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gmblack3
01-10-2009, 01:55 PM
This started out back in early Sept when I was fortunate enough to accompany my good friend to pick up his new 2008 Viper ACR down in Houston.



We arrived at the dealership on Monday Sept 1 after our flight. After the paperwork was complete, Chris and I covered the front of the car for the drive back to Atlanta.



http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/8774/7835999dc5.jpg



We where in a hurry to get on the road, as you may remember hurricane Gustav (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gustav_(2008))

was heading right for us. With Chris`s busy work schedule this was the only time he had to pick up the car. Waiting another month was not an option.



The ACR comes with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires. With a treadwear rating of 80 these barely legal street tires would not do well in hurricane type rains. Our plan was to head north to Little Rock, over to Memphis stay overnight and then to Atlanta.



A little more then 150 or so miles into the trip. We began to notice more then a few bugs hitting the windshield.



http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/8163/8229611ck4.jpg



Yes for more then 30 mins lovebugs were on us with a reckless Kamikaze attack. Not wanting to use the wipers to smear the mess further, we finally had to pull off in some small town to clean the windshield. We found a small old skool parts store.



http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/2842/img3071ql6.jpg



http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/2793/img3072yt7.jpg



http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/9151/img3073zy6.jpg



Chris grabbed some glass cleaner by turtle wax (not the best selection available at this store) and some cotton towels for the glass, me some MFs and Mothers Showtime Instant Detailer.



I gentley tried to remove as many bugs as I could from the painted areas while Chris was not having much luck with the glass. He went back inside and picked up a bug sponge and that did the trick on the glass.



