Spring Detail

Is your car looking tired? Need some advice on how to keep your car in great shape? Into detailing and cleaning and want some advice on products. Then ask away in here.
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tompinney
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Posts: 617
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:57 pm

Spring Detail

Post by tompinney »

Having taken the week off, I decided to put it to good use and do some work on my car for a change. It also helped to take my mind off my still ongoing insurance claim following my rear shunt outside the Classic Car Show in Novemeber.

So without boring people even more about that, cos I'm sure you've all heard enough of me complaining about how useless and slow my insurers are, here's what I've been up to.

Tuesday

Shortly after lunch I set about washing the car and claying it to remove the few bonded contaminants that had built up on the car during its long stay at the bodyshop. This revealed the true state of the paint and allowed me to see what work would be required during the polishing stage. The photos show the minor combwebbing evident in the paint.
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I then used some 300 grit wet and dry paper to take care of some deeper scuffs on my rear quarter panel caused by my rear shunt.

You can just about make out the diminishing marks in the this during shot.
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I also had some more minor scuffs in the drivers sill... I really do need to take more care getting in and out the car :roll:
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And here is the car at the end of day one awaiting the polishing stage.
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Wednesday

Today saw the rotary polisher making its appearance in conjunction with a finishing pad and some Meguiars #83 machine polish to set about fixing the paint damage. In the following before and after shots you can just about make out the hologramming in the bonnet in the form of the vertical marks in the first photo. Sadly the camera didn't do a brilliant job in capturing them, but the whole car was much like this.
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After
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Here you can see the front wing restored to its full glory.
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The wetsanding marks from the previous day required some more cut to polish them out and for this I used a light cut pad on the rotary with the same polish as before. All the marks now gone :D
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And a before and after shot of the sill.
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After
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Thursday

First job of the day was to complete the LSP stage of the detail. For this I used Zymol HD Cleanse to remove any last traces of dirt/dead paint and enhance the gloss. After that I applied my expensive new Zymol Concours wax. Here are the results of my efforts.
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A couple of reflection shots.
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My dad then materialised in his Stag so I decided to get a photo of my upcoming classic next to a true British classic 8)
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The afternoon saw me turn my attention to the engine bay. This was filthy partly due to a lack of care on my part that was made to look even worse by the muck left on it by the bodyshop's preparation of the panels for the work I had done prior to the Classic car show. I cleaned it off with the strong mix of Megs Super Degreaser and following that the painted metal work was given a quick going over with the AutoGlym Super Resin Polish and the plastics and rubber treated to a healthy coating of 303 Aerospace Protectant. By the time I was done it was getting dark, but heres what photos I could get.
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Thats as far as I've got, and I'm not done yet. I've already noticed a few things that still need attention in the engine bay which I'll correct tomorrow and then hopefully if the waether holds up the interior will get a quick once over, the wheels are coming off to allow me to clean and re-underseal the arches and then I'll polish the wheels and dress the tyres and I'm done. So plenty more to follow... IF the weather plays ball ;)
Tom

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Above all, it's a Rover!
-1993 220 Coupé (2008 MG Saloon Day 'Best Modified Rover')
-1993 420GSi Sport Turbo (The 'Rumm Chuff' :))
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Smithy
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Post by Smithy »

Very nice so far. :kewlpics
Rover 220 GTi Turbo.
cfsousa
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Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:01 am
Location: PORTUGAL - Viana do Castelo

Post by cfsousa »

WOW!!!

What a job you have done to your Tomcat!!!!!!! :o

Congratulations!!!

You did a fantastic job!!! :clapping

Here in Portugal I know a few guys with Rovers that do jobs like that in their cars, and they also do it in other guys cars (payed job, ofcourse)!

I like the final aspect of those cars when they are finished!

I like your car very much!!!

Please consider coming to Portugal for a weekend next Summer (2 and 3 of Aug) for our European Tomcat Meeting!!! ;)

Best regards,
cfsousa
216GSi
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Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:01 am

Post by 216GSi »

Tom, that looks absolutley fantastic.

I'll give you my keys for next time you've got a week off... ;)
1995 Rover 220 Coupe turbo (62k)
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Smithy
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Post by Smithy »

I just noticed your daffodils are far more advanced than the ones in my garden.
Rover 220 GTi Turbo.
tompinney
Club Member
Posts: 617
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:57 pm

Post by tompinney »

Thats cos were a couple of timezones south of you :tt2

Mind you thats the only daffs in the bunch that are currently out. Mother keeps fretting that I might back into them :rolleyes
Tom

Image
Above all, it's a Rover!
-1993 220 Coupé (2008 MG Saloon Day 'Best Modified Rover')
-1993 420GSi Sport Turbo (The 'Rumm Chuff' :))
216GSi
Forum User
Posts: 285
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:01 am

Post by 216GSi »

Smithy wrote:I just noticed your daffodils are far more advanced than the ones in my garden.
:laughing2 WTF! What flowers? Just admire the man's hard work, not the girly flowers in the background! :blink





Pfft! Women! :*laughs*
1995 Rover 220 Coupe turbo (62k)
hughezie
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Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:55 pm
Location: birmingham

Post by hughezie »

you've done a good job on that mate, nice lookin coupe
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