Autopia.org - View Single Post - 08 NBP TL-S Detailed (TONS of Photos

OCDinPDX · 07-10-09, 07:11

The next day, I began the paintwork by claying the entire car, top to bottom, front to back. And because I know somebody will say something smart, Phelps is the name of my high school...it is NOT a Michael Phelps T-shirt.

Almost nothing off the clay although it did give me a negligible improvement in smoothness.

Getting hot in the garage.

Being my first run with the Flex, I used the right front fender as my test panel. Here I check for any remaining swirls or holograms under an LED MagLite (in my left hand).

Menz SIP with an LC Orange resulted in some moderate hazing and holograms. These were buffed out with Menz Micro Polish and an LC White (next photo).

Taped off for polishing...

With the buffing complete on this side, here I am removing the painter's tape that was protecting the rubber stripping on the doors.

Polishing the trunk lid lead to this interesting conundrum. Leaving it partway open allowed the buffer to make the lid swing unpredictably so I fashioned this brace out of 2" painter's tape. Not too sexy but it worked.

This was by far the most awkward and least comfortable part of the job...most annoying of all? This plastic combined with the paint is so soft it re-scratched itself AS I tried to remove the polish. By the time I removed all the polish, it looked as if I hadn't done anything. I called to ask Nate about this and he said it was fine to leave it.

Buffed and looking good, the TL comes into the sunlight for a post-polish wash.

The water beading qualities of this particular car astonished me. This was without ANY sort of protection on it at all. :huh: And to those of you worrying about the pressure washer, I was standing at a good five feet here, running the pressure at 1/4 throttle on the widest attachement.

The 4-Star was hand-applied and cured on a 90-minute soak.

A few dusk badge shots...

And now, without further adieu, the AFTER photos.

The C-pillar after.

Hood sun shot.

Interior was an easy clean-up.

Engine cleaned up great, too.

And the piece de resistance....clouds reflected in the hood.

Thanks for looking.

07-10-09, 07:11	#2 (permalink)
OCDinPDX See ya! OCDinPDX is offline Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 162	Re: 08 NBP TL-S Detailed (TONS of Photos - 56k, Fugetaboutit) The next day, I began the paintwork by claying the entire car, top to bottom, front to back. And because I know somebody will say something smart, Phelps is the name of my high school...it is NOT a Michael Phelps T-shirt. Almost nothing off the clay although it did give me a negligible improvement in smoothness. Getting hot in the garage. Being my first run with the Flex, I used the right front fender as my test panel. Here I check for any remaining swirls or holograms under an LED MagLite (in my left hand). Menz SIP with an LC Orange resulted in some moderate hazing and holograms. These were buffed out with Menz Micro Polish and an LC White (next photo). Taped off for polishing... With the buffing complete on this side, here I am removing the painter's tape that was protecting the rubber stripping on the doors. Polishing the trunk lid lead to this interesting conundrum. Leaving it partway open allowed the buffer to make the lid swing unpredictably so I fashioned this brace out of 2" painter's tape. Not too sexy but it worked. This was by far the most awkward and least comfortable part of the job...most annoying of all? This plastic combined with the paint is so soft it re-scratched itself AS I tried to remove the polish. By the time I removed all the polish, it looked as if I hadn't done anything. I called to ask Nate about this and he said it was fine to leave it. Buffed and looking good, the TL comes into the sunlight for a post-polish wash. The water beading qualities of this particular car astonished me. This was without ANY sort of protection on it at all. :huh: And to those of you worrying about the pressure washer, I was standing at a good five feet here, running the pressure at 1/4 throttle on the widest attachement. The 4-Star was hand-applied and cured on a 90-minute soak. A few dusk badge shots... And now, without further adieu, the AFTER photos. The C-pillar after. Hood sun shot. Interior was an easy clean-up. Engine cleaned up great, too. And the piece de resistance....clouds reflected in the hood. Thanks for looking.