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PROJECT: Avalanche Resurrection


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So I have a confession to make.

 

I've been a neglectful detailer... its been 5+ months since the last time my truck received a complete detailing. Truth be told its barely been washed like it should.

 

Now before you start throwing things, its actually for a couple of reasons:

 

1) Product testing to the point of failure (namely Quick Sealant and a wax blend)

2) Accusations from an individual that the products aren't that good b/c my truck never gets bad enough to need more than minor work.

 

Well this thread will be a running documentation of bringing my truck back from the brink. You might even remember awhile back I mentioned I let the dealership wash it when it was in for a warranty issue. I wanted to make fully sure that the paint was in rough shape for this.

 

The lengths I go to for this forum :D

 

I hope this thread can be something entertaining as well as informative/helpful. I'll be performing the detail over the course of probably a few weeks, working a little bit at a time, and I'll do my best to document in depth the more interesting areas - namely paint correction - as I go.

 

Lets start with a point of reference to show what the condition was before the neglect started and when I was staying on top of the maintenance.

 

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a quick walk around of what I started with today... more documentation of the before condition coming.

 

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DAY 1 // PART 1: Interior Detail

 

Products and Tools Used -

 

Process -

  • Pulled floor matts and extracted
  • Extracted carpets and seats
  • Hard surfaces scrubbed with full strength LIC and Interior Brush
  • Hard surfaces conditioned with LC
  • Faux wood trim wiped down with WW
  • Vents and tight spaces cleaned with trim/lug brush saturated with WW
  • Dressed with In & Out Spray
  • Guages and radio display wiped down with WW
  • All Glass cleaned with GC & Glass Towel

 

Reassembled and looking factory fresh again

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DAY 1 // PART 2: Engine Bay & Exterior Cleaning

 

Products & Tools Used -

 

Engine Bay Process -

  • Lightly sprayed down with ultimate fire hose nozzle on fan spray
  • All surfaces soaked with 1:1 APC via foaming sprayer
  • Scrubbed with Boars Hair Brush + Trim & Lug Brush
  • Rinsed
  • Hood closed, engine started to heat/dry moisture.
  • Post wash sidekick used to dry remaining water along with waterless wash + towel
  • Dressed with Super VRT & In & Out Spray

 

Engine Bay Before

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Engine Bay After

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Exterior Process -

  • Wheels Cleaned using Green Wheel Cleaner and Boars Hair Brush/Lug Brush
  • Wheel Barrels cleaned with GWC and Turbo Stick
  • Tires Cleaned with full strength APC + Fender Brush
  • Rinsed with high pressure from Ultimate Hose Nozzle
  • Entire truck rinsed using high pressure stream
  • Foamed using APC/Car Wash Mixture (2oz APC : 4oz Car Wash + water)
  • Complete 2 bucket wash. Merino Mitt to belt line, Jumbo below
  • Secondary cleaning of plastics with 1:1 APC and wheel brush
  • High pressure rinsed with Ultimate Fire Hose Nozzle
  • Sheet rinsed with low flow from hose
  • Dried with Great White Drying Towel & Detail Spary
  • Sidekick used to address trapped water
  • Plastics dressed with Super VRT
  • Paint inspected for planning of paint correction stages

 

After rinsing Quick Sealant showed it was still holding on. Beading was still good, but starting to flatten out a little

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Foamed

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After drying I dressed all the plastics with a generous dose of Super VRT. Some side by sides.

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Now the ugly part.... all my washes had been 2 bucket and very careful, but as mentioned previously this has also been purposely washed by the dealer to introduce some "common damage". It was not happy time in the von Kleist garage as I took these. Tomorrow begins the process of decontamination and then correction. The paint is pretty badly swirled with some deeper RIDS on almost all panels, a couple that may require wet sanding.

 

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I know how much this has been getting at you to get back "right" again! Glad to see you are started, and knee deep.

 

That interior looks great, so does the engine!

 

How do you like your light? I got one for Christmas, and really have only used it briefly...

 

Is it one of those things that can be your best friend and worst enemy?

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I know how much this has been getting at you to get back "right" again! Glad to see you are started, and knee deep.

 

That interior looks great, so does the engine!

 

How do you like your light? I got one for Christmas, and really have only used it briefly...

 

Is it one of those things that can be your best friend and worst enemy?

 

Its been driving me nuts, but the opportunity to do a solid writeup on my truck and show some stuff is nice. Its been a long time since I've had to do intense work on one of my own rides.

 

The light is great... doesn't replace a good set of halogens, but for doing spot work and inspection its convenient. It comes to all the clinics with me b/c we rarely have ideal lighting.

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You done yet? :D

 

LOL... not even close.

 

That's a big truck, and Dylan normally keeps it perfect, so it will take a couple of hours ;)

 

Doug can vouch for me... in the past at clinics its been pretty pristine. If any of you saw it now you'd probably beat me with a detail bag full of fire hose nozzles. :lolsmack:

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LOL... not even close.

 

 

 

Doug can vouch for me... in the past at clinics its been pretty pristine. If any of you saw it now you'd probably beat me with a detail bag full of fire hose nozzles. :lolsmack:

 

I'd only beat you with the hoses across the bottoms of your feet.

:2thumbs:

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Dylan, my car hasn't been detailed since late October. My car is in the same shape pretty much, if not worse :(

 

 

Nice turn around so far. Can't wait to see the finish product, although we've seen the finished product like a million times since you like to toot your own horn :lol: Just kidding...

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I have seen his truck, and up close and personal, and it is usually So perfect and black, that it's almost a dizzying experience to look at it. And it looks incredible at about 1 foot away from the paint, too. The man can make black paint look incredible.:2thumbs:

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this is going to be great because the way your truck looks now is going to be what my truck looks like after winter. from all the salt, laser washes, and snow brushing. dont think 2 coats of americana is gona take that much abuse, even though i know it takes a lot. its PC time!:pc:

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