Presidential Detailed: 2008 Corvette Z06 - LotusTalk

Presdntial_Detail · 03-08-2009, 06:16 PM

Well, I had a great thread planned out for this detail since I learned so much in the process of this detail but I loaded all of my process/before pictures onto my pc to make room for more pictures and my PC crashed and I lost EVERYTHING. Lucky I still had the second half of the pictures on my cameras memory card. So there will only be afters in the post.

This was my first corvette(the clearcoat horror stories are true BTW

) and of course it was black and literally brand new with less than 200 miles on it. Thanks to Kevin Brown, Joshvette, and Aaron from AC Detail I got this sucker done, it took forever and a day I think mostly due to my own mistakes. Mistakes your asking? Dont worry, I didnt mess anything up! The car looked relatively good for what it was, but there were some deeper swirls that needed to come out to get this car looking 100%.

My mistake was going too aggressive with too high of speed, eliminating the swirls I was after, but now I had instilled my own wool marring that I chased for days on end! Just out of the blue Kevin Brown happened to message me, and see how I was enjoying M105 and if I had been using his process, and I reluctantly told him that I hadn't(dont ask me why not, I guess I thought hard clear-high speed/aggressive polish). So after talking with Kevin Brown for hours and hours over the week, we got the Corvette back into shape!

Just to clear things up, I did try less aggressive products which did not remove the defects I was looking for. I ended up going to M105/Burgandy Wool at 1500-1800 rpm with no priming like Kevin recommends. This removed the deep swirls I was after, however it left some wool marring that was VERY difficult to remove. After talking with Kevin for hours, I ended up going over the car with M105 on Meguiars new Burgandy Foam 2.0 pad, this pad is incredible! Ill be buying many more to come! Anyways, this step did its job using the Kevin Brown method(pad prime, bead on panel, 1-1200rpms) and had the car glowing, but in direct sunlight it still had very obvious buffer trails as expected and some fine micro-marring from the pad. I then went around the car again with SIP/White and we were CLOSER, but still holograms. I then went around the car with 3m Ultrafina on a UK 3m finishing pad. The end result, PERFECTION!

After several days on end thinking I will never finish this car, I was amazed when I pulled it back out in the sun. There were ZERO swirls in the car and the depth and reflectivity were outstanding. The owner was also very pleased, and we scheduled his 08 STI(teasers later).

The car was topped with two coats of Opti-Seal and then two coats of P21S 100% Past Wax. The wheels were also polished with Adams Metal Polish and then sealed with two coats of Opti-Seal as well. Enough talking! Heres the finished product!

PS. I saved the best pics for last!

Presdntial_Detail · 03-08-2009, 06:17 PM

Presdntial_Detail · 03-08-2009, 06:18 PM

Presdntial_Detail · 03-08-2009, 06:19 PM

I saved the best for last, the ones we all want to see. FULL SUN!

This one is next! 2008 STI, a hack detailer got ahold of this one for sure! :wall :buffing:

RedELise818 · 03-08-2009, 07:55 PM

Pretty good job on the Z06 but as far as swirl marks are concerned they reappear after a few washes (this is of course after a car has been completely detailed and the swirl marks "seem" to be gone)

just my 2 cents

Presdntial_Detail · 03-08-2009, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedELise818

Pretty good job on the Z06 but as far as swirl marks are concerned they reappear after a few washes (this is of course after a car has been completely detailed and the swirl marks "seem" to be gone)

just my 2 cents

Actually you are wrong.

I use products and processes that REMOVE the swirls completely using a rotary buffer. You are correct in a sense though, if I were just some random off the corner detailer, then yes they would be back in a week guaranteed, but I am not and I can assure you the swirls will not come back just by washing UNLESS you use improper wash techniques which will induce more NEW swirls, but the ones I removed will not come back. Sorry if this came off rude, just had to make it clear.

Exigent · 03-08-2009, 09:19 PM

Amazing job, as always. You make me never want to even touch my car for fear of doing something that might damage it.

