Advise needed for classic car detail

tkajeff · 05-17-04, 05:59

First off I will apologize for this is going to be long. Over the weekend my buddy and I did our first full detail with a PC. The car a 2001 Silver Nissan Altima with light gray cloth interior is family members daily driver. The paint was in pretty good condition. I hope to get the pictures posted up in a few days. Here is what we did:

· Wash with Z-7 car wash
· Z-18 Clay bar using water and Z-7 as lubricate.
· DACP with Yellow Pad from CMA wiped with 50/50 water and alcohol solution and micro fiber towel
· 3M Swirl Mark Remover for Light Colored Cars wiped with 50/50 water and alcohol solution and micro fiber towel
· Rewashed car just to make sure all products were removed.
· 1 coat of z-2/z-5 mixture with ZFX
· After Zaino removal I wiped the entire car down with Z-6
· Full interior detail

I will hold my questions regarding the slight webbing that was still present until I get the pictures. However, this leads me to the topic. My aunt is a manager for a small company and her boss owns several BMW’s and a Classis Corvette (early to mid 60’s I will confirm the year tomorrow). Well she brings her car into today and now he wants my buddy and I to detail his Corvette. The Corvette is his weekend baby and I am told he brings it to Corvette shows. My question is, besides ruining his classic Corvette, what do I have to take into account. Now I have never detailed a car without clear coat on it, and I am compiling a list of questions for him. One thing is for sure I will not be using a wool pad. Here are my questions for him so far:

1. What is the year?
2. What color and is the paint original?
3. Do you want the engine detailed as well?

Can anyone think of anything else I should ask him? Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I am new to the PC thing, but I have always kept my cars clean. I apologize for the long post. Also, since the car is a weekend toy I should go the wax route and not the sealant route correct? Product recommendation would be awesome as well!

ZJ JIM 96 · 05-17-04, 09:26

I'd certainly start by gauging their expectations and preferences. Do they have paint problems (swirls, scratches, oxidation, etc) that they want taken care of? What types of products and procedures have they used in the past? How regularly do they have it detailed and when was the last time? Have they had issues with or complaints about past detailing jobs? What types of events and classes do they show it in?

Once you know what they want you can compare it to what you can do and decide how to approach it. Of course, do the best job possible, but don't get yourself all psyched out over things you may see as risky or unlikely to be doable, when they may not even expect it. As someone else here always recommends, promise less than you think you can do and then surprise them when you do better.

Yosemite Dan · 05-17-04, 09:37

You get the big Kahunas award just for attempting to do anything on this guys vette.

Tread carefully and may the force be with you. My buddy wanted to do his 1966 Charger where the paint was pretty shot (you name it the car had it). He saw my car and thought I could do the same to his.He didin't seem to realize my car is only a year old.

tkajeff · 05-18-04, 05:26

Quote:

Originally posted by ZJ JIM 96
I'd certainly start by gauging their expectations and preferences. Do they have paint problems (swirls, scratches, oxidation, etc) that they want taken care of? What types of products and procedures have they used in the past? How regularly do they have it detailed and when was the last time? Have they had issues with or complaints about past detailing jobs? What types of events and classes do they show it in?

Once you know what they want you can compare it to what you can do and decide how to approach it. Of course, do the best job possible, but don't get yourself all psyched out over things you may see as risky or unlikely to be doable, when they may not even expect it. As someone else here always recommends, promise less than you think you can do and then surprise them when you do better.

ZJ JIM 96,

I appreciate your input and I will certainly be asking all of the things you mentioned. I agree with you that I should gather as much information as possible from the guy and then build a game plan.

tkajeff · 05-18-04, 05:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Yosemite Dan
You get the big Kahunas award just for attempting to do anything on this guys vette. Tread carefully and may the force be with you. My buddy wanted to do his 1966 Charger where the paint was pretty shot (you name it the car had it). He saw my car and thought I could do the same to his.He didin't seem to realize my car is only a year old.

Yosemite Dan,

Well, I have not seen the car yet, and when I do if I think the job is out of my league then I will respectfully pass on the job. From my understanding at this point the car is a weekend toy so hopefully the paint will not be in horrible condition.

Accumulator · 05-18-04, 08:59

Yeah, you just *have* to see/evaluate it first. Plenty of weekend toys/"showcars" have incredibly damaged paint. If it's original paint, then you have to consider that you won't have too thick of a layer to work with.

Often, a light polishing, a glaze to hide some of the marring, and a "heavy" wax like #16 is the best you can do. Start with the old "first, do no harm"...

tkajeff · 05-18-04, 09:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Accumulator
Yeah, you just *have* to see/evaluate it first. Plenty of weekend toys/"showcars" have incredibly damaged paint. If it's original paint, then you have to consider that you won't have too thick of a layer to work with.

Often, a light polishing, a glaze to hide some of the marring, and a "heavy" wax like #16 is the best you can do. Start with the old "first, do no harm"...

Accumulator,

Thanks for the input; since I have been using Zaino for over two years, I am a little behind on my knowledge of waxes. However, I have been learning a lot about wax since joining here, but what is considered a "heavy" wax?

Accumulator · 05-18-04, 11:44

Quote:

Originally posted by tkajeff
..what is considered a "heavy" wax?

"Heavy" waxes are sorta forgiving about surface defects, they fill/obscure them sorta the way Z5 does. Some good examples, besides my fave Meg's #16, include Blitz and Collinite. Meg's #26 and Mother's paste are sorta in this category too, but P21s/S100, and the Pinnacle waxes are not.

It's a trade off- to get the most out of "light" products (Zaino, Pinnacle, etc.) you have to get the marring out first. On some vehicles this just isn't a viable option.

tkajeff · 05-18-04, 01:49

Quote:

Originally posted by Accumulator
"Heavy" waxes are sorta forgiving about surface defects, they fill/obscure them sorta the way Z5 does. Some good examples, besides my fave Meg's #16, include Blitz and Collinite. Meg's #26 and Mother's paste are sorta in this category too, but P21s/S100, and the Pinnacle waxes are not.

It's a trade off- to get the most out of "light" products (Zaino, Pinnacle, etc.) you have to get the marring out first. On some vehicles this just isn't a viable option.

Thank You

65redcorvette · 05-18-04, 02:18

I do my 65 all the time. Its just a driver, but still my "baby". It is totally different on non-cleared vehicles. The paint is actually thicker that the new cars, but you will find it on everything you use on the car. I use dedicated MF towels that NEVER get used on my other vehicles, and also never use anything abraisive. I truly believe that the newer polymers work much better on the old paint if it is decent condition to start with. Hope this helps.

Auto Care USA · 05-18-04, 05:20

If you were smart you would pass on this one. If this car is a classic as you claim it is save it for the professionals. I doub't that you have the money to fix or replace a knocked off emblem. This alone could run ya $300.00 if you can find a replacement.