After this vehicle was scheduled on the calendar, I was very excited to begin working on it. This 2000 Dodge Viper had a complete make-over last year and was heavily modded in the process. Supercharger, Custom CCW Wheels, Rockers, full race suspension, 2008 Viper brake system, roll cage, 5-point harnesses... etc. In addition to the modifications, the shop also painted the vehicle. Bad idea. The shop didn't do the greatest job in the world in terms of fit and finish, little details etc. There were many drips under the clear, and the thickness levels on the rocker panels were all over the map. The swirls were minimal, partly due in part to the fact that the owner doesn't wash the car often- let alone drive it. It was the buffer trails, and holograms that were the worst part. Here's the process:
The wheels weren't too dirty, here are a coule of before pictures:
The wheels were first rinsed using filtered water
Then, P21S Wheel Gel was applied using a Swissvax Brush
Making certain to get the calipers, as well
The barrels were cleaned with p21s and an EZ Detail Brush
The fenderwells weren't as easy. Asphalt was cacked on, both to the fenderwells and the painted surfaces below the bumper.
Meg's Super Degreaser 10:1 and lots of patience, and gentle picking was necessary to fully remove it.
The vehicle was then washed using CG CWG in a foam gun. This picture was taken by the owner, using his iphone.
The vehicle was also rinsed, washed, rinsed, and then dried using waffle weave towels.
These pictures should give you an idea of the condition of the paintwork
The paintwork was clayed using
Meg's Pro Aggressive along with
Meg's Last Touch
Paint measurements were attempted, but all of the panels are fiberglass, except for the rocker panels
Judging by the condition, I decided not to put my trust in the shop's paintjob, and instead I decided to take a less aggressive, safe route. Plus, the panels are composite anyway, so I was going to be keeping heat to a minimum.
Note to self: Save up $2,000 for a new PTG
A couple of different setups were attempted using the PC, 106FF, the Rotary, SIP, white, orange, etc. I ended up sticking with the Makita/1400-1500 (to keep heat down), using a white pad, with
Menzerna SIP. This combo worked very well, although some panels received two passes.
Here is a compilation of before/after shots:
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before: Discoloring from exhaust
After:
Linear Mode
