Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Penman]

Hi

[ianm]

Thanks Penman, may be costly in the first place but if protects your investment it worth it. By the pics its well worth it.
Ian

[47p2]

Car polished ready for the show tomorrow.

I used one of Meguliars polishes, I was given it a couple of years ago and thought I would try it out.......

Easy on and easy off, leaves a slight powder residue if it is on too thick.

One tip for anyone polishing their car. Use microfibre cloths, they are much kinder to the paintwork and don't scratch plus they are easier to use.
I usually cut one into 4 pieces and use that for applying the polish, a second cloth for removing polish and a third cloth to buff up for a final finish
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ROVER
One of Britain's Fine Cars

[Job-Rated]

Clay bar is a Godsend.

Here's how to use it by my friend Kev...


There are various grades of clay so it is best to purchase the correct one to prevent marring of the paintwork. Usually the major wax manufacturers sell a mild clay which is the best to use.

To see whether your cars' paintwork needs claying (and if you have never done it, then I would guess it does), you will need to get a thin piece of cellophane such as a cigarette wrapper or similar. Gently rub the cellophane along the bodywork of the car. It should feel smooth. If it feels like sandpaper or slightly coarse, then its time to clay bar your car.

As mentioned, most wax companies sell a claybar kit. This should come with a Quick Detailing spray which is used to lubricate the surface allowing the clay to glide across the paints surface and pull the contaminants out.

The paint surface has many undulations caused by bonded contaminants. These are things such as bird lime, tar spots etc. These are left behind after the washing process. The bonded contaminants sit on the surface and will not be removed during the washing process. When light hits the surface, the way it bounces off gives it the depth of reflection. If it hits the rough surface, the light is forced off in a random pattern giving a dull reflection that lacks depth. If the surface is smooth, the light hits cleanly and bounces off cleanly, giving a much deeper, cleaner reflection.

So, starting with a freshly washed car, break the clay into three pieces. You will not need a large lump and the other two will come in useful. Warm the clay in your hands and mold it into a flat pancake shape. Now, using the Quick Detailing spray, cover an area of around 2 feet x 2 feet and then gently rub the clay across the panel. You will feel and hear the contaminants. There will be a worrying scratching noise which you should ignore. This is the clay pulling the dirt out of the paint. The clay will bite aswell as you run along the panel. Once this frees up and glides smoothly, use a clean micro fibre cloth to wipe the excess QD spray off the panel. Repeat on the next section until the whole car has been done.

You can also clay glass and wheels to remove ingrained dirt .

You should normally leave a piece of clay in the wash bucket so that as you wash and find tar spots, you can clay them off. The car shampoo gives the lubricity needed. On painted alloy wheels, the clay will again remove ingrained brake dust in a similar fashion to the paintwork.

DO NOT USE THE SAME CLAY TO DO BOTH WHEELS AND PAINTWORK.
It is best split into three pieces.

Once finished with the clay, wrap it in some plastic or a resealable sandwich bag. One piece of clay should last around 3-4 complete clay sessions. For a car used daily, it is recommended claying once every 3-4 months.

It is also recommended rewashing the car after the claying to remove the lubricant film. Then go over it with a pre-wax cleaner to finish the cleaning process.
After this, it is also very important to seal and wax the paintwork, as the claying process will remove all previous wax.

Sealers and glaze products should be applied after paint cleansing and before the final wax stage. Glazes give the shine that everyone wants and the key is good preparation. This fills any minor swirls left and hides slight scratches, allowing the light to bounce off smoothly giving the depth of shine.
Always apply these products in the shade so as to prevent them drying out too quickly. Generally, glazes do not need to dry off, so can be removed straight away.

Once glazed, you will be ready to apply your choice of wax.

IF YOU DROP THE CLAY ON THE FLOOR, THROW IT AWAY.
DO NOT RE-USE IT.
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Don't run your fingers over my truck & I won't run my truck over your fingers!


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[Scotty]

Thanks JR, I've been wondering how clay bars worked, might even try one now that I have a guide as to how best to use it.

