Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[kevin2306]

With my cars, I use Maguires Gold wash as I find it leaves a decent shine and gives a good streak free finish.
On the moderns I leave it to drip dry but If I do that with the Singer I end up looking at droplet rings everywhere (probably due to the old paint and the actual colour).
Question is, do you use a microfibre towel or a good old fashioned chamois leather to dry and finish the process?

Kev

[peter scott]

A chamois.

Peter
_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Minxy]

A chamois

[gresham flyer]

Come on everyone if you watch the car shows on the television you must have seen the advert for.....

Demon Shine....and that irritating voice over.!!!

I use a bucket of warm water, a good wash and wax solution, an old piece of towel ( cuts off the dead flies etc ) and then rinse off with rainwater I collect in tubs.

Leave to dry away from scorching sunshine and not a mark or blemish left.

This is on my modern Vauxhall Vivaro Van.

On my classics I just wipe each panel clean with a piece of towel wetted, then dry with a clean piece of dry towel.

I then give the vehicle a good wax polish with Auto Glym now and again.

I never hose or power wash my classic car`s paintwork, and let water get into the door bottoms or other areas etc.
There is no need for this really.
Power washing damages good paintwork.
.
I may power wash once a year underneath before an MOT.

To be honest even if you drive back from a show in the pouring rain, the car does not get that dirty. Not like a vehicle used every day.

Or if you are lazy....go to one of the many Polish, Latvian or Lithuanian car washes that seem to be every where now day`s. You sit in your car reading classic car weekly whilst six people converge on your vehicle.

G.f
_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.



Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

[Rick]

[Riley Blue]

Whenever any of my cars is dirty it's taken taken to the local 'Professional Car Wash' where half a dozen very polite lads swarm over it with bottles of TFR, a pressure washer and lots of soapy water. They're very careful with the Riley, always using fresh, clean cloths and low water pressure and they've never done any damage to the paintwork on it or my other cars. Maximum I've paid has been £12 (yesterday) to wash and vacuum the inside of my Audi after it got very muddy at Cadwell Park.

It's not a question of being lazy; washing a car is only half the process. It's the polishing and waxing that gives a car a good shine and protection from the elements - that's the bit I we do ourselves with Mequairs products, I haven't found anything better or easier to apply.
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David

1963 Riley 1.5
1965 Riley 1.5

[peter scott]

[kevin2306]

This is the wax I use

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HARLY-WAX-car-polish-PURE-NO-1-YELLOW-CARNAUBA-WAX-/370355728382?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item563aebeffe

Kev

[peppiB]

I use 'waterless' car cleaner. Just pump it on from the trigger operated bottle, wipe over with a microfibre towel and finish with a clean microfibre towel. The towels then go in the washing machine and are clean to use the next time

Living beside the river the cars endure fair amounts of Kittiwake and Gull mess and this stuff shifts it without effort

[JohnDale]

My Zephyr was polished with Collinite 845 three years ago & washed with Meguiars Gold any time it was out & the rain still beaded off & could be left to drip dry in the carport after washing with no marks - just been re-polished with Collinite for the next three years. The Triumph was resprayed a few years ago (with 'economy' two pack) & also gets polished with Collinite.
The paintwork is cr.... , leaves water marks & still makes polish pads green.
There is no such thing as economy(cheap) paint just paint & rubbish.
Cheers,JD.
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1958 Ford Zephyr Mk2 Convertible
1976 Ford Granada Ghia.

[gresham flyer]

Each to their own really.

When it comes to how you clean and then finally shine your paint is down to you.
There are so many products out there to choose from.

All I can say is when one of our vehicles has been in a winning line up of show vehicles at an event , everyone has used a different cleaning product and method of achieving that award winning lustre.



It is like the engine oil debate...
There are so many out there, you use what you think is best.

G.F
_________________
Austin A30 / A35 Van.
Austin Devon.
Morris Minors.
Jaguars.
Rootes Cars.
MG.
Etc.



Viking Fibreline Caravan.
Cheltenham Sable
Shorts Built Vintage Caravan 1936.

[MikeEdwards]

I use a hosepipe to get most of the dirt off, and a wash mitt to go over it with car shampoo then rinse off with the hose again. I occasionally power wash under the arches, but not very often. If it needs waxing, I've got some Simoniz wax that I don't particularly like, but I'll carry on until it's all gone. Doesn't need doing that often, though - maybe once at the start of the year.

Biggest trouble for me is that it has satin black inner wings, so when water gets onto them it leaves quite noticeable marks as it invariably washes some dust or dirt onto the nice black wings. Most waxes will eventually bring up a shine, which I don't want on my satin black paint - if I wanted it shiny, I'd have had it done in gloss. The only wax I can find for satin or matt finishes is a Swissvax product, and it's around £55 for 50ml. So I won't be having that then.

[Phil - Nottingham]

Plain warm water and chamois dry when needed which depends on weather usage sometimes 2 months!. Mer/Autoglymn or similar polish every 3 years or so all over otherwise just to remove any bad marks.

Never car washes

I gave up regular wax polishing and weekly washes in 1970 when my dad sold his Ford Zephyr 6 which I washed etc every week and waxed every 3 months. WOT - the paint went dull anyway and wings/sills/valance rusted out on a 5 year old car despite hosing/under-sealing underneath as well.

Later cars did not suffer any worse for lack of attention!
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Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

[petermeachem]

The Austin is not quite ready for washing, I suspect I might clean it. My modern car doesn't get washed. I've had it for about 5 years, washed it when I got it and that was it. I did clean the inside this year. Recently moved and I must have made at least 20 trips to the tip with lumps of rock, garden stuff, large amount of wood. I must admit it was nicer inside afterwards. Interestingly the outside looks vaguely respectable and doesn't get particularly dirty, just looks a bit grubby.

[JohnDale]

I no longer own a chamois leather - I find Meguiars Water Magnet far superior with greater water retention & far less need to wring out.
Other drying cloths are available(as our radio pundits say)
Cheers,JD.
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1958 Ford Zephyr Mk2 Convertible
1976 Ford Granada Ghia.