools: -FMP -Detail Spray -4" white pad -Cordless drill 1-1/2 passes and I was shocked at how well it did. There are 3 sections on each side. I spent maybe 20 minutes on this. There are a few deeper scratches, but it's worlds better. Remember, this is my DD with 85kmiles on it. Here you can see before and after together. The pic rotated 90deg CCW, sorry. Bottom to top in the pic: glass, POLISHED STRIP, door molding, UNPOLISHED STRIP, rear door glass Here's the after where the strip and the triangle plastic parts are both polished. Since this went so well, I hit the rear taillights with similar results though they weren't too bad. I polished the side mirror housings using an additional pass of SHR with the 4" orange pad. Since I was on a roll, I figured I try to get out 3 of the really bad water spots on my hood from a sprinkler attack a couple of months ago. One pass of SHR and they were gone. My battery ran out during the pass of the FMP so I pulled out the Flex and made short work of it. I couldn't be happier because I must have worked 30 minutes on these 3 spots with vinegar with little progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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