I now question if I even know how to wash it properly.

Presdntial_Detail · 03-08-2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exigent

Amazing job, as always. You make me never want to even touch my car for fear of doing something that might damage it.

I now question if I even know how to wash it properly.

I just hope your at least using the two bucket method!

03-08-2009, 06:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
Presdntial_Detail Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 164	Presidential Detailed: 2008 Corvette Z06 Well, I had a great thread planned out for this detail since I learned so much in the process of this detail but I loaded all of my process/before pictures onto my pc to make room for more pictures and my PC crashed and I lost EVERYTHING. Lucky I still had the second half of the pictures on my cameras memory card. So there will only be afters in the post. This was my first corvette(the clearcoat horror stories are true BTW ) and of course it was black and literally brand new with less than 200 miles on it. Thanks to Kevin Brown, Joshvette, and Aaron from AC Detail I got this sucker done, it took forever and a day I think mostly due to my own mistakes. Mistakes your asking? Dont worry, I didnt mess anything up! The car looked relatively good for what it was, but there were some deeper swirls that needed to come out to get this car looking 100%. My mistake was going too aggressive with too high of speed, eliminating the swirls I was after, but now I had instilled my own wool marring that I chased for days on end! Just out of the blue Kevin Brown happened to message me, and see how I was enjoying M105 and if I had been using his process, and I reluctantly told him that I hadn't(dont ask me why not, I guess I thought hard clear-high speed/aggressive polish). So after talking with Kevin Brown for hours and hours over the week, we got the Corvette back into shape! Just to clear things up, I did try less aggressive products which did not remove the defects I was looking for. I ended up going to M105/Burgandy Wool at 1500-1800 rpm with no priming like Kevin recommends. This removed the deep swirls I was after, however it left some wool marring that was VERY difficult to remove. After talking with Kevin for hours, I ended up going over the car with M105 on Meguiars new Burgandy Foam 2.0 pad, this pad is incredible! Ill be buying many more to come! Anyways, this step did its job using the Kevin Brown method(pad prime, bead on panel, 1-1200rpms) and had the car glowing, but in direct sunlight it still had very obvious buffer trails as expected and some fine micro-marring from the pad. I then went around the car again with SIP/White and we were CLOSER, but still holograms. I then went around the car with 3m Ultrafina on a UK 3m finishing pad. The end result, PERFECTION! After several days on end thinking I will never finish this car, I was amazed when I pulled it back out in the sun. There were ZERO swirls in the car and the depth and reflectivity were outstanding. The owner was also very pleased, and we scheduled his 08 STI(teasers later). The car was topped with two coats of Opti-Seal and then two coats of P21S 100% Past Wax. The wheels were also polished with Adams Metal Polish and then sealed with two coats of Opti-Seal as well. Enough talking! Heres the finished product! PS. I saved the best pics for last!

03-08-2009, 09:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
Exigent Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Timonium, Maryland Posts: 2,089	Amazing job, as always. You make me never want to even touch my car for fear of doing something that might damage it. I now question if I even know how to wash it properly. __________________ '06 BMW X5 - IMOLA RED '06 Porsche 911 Carrera S - CARRERA WHITE '02 BMW 325xiT - TOPAZ BLUE '88 BMW M5 - BLACK '02 Ducati 998S Bayliss - RED, WHITE & GREEN '06 Lotus Exige - *ARDENT RED* [TRADED]

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03-08-2009, 06:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Presdntial_Detail Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 164

03-08-2009, 06:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
Presdntial_Detail Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 164

03-08-2009, 06:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
Presdntial_Detail Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 164	I saved the best for last, the ones we all want to see. FULL SUN! This one is next! 2008 STI, a hack detailer got ahold of this one for sure! :wall :buffing:

03-08-2009, 07:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
RedELise818 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 22	Pretty good job on the Z06 but as far as swirl marks are concerned they reappear after a few washes (this is of course after a car has been completely detailed and the swirl marks "seem" to be gone) just my 2 cents

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