Hot Rods Do any of you guys know anything about detailing and products?

So, let me fall on my sword from the get go. I view detailing the cars with the same level of enthusiasm that I do when cleaning a clogged sewer drain or watching paint dry. It's just not my thing and I don't enjoy it one bit. But, like taxes and so many other things, it has to be done.

First, let me answer the obvious question that most of you will probably shout at me out of frustration - YES, I did a search !!!!!!!! I searched all over the internet. Also, yes, I realize this is a long post. It’s hard to sum up 50+ years of cluelessness in one post succinctly.

And therein lies the problem. The amount of info out there is so m***ive, so disjointed, and aimed at so many different talent levels and needs that it’s simply overwhelming and impossible to determine a cohesive plan of action.

I like to say that I don’t have a car collection, but rather a collection of cars. None of my stuff is super valuable but there are some decently nice pieces in there, including one that serves as my daily driver. My level of talent and expertise is very basic, and the little knowledge I have is mostly based in the 1980’s. Yes, I'm old (66) and yes, I’m well aware that things have changed. I’m still using a California silicone water blade and my 30+ year old “The Absorber” drying cloth. You detailing enthusiasts will doubtlessly be appalled to know that I’m still satisfied with both. My “tools” so to speak include a 6” Griots random polisher, a Chinesium 3” random from Amazon (hey, it works), and some randomly colored foam pads for both. Don’t ask me what the colors mean, I have no idea. That’s part of my problem. I also have a big, heavy, old fashioned Porter Cable rotary polisher with a wool polishing head. I don’t use it, as I am afraid if the damage I could do with that. It stays put away out of fear of the damage I can do with it and the awareness and respect for the fact that I’m clueless on how to use it.

I have great respect for you guys who can turn a crusty pile of junk that’s been out in the sun in someones yard for decades and turn it into a gleaming jewel of a car. That’s not me, and that’s not my skill set. Most of my cars are garaged and in reasonably good shape. My main concern is the car that will sit outside in the blistering hot Houston, Texas sun. I'm out of garage space and it'll sit outside. That's just the way it has to be. Always. The sun and the paint damage it can and will cause is a big concern. I really would like to keep it looking as good as possible under those extremely harsh conditions. Keep in mind I’m not looking to prepare a 5 million dollar car for Pebble Beach here. I just need it to look pretty good and protect it out in the sun. That’s it. Protecting the paint out in the sun is the main goal.

I guess the easiest way to start is two ask some specific questions that are probably incredibly basic to all of you and go from there. Once I learn how to deal with protecting the paint on the one car sitting in the sun all the time I can then apply those lessons to my other cars. To those of you who take the time to constructively answer my questions and help guide me, please know that I greatly appreciate it.

1- Are the color codes of the pads standardized across all manufacturers, or are they random depending on who you get them from? What do the colors mean and in my very basic needs and skill level which one do I use for what job?

2- I go back to the days of Nu Finish polish and some no longer remembered brand of overpriced paste wax in a dark red can, all applied by hand. Obviously products have progressed far beyond that now. As of today, a**** the products I have at home now that I bought with no knowledge whatsoever behind the purchase is a big bottle of 3M brand “3D One cutting compound and finishing polish”, a big honking bottle of Malco brand “Nano Care Banana Creme Wax” and I somehow came into possession of a small bottle of something called “Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant” I have no idea what that is and where I got it.

3- Given my very basic needs of protecting the car out in the Texas sun for as long as possible will the above stuff suffice? Again, I’m not looking to make a show car here. I want it to look very nice, and I need to protect it from the blazing sun. I’m guessing I can get a decent enough finish from the polish and wax that I have, but it’s these new modern ceramics, sealants, etc that I know nothing about. I ***ume these sealants and ceramics go on OVER a good coat of wax? Or does was go on over the ceramic or sealant? Is wax even used anymore? What is the most durable modern top coat that a guy like me with very basic skills can put on easily and not screw up the car? Given my skill set (none) am I better off with a sealant or a ceramic? If so which one? Is that Wolfgang stuff any good?

4- Is there a tire shine product that actually lasts a while? If so what is it?

5- Lastly, is there a non abrasive chemical that will dissolve the black soot around the lip of the chrome tailpipe? I don't want to scratch the chrome up using an abrasive like a wire wheel or scotchbrite, and the stuff is being just impossible to get off.

