The Detailing Thread

[Submariner]

That black Subaru looks particularly good in the 'after' shot. 

[Morris Minor]

I use Zep Industrial Purple degreaser. Available by the gallon at my local/favorite hardware store, Menards.  I seldom recommend using steel wool of any kind on paint. Better to soak/wash/rinse/repeat than to scrub with something that abrasive. Not too much to worry about on white paint (doesn't show much in the way of clear coat scratches, but).

Bug&tar removal products are pretty hit or miss.  Degreaser really is the way to go.  Dissolves bug guts like nothing else and has a multitude of other uses for your garage needs.

I use this for bugs, tires, and wheel wells. It's very dilutible. I dilute into a 32oz spray bottle. A little goes a long way (I think the recommendation is somewhere around 4-6oz per gallon for heavy soils...I usually do 2-3oz per spray bottle, so it's plenty strong).

It's great stuff.  Your local hardware store should have an equivalent. ~$10/gal.

I bought this stuff and used it to remove the long-embedded squished bugs on my G37. It is awesome. Thank you.

[giant_mtb]

I bought this stuff and used it to remove the long-embedded squished bugs on my G37. It is awesome. Thank you.

Nice!  Glad it worked out for you.

[giant_mtb]

Some recent projex.

























Didn't snag any "before" pictures of this one...

[Morris Minor]

Some recent projex.

That was more or less the state of mine before the magic Zep treatment.

[giant_mtb]

That was more or less the state of mine before the magic Zep treatment.

Lighter colors are hell for bugs.  Glad you got it taken care of. Good stuff, eh?

[giant_mtb]

Nice lookin' Ruby today.  Owner is the guy who bought the building behind mine.  He's planning to put a brewery/pub in there. 

Decent amount of wiry dog hair, so that's always fun.

[MrH]

Those wheels are turrrrible.

[giant_mtb]

They are odd.

It's a mall crawler.

[FoMoJo]

With a plough hitch?

[giant_mtb]

With a plough hitch?

No, that's just a ridiculous bull bar.

This is what it would be like if it was decked out with a winch and shackles.

[Soup DeVille]

On actual rock crawlers, they call them stingers. Properly equipped crawlers can use them kinda like a reverse ramp.

This truck, even being a Rubicon, doesn't.

[93JC]

They do a good job punching through other cars' crumple zones too. Unsafe as hell; no roadworthy car should have one.

[giant_mtb]

It's one of like 2 Wranglers around here that have them that I've seen.  I've never understood the point as none of them are set up as serious off roaders.  I guess it would be a great way to deflect a deer down instead of having it come up and crunch your hood, but damn.

[Morris Minor]

I love that color: can't make my mind up whether it's blue, or gray or green or a all three.

[giant_mtb]

I love that color: can't make my mind up whether it's blue, or gray or green or a all three.

In person, it's gray.  With a blue tinge, depending on your definition.  No green.

It is a nice color, though.

[giant_mtb]

Dig the color scheme on this RAM[/i].

[SVT_Power]

Took a few seconds to realize that's actually a two tone scheme, thought the bottom was darker just due to a reflection

[giant_mtb]

It started pourrrring rain about 5 minutes after I took the pictures.  Was satisfying to watch the water fall off of it.

[CaminoRacer]

lol did you have to wipe it off again?

[giant_mtb]

lol did you have to wipe it off again?

Nah.  Considered it, but with a fresh coat of wax, the remaining water is just gonna run off once it's driven anyway.  The guy came to pick it up shortly after the rain stopped, so no worries.  I always apologize when that happens...mostly 'cause it's annoying to me that I just finished a 5-6 hour project and now it's getting rained on...but nobody cares.  "It was gonna get rained on eventually" is the typical response.  Plus the roads were probably still wet on his drive home, so it would have been fairly futile to bother.

"If I could control the weather, my profession wouldn't be detailing" is also another line I use.

[12,000 RPM]

Whats your take on ceramic coatings

Are they something I could apply with my random orbital?

[giant_mtb]

Whats your take on ceramic coatings

Are they something I could apply with my random orbital?

To get the best out of them, you gotta put in the work.  Clay bar, etc.  Follow the directions for the product and you'll be pleased. There was wax, then synthetic sealants, and now ceramics. 

Liquid Glass was my first forray into synthetic coatings and that shit is incredible.

[CaminoRacer]

You gonna ceramic coat the whole car?

[12,000 RPM]

Insulating cabin heat = more efficient HVAC = free HP

Paint on the Kia is pretty good; hopefully won't need to do too much to prep.

[giant_mtb]

Insulating cabin heat = more efficient HVAC = free HP

Paint on the Kia is pretty good; hopefully won't need to do too much to prep.

Clay bar and rubbing alcohol. 

[giant_mtb]

Less than 10k miles on dis Equinox.  Even new cars will shine up nice.  Frackin' winters are harsh, man.  "Before" pics are inside 'cause I forgot to take them outside and wasn't gonna bother pulling it back out. lol

These new Equinoxes are pretty nice.  Didn't drive it, but the interior seemed decent, materials were good as far as feel and clean-ability goes.

[CaminoRacer]

I saw one of those yesterday. Seems like a nice ride.

[giant_mtb]

I saw one of those yesterday. Seems like a nice ride.

Sure are better looking than the first gens...those had a pretty heavy Aztek vibe to them. haha.  Second gens were definitely an improvement, but I think they've nailed it with this latest gen.  We shall see how they age.

[giant_mtb]

red white and blue. lol