Show detailing the MG (long)

vulturetec · 08-09-03, 08:35

From reading different threads here, particularly Mosca's review of Meguiar's #20/#26 I decided to detail my MGB a little different than in the past. I'm prepping the car a little prematurely for a few shows in September, so if I really hate my changes I'll have time to do it again - this is a work in progress...

I hadn't touched the car since May except for driving it several times a month. The doors, front fenders, hood, and front bumper were all done with the typical Zaino process (countless layers over the past two years), everything behind the doors has been Meguiars #26 without much else. The last layer of Z2 was added 6 months prior to this session and I didn't go out of my way to remove it - I'm trying to keep that in mind with comparisons of the products I put on top. This is a base/clearcoat paint that was finished in the early '90s:

"Before"

Before I started working on the paint I pulled the window cranks, inner door panels (vinyl covered hardboard), and top door rails (vinyl covered wood) - polished the metal window frames, and chrome cranks/trim with Flitz. I cleaned the vinyl then doused it with a heavy coat of 303 - wiped the remaining 303 away after 10 minutes and let the parts sit overnight. The vinyl went from looking really good to looking new, without any greasy protectant on top:

The Wash:

The wash started with a very diluted Ultra Dawn solution to strip oil and wax off the car. While the rinse should have been enough I rewashed the car with Meguiars Gold Class car wash - that always seems to help keep the water spots down with my relatively hard Florida water:

Washed w/Dawn then Meguiar's Gold Class

At this point I stopped and thought long and hard about doing anything more than cleaning the rest of the car and putting the cover back on...but I'd already Dawned it, might as well go on...so back into the garage it went!

Cont...

vulturetec · 08-09-03, 08:37

Cleaner:

Partly because I thought it might cut the Zaino, and partly because I thought I just should, I decided to go over the paint with Meguiars Paint Cleaner from the 3-step process:

Meguiar's #7:

I don't recall seeing anyone actually advise for or against using #7 before #20/26 - I decided to use it partly because I've been considering just using a glaze for shows anyway - and partly to see how it would work with the other products:

Meguiar's #20:

Using Mosca's posts as a guide I applied a thin coat of Meguiar's #20 Poly Sealant, let it sit for at least 20 minutes, then wiped off. #20 was easy to put on and extraordinarily easy to wipe off. The end result with no sprays, etc, was an extra slick shiny reflective surface. I'd be happy with it as a final coat I think:

Meguiar's #26:

#20 was left to sit for a day then topped with #26 paste. This is #26 after about an hour on the car, although other threads say it might actually look better after a day or so:

When I took my first set of #26 pictures I was shocked at the difference...then I noticed the difference was some reflected light splashed up on the ceiling that made the color wash out in the paint (lots of reflections). I closed the garage door and moved around a little to minimize the ceiling reflections, but it's worth showing the original photo:

I don't have any end-result full-car photos yet - I've yet to do the tires, interior, top, and some other minor details I'll have finished by mid-week. So far I'm very impressed with the way this is coming out!

StickKing1 · 08-09-03, 09:57

Wow! Great pics and thanks for the thorough post. We're actually in the process of restoring an MGB right now at the shop...doesn't look nearly as good as yours though....yet

russ968 · 08-09-03, 10:39

Great work.

.....

Lynn · 08-09-03, 01:53

What a gem, vulturetec!

vulturetec · 08-09-03, 02:40

Thanks all for the comments!

The Trunk:

I'm working my way back, from the inside out. Right or wrong I'm doing a section at a time. I'm doing this project by hand so it isn't really causing me any problems.

Even though only part of this will be visible at the show(s), I decided to pull the spare tire, insulation strips, and carpet out of the trunk. The floor is the only part that will be completely covered, but the wheel arches and structural supports will be open for the public to see and deserve to be polished up like the rest of the car. The bulkhead is also exposed, but my awards and "dash plaques" go there for display.

The metal surfaces aren't quite to the standard that the exterior metalwork is - but close. The structural elements of the trunk are very reflective, and although they didn't photograph well they're like a mirror. I've tried polishing the trunk support without much luck - I think a chromed one would be a bit too much for the car so I'll leave it be for now.

I used the Meguiar's 3-step Paint Cleaner on just about everything in the trunk and under the trunk lid, then used Meguiar's #20. Again, I'm very impressed with the final results with #20 but I'm also very happy with how easily it comes off - that made reaching into all the corners pretty easy as it just wipes away!

I'll be leaving this part with just #20 I think:

...and the finished result:

Accumulator · 08-10-03, 09:01

vulturetec - WOW! Very impressive

I agree with you about the trunk support, chrome would be "too much". I actually LIKE the way it looks, what with the similarly finished trunk latch hoop.

andriver · 08-10-03, 09:38

The trunk area is probably one of the most neglected areas of any car. Nice work vulturetec!

vulturetec · 10-19-03, 06:19

Update on my MGB detailing...

First: Finishing off the trunk. I gave the carpeting a good vacuum using a dirt devil hand vac (the kind with carpet beater brush), including the spare tire cover.

The "dash plaques" have a magnetic lining on the back and are just stuck on (the magnets are self-stick, designed for business cards - stick them on and trim any excess with a razor blade). My "awards list" is made up of individual small placards made up on photoshop, printed on glossy photo paper, and stuck with the same magnets.

The window-sign is also made up with photoshop, printed on "white window decals" with a light coat of clear laquer for weather proofing. The decals are reuseable and just cling to the glass.

Finally - In September took 2nd place in a regional British car show in Titusville FL, and 2nd place in the American MGB Association show. This weekend the car took first place in another regional show near Clearwater (Tampa) Florida.

Quickstrike · 10-19-03, 06:44

Looks similar to my 87' Alfa Romeo Spyder.. Nice looking car

Lynn · 10-19-03, 09:57

Sweet looking car, vulturetec. Thanks for sharing the pix. And I like your idea for displaying the "dash plaques" in the boot -- the sorta low-key bragging that appeals to me.

vulturetec · 10-20-03, 07:18

Thanks!

I've seen those dash plaques stuck to the, ahem, "dash", stuck to the crossmember in front of the radiator. At one time this car had them velcroed to the inside of the engine compartment - which meant a layer of sticky-backed velcro everywhere (took awhile but I cleaned it all up). Seems like a lot of people like to share them at the Brit-car shows so I kept up the tradition.

To be honest the "awards" list(s) are more for the cruise-in type events rather than the actual shows, but I've tried to use the same red color so they're a little low key.