Thanks to any of you who actually read through this Biblically sized post. I appreciate any tips you guys might have for this old guy to accomplish this basic job.

 

I found that selling cars and keeping an open spot in the garage/shop at all times is a really big thing, and worth doing.

That said, I'm in the same boat for advice. As you've noticed, there are a billion ways to do it, and most of them work, so maybe you just need a little refinement. I find the big old buffer with good old fashioned rubbing compound is great for getting a decades-neglected paint job kind of shiny again...and then the fun begins, trying to get it to look half decent, and last for a while.

The Corvette with it's ****py 40 year old paint job is looking OK now. I buffed it, then hand rubbed it with good old fashioned polishing compound, then put some modern poly/ceramic sealant on. It's really slippery now, and shiny, and of course I can see all the horribleness in the paint (orange peel, chips, scratches, waves, etc) but it looks pretty nice from 30 feet away. I expect you're mainly looking for a brand and description of this stuff? I used (you're gonna laugh your *** off) a sample bottle of Nu-Finish with Ceramic polish. Got it free at a car event last fall.

For cleaning stuff off chrome/stainless, start soft and move up. I start with rubbing compound, if that doesn't do it I try fine steel wool, then I give up and decide it looks as good as it's gonna get.

 

I have a 3 shelf, roll around, cart full of detailing products. 4 buffers, one million bonnets, and I still look for more to help keep the cars shiny.

I go through large containers of Mother metal polish. It is my go-to metal polish. I use 0000 steel wool and Mothers on my exhaust exits when they get sooty. It doesn't take much pressure and shouldn't harm the chrome. I use that 0000 steel wool on gl*** with gl*** cleaner and on engine stains though I hesitate to use it on aluminum unless dire.

I am not a ceramic coat fan. That is just me. I know many that love it. I prefer to clean, polish and wax my cars a couple times a year. I use a Griots Garage orbital for that job to make it faster and quite frankly it works better than my hands.

The colors you refer to are foam pads. I used them for a while, but I found better things. Microfibre bonnets that Griots sell are excellent and last far longer. If you don't own their catalog, get one. I use their detailing spray, tire cleaner, tire polish (not too shiny).

Nothing beats wool bonnets for the heavy cutting paint requires. If you don't have experience there, leave it to someone who does, or you could be re-painting panels (which I know all too well recently).

Buy a roll around cart for your products, a wheeled stool to scoot around on and enjoy maintaining your car. I like it as much as driving them I think. Is that weird? I don't think it's weird. Maybe it's weird.

One tire product I recently tried I purchased from Summit and it is a gel that you squirt on a foam pad and run around the tires. It isn't glossy but it makes the tires look new again. I clean my letters/white walls with abrasives, not bleach (SOS pads, even wet sand paper on a paint stick works to remove the brown that seeps in from the oils in the tire making process these days).

Have fun with it, turn on some tunes, grab a pitcher of ice tea, and enjoy some garage time.

 

Oh...tires...I got a scrub brush decades ago, I use it to clean tires with whatever I'm washing the car with. I can't stand seeing tires with glossy **** on them. They look unnatural.

 

Thanks guys. Billy, I have the Griots catalog, problem is I don't know what's what in there. I bought the larger of my two random orbit buffers from them, I figured it would be a decent quality piece and it seems to be just that. I'll look for the microfiber bonnets from them. I'm not able to get a real good read on what color foam pad does what. Of course being the impulsive person I usually am, I already bought a few complete sets of foam pads, and they all seem to be the same color set, I just need to figure out if all manufacturers use the same color code and hat that code signifies. Once the foals are gone then I'll move to the microfibers you suggested. Jim, I'm like you, I don't like the very shiny tires, I like them to have a very low lustre and just look clean, black and new. I'll try some of the suggestions on the soot removal from the chrome pipes. That's stuff is just tenacious the way it holds on there.
I'm thinking old school wax isn't going to be durable enough for what I need. I work away from home and there are times when the car is going to sit out in this brutal relentless hot sun for months while I'm away and can't get to it. I need something that's significantly more protective and durable than regular wax. I don't now if that would be ceramic or sealant, I'm still very unclear on what the differences are. I do know that I'm not about to pay some guy $700+ to put ceramic coat on my car. It'll have to be something that I can do myself.