[peter scott]

[Greeney in France]

I use a good claybar from bilt hamber and it only needs water as its lubricant instead of a special
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www.OldFrenchCars.com

We do these things not to escape life but to prevent life escaping us

[Uncle Joe]

Of these suggestions, I have decided to try out the ones from Mothers. Most of the ones mentioned arent available here, so it did make my choice easier.

Now to find a car that I'm not to bothered about paintwise if the product doesnt work!

[Job-Rated]

Trust me, Joe, I've seen the results after a good clay bar session & it is simply amazing.

You will not regret it.
_________________
Don't run your fingers over my truck & I won't run my truck over your fingers!


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[Old-Nail]

Quote: "There will be a worrying scratching noise which you should ignore".. Ooh-err!
I must say I hadn't heard of claybars until recently, the process seems to work in the same manner as putty rubbers do to erase pencil marks. I think I might try this next time I have some jaded paintwork.

[Norfolkandchance]

Now I feel like I am billy no mates as I have always used Autoglym polish and their other products, but not the tyre dressing. I use' Back to Black' for that.

But the one thing I do which it I am sure does not say on the bottle is use a fairly damp cloth before I put polish on it thus using the polish more sparingly.

But what do I know...

[Greeney in France]

No thats fine I have used autoglym for years very satisfactorily.
It is only recently I have been experimenting with modern stuff.
I use a damp cloth too as it spreads the polish better
Rolls Royce, Aston martin and Jaguar are just a few that put their name to it
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www.OldFrenchCars.com

We do these things not to escape life but to prevent life escaping us

[Rich5ltr]

I also use mostly Autoglym products except for a few exceptions. I reckon that for general washing, cleaning and polishing they are good value and work well. So I use their car wash, interior cleaner, leather feeder, glass cleaner etc. What I do use however is P21 wax. It's about £20 a tub and equally as good as stuff like Swisswax and Zymol which are silly money. I reckon that to do a "proper" job involves washing the car with a proper car shampoo (not washing up liquid!), polishing it for which I use Autoglym and then waxing it. For tyres I use Wonder Wheels.

[peter scott]

[KevF]

Sorry its late in posting about this but one thing that I need to ask...


In almost all the posts, you mention polishing the car????

Please excuse me if I am about to offend anyones intelligence but there is a huge difference between a polish and wax. You shouldnt be polishing the car each time you wash especially on older paints that possibly have no clearcoat.

If the AutoGlym product you are using is the Super Resin Polish, this contains mild abrasives so each time you are using it, you are removing microns from the paint surface.
By using a wax, it is protecting the painted surface rather than removing anything.

I have to be careful not to go on too much as I am but a newbie here. Sorry.

I would recommend claying the paintwork if it has never been done. This will remove bonded on contaminants such as brake dust, air borne particles, tar spots etc.....once this has cleaned the surface thoroughly, then if the paintwork has faded or oxidised then you can use a polish.
now you can machine polish or hand polish here.

Next I would apply a good quality glaze. This glaze is what gives the depth and lustre to the finish. Basically it has fillers in it to fill and smooth any fine scratches or swirls (if you havent machine polished) thus leaving a smooth surface for light to refract off cleaner hence better, deeper reflections.
Now glazes and sealers are not waterproof so you need to lock in this product with a wax. There are many choices as outlined in the previous posts. the main kinds are natural Carnauba ones or synthetic Polymer resin ones. Each give a slight difference in appearance and longevitiy.

None of the products I use in either my personal or professional details contain silicone and the majority of the quality brands dont have them either. I tend to prefer Mothers (and sell it ahhemm) but use various and possible too many other products to achieve the desired results.

Again sorry if this comes across as teaching you to suck eggs but thought I would try and answer a few of the queries mentioned above.

Currently paint correcting and detailing a 1953 Porsche 365.

Job~Rated's mate - KevF

PS...if anyone would like more info (there is lots more..LOL then let me know)