 

there are some newer polymer sealants that contain some ceramic stuff, that are supposed to be good for about a year....but you know how it is, sales pitches are sales pitches. The expensive ceramic coating that detail shops apply is something else, and probably not really what you're looking for.

looks like no one who really knows, is going to reveal their secrets.

 

When it comes to pad colors, lighter ones are for finishing and darker ones for cutting. Your 3M 3D One and Malco Nano Care should work fine, with the Wolfgang stuff adding extra protection as a paint sealant. For your sun-exposed car, those products should do the job—sealants or ceramics go on after polish, with wax on top for added shine and protection.

 

Thanks, Jonathan. So polish, then sealant, then wax. Correct? How does the sealant go on, how do you apply it correctly? Can I apply it like wax, with the orbital buffer then wipe off the haze like wax?

 

Hey Billy, I just tried your 0000 steel wool and metal polish routine. It removed the soot easily. Thanks!

 

I will try and answer some of your questions:

1) Yes the pad colours mean something and no they are not a universal system. The colour will indicate the co****ness of the pad. The information above is not universally correct about what the colour indicates. Often the colour corresponds with some aspect of the polish, lid colour, label colour etc to make it easy to match them up. It is usually pretty easy to see the difference in co****ness of the pad just by eye. The foam will look more porous or more dense. Porous is course, dense is fine. Each pad is designed to be used with a corresponding product. Co**** pad heavier cutting compound, fine pad finishing compound.

2)Technically anything you put on top of paint to protect it is a sealant even wax. It's just different chemistries depending on the product. However, the term paint sealant has generally become a term for polymer based paint sealants that can be either paste or spray type deal. Spray being the easiest to apply.

3)Ceramics are the most durable. There seems to be a lot of lumping all ceramics together but there are ceramic sprays that you buy at the parts store and then there are ceramic coatings that really need to be professionally applied. For the home user ceramic sprays are what you are looking at. They are similar to selants just with the addition of Silicon Dioxide to increase durability. The sprays are super easy to use. Most are spray on and wipe off type deals. They will provide good UV protection and very good water beading capability. You DO NOT apply them over wax. You really should clay bar the car and polish before using them to remove any residues that build up over time as they will highlight everything once applied.

4) Lots of tire dressings in different glosses available as to what lasts the longest a whole mountains of factors will determine that.

5) You might look for acid based wheel cleaner designed for chrome wheels.

No need to wax after applying a sealant or ceramic. Basically just wasting your time and product at that point.

Find the tech sheets for the products you have to find out how to apply and follow those instructions.

I hope this is of some help.

 

Great info, thanks so much. Knowing that the pad colors are not universal is a big help. The co**** and fine pore theory makes sense. Is there a neophyte (me) usable spray ceramic that you might be able to recommend? I can tell one from the other, what's home use, what's only for Pro use, etc.

 

You can also tell the pad by their density. Co**** pads are much firmer than the fine pads. I don't have any specific recommendations for products. I work for a manufacturer that has a detail line but we don't do retail. I am sure the sealant you have would work fine. If you want a ceramic any of the spray type ones will work fine as far as home use. As to what's better? What's your favorite beer?

The last thing I should have mentioned is never use these products out in the sun or on a hot car. You will end up with a mess on your hands.

 

I guess it's hard for this old timer to wrap his head around the fact that a spray on watery liquid now protects longer and better than an old fashioned paste wax. Times sure have changed.

 

We have made a large stainless pellet smoker. Found that Weber spray on BBQ cleaner bring all the S/S like new, all the black soot and smoke stains are gone, wash off with water. But probably don’t get it on your paint. Would be perfect for tail pipes.

 

I had this ute on the road for 14 years and it was an everyday driver. It sat in open carparks while I was at work and towed my HA/GR to race meetings and the occasional load of rubbish to the tip. I painted it with acrylic lacquer with no clear at all, just 'A' type thinner in the last coats. It was cut and buffed by me after it sat for nearly 12 months.
I never use any polish containing silicon or wax as it makes it too hard to do any touch-ups later. This ute usually got rinsed with water if only dusty and then wiped over with a chamois. About twice a year I'd give it a going over with a product called 'RePo cleaner', a very mild liquid polish that doesn't contain wax.
These photos were taken at the end of that 14 years just before I sold it. Was still looking good to me.

 

I have no idea what “detailing” is. It takes me between 2-3 hours to wash a clean any our vehicles everytime. A normal interior is vacuuming all the vents along with the seats and floors. 303 Protectorant on everything black plastic and rubber. It never gets gray. Every other time a spray protector on the paint. I like Turtle wax products. Clay bar once a year on the one vehicle that’s outside and every other year on the inside ones.
I like clean vehicles always have..

 

K13 is completely correct. Just to add a couple of things. Invest in some microfiber towels. The Rag Company or Autofiber make excellent towels. As for tire dressing, I use Poorboys World Tire Dressing. It goes on matte, if you want a shine, give it another coat. It’s also water based, so it will dry and not sling onto the car.

 

"What is the most durable modern top coat that a guy like me with very basic skills can put on easily and not screw up the car? Given my skill set (none)"



Hello,

I am sure everyone has their own way to polish and detail their cars. It was always no buffing wheel back in our teen days. It was too shaky to accidently leave deep swirl marks with what we had to use. So clean and not just rags laying around the garage, clean, just off of the clothesline or in later times, dryer, cotton rags.

The commercial detail guys have their own buffing wheels and they do a good job. But when the paint is black or dark of some color, watch out for swirls. What ever wheel you use for the cleaning coat, don’t use it for the final buffing portion if you can help it. Always have several clean cloth wheels ready if they get loaded up.

Now, the compound, the easiest to put on and easiest to take off is a spray liquid. But, that does a good job at first, but does not last long. It can be used to get bugs and stuff off of any painted/waxed surface. But the liquid is for soaking then it wipes off easily. If you have a good polish surface, water does the same thing if you don’t have your spray and wax bottle.

So, a paste wax like a Carnuba version is what 3 out of 4 professional detail guys use for cars. And of course, our different sailboats we have owned and used in the worst environment known to mankind. Salt air and water all of the time. whether it is sitting in a dock/harbor or out on the water, salt is there and not your friend. Instantly hose off the surface/wipe off with a clean towel/rag, after each sail and that helps maintain the polished surface. Just don’t let the salt moisture settle in and dry. Now, it will be harder to get off without extra effort.

Jnaki

The usual Carnuba Wax is the longest lasting, best protection product for detailing, boat or car. They have been around for many years and other big name brands have a larger advertising campaign, so, those products are seen by everyone. Collinite is better, but hardly seen in the advertising in magazines or periodicals.

The everyday salt air intrusion lasts at least 6-8 months exposed as it was. For the daily drivers in the garage, at least 12 months or longer is the mode of the day. The brand is Collinite Pure Carnuba Wax. Paste, not any kind of liquid… It comes in all sorts of variations and just make sure it had real carbnuba wax as the primary ingredient. YRMV

Note:

In our old hot rod/cruiser/drag race days, Cadillac Blue Coral was the go to product that lasted the longest of any brand we tried. It was the best for protection and the aroma was to die for. I still have an original Blue Coral Paste Wax from those days and what is left still gets applied to our indoor chrome/stainless steel old design products. (60s lamps, metal desk designs and photo frames) It is/was the best, but the hardest to apply and get off in a timely manner. If left on too long, then another procedure had to be used to get the “too long application” to come off without damaging the painted/chromed surface.

Then came the Cl***ic Car Brand of Carnuba wax. Easy on easy off was their advertised method and it worked beautifully on all of our cars. We kept that company in business as long as it lasted and I still have an original can left with a fairly good amount of wax for small metal finishes. In our older age, any easy on/easy off is appreciated. Back when we were teens and 20 somethings, it made our day go faster. These days, faster is not necessarily better, but at least, the product is a great wax… too bad it is now gone… YRMV

So, Collinite is the brand...easy on...easy off...long lasting protection...
Thanks,@themoose

 

Quick, hopefully relevant question. When drying a car with microfiber towels, I find they tend to "drag" any wax off the surface like a chamois would do. I still like to use well washed cotton bath towels. Your thoughts on this? Thanks.

 

Hello,

In drying a car, we use a chamois as it totally takes off moisture of all kinds. The wet chamois is a well known historical piece of detailing. One has to be careful using the chamois, due to it being the drying cloth and it does pick up any strays on the surface. So, constantly wringing out the old water and soaking the chamois in clean water is necessary. Our tired old hands still have enough power to "wring out" the water to continued drying the wet surface.

If you have an old time favorite clothes washing tool handy, it certainly speeds up the wringing process. Our mom used to have a clamp on set of rollers on her laundry area sink. When the wet clothes came out of the final wash cycle, they all went through the "wringer." (As the proverbial quote is originally used...) If I was around during this time, it was my job to help and I cranked on the handle to get the clothes dry enough to hang up on the outdoor drying lines near our backyard hot rod garage work area. No dryers back then... it was all outdoor air drying.

One of the pro detailers had a wringer bolted to a small bucket and that helped tremendously. He cautioned that a clean wet towel will dry, but be cautious for the cleanliness of the wet rag going through the wringer.

Jnaki

Yes, modern folks use microfiber towels as this has taken over the industry. In talking to several boat detailers and car detailers, they like using the microfiber towels, but have a ton of them for each use. when one gets totally soaked, then a new dry one comes in to take over.

When my wife and I were finished sailing for the morning to the afternoon adventure, upon arrival in the harbor dock space, we hosed off the whole sailboat as high as we could and started the drying process with our "detailing" clean towels. That extra amount of effort/care had excellent results in making the Collinite Carnuba wax last longer than any other detail wax product on the market. Name brands or not...

Keeping a lot of the clean cotton cloths always has better results in drying, as long as they are clean when dry. It is difficult to see the microfiber towels "drag wax" off of the surface. Unless you use the microfiber towels to actually wipe off the dry wax coating in the detail process. Whether it is a liquid spray or a Collinite Carnuba wax you are taking off of the painted surface. YRMV

 

I always go to McGuire's I like the products and the old Number 7 is a great start with the foam pad on my Makita buffer at 300 rpm then finish with the swirl remover and a new wool pad . I have never use ceramic stuff.and found tire shin Ed by turtle wax to not dry out rubber and make tires crack over time "dry rot". What ever happened to Gl*** Wax ? Does anyone remember that stuff? It was awesome!

 

Caught a couple of episodes of "Dirty Old Cars" on the History Channel. Very heavily scripted like most reality shows but well worth a look. They do describe the products they use and why. Definitely worth a look.

 

I'm a big Meguire's fan, and use Zymol or Pinnacle waxes, pure carnuba. As for microfiber, I still prefer old baby diapers, as microfiber can hold dirt, and such. As for foam pads, just push on them. the firmer ones are for more aggressive cutting, while the softer they are, their use is for fine polishes, or wax.

 

Carniba wax is NOT the best paint protection. I don't care whose brand or how you apply it does not offer the same protection or durability as modern sealants and ceramics do. As a manufacturer we test this stuff thoroughly and I can ***ure you it doesn't measure up to the new paint protectants and it is way more work to apply.

 

Best tutorial I've come accross on dealing with paint, admittedly the prep stages before protection. Works for polishing new paint, correcting painting defects, bringing old paint back. Bit slow and tedious but worth the hour investment. Great for amateurs / retirees, with time to invest, not so much for production stuff. Ignore the ****py, headline grbbing ***le, the content is nothing like that!

Chris

 

I use silicone water blades to remove the heaviest water and always micro fiber drying towels. You can use bath towels but I own a few black cars and I find they scratch. But never, NEVER use dryer sheets in the dryer on any car towels. They leave crystals that will scratch the finish and you will be buffing your car out.

 

Before going through all those steps, clay bar the paint and chrome first, even the gl***. Get the surface **** and wax off before any cutting or buffing, minimize chance of swirl marks or scratches. I’m a fan of Meguires and Mothers products but I think they’re all good as long as you actually use something.

 

I use this on tires, it takes the brown away and dries like clean new rubber without a shine.....just black. I think they're going to or have stopped making it though. They have a new "natural shine" one but haven't tried it.

 

I have a variable speed polisher (porter cable) and a orbital waxer that I won at work. I mostly have old or dead painted cars that I clean up.

• Nice new paint is going to be different to take care of then older paint and base coat/clear coat vs single stage is going to be different to take care of.

• Most of the foam pads you get for a variable speed polishers are 3 types, cutting, polishing and waxing.......colors of pads will vary so READ the package.

If your paint is as nice as it sounds then you just need a waxing system and a GOOD car cover.

Remember if you have a new or newer model year vehicle......those go outside .

 

I always used to use a water blade and/or a deer skin chamois. Last year I bought a microfibre drying towel and was immediately convinced it was better. Mine is constructed with a bunch of long cylindrical fibers. I wouldn't trust a bath towel over the dedicated car drying towel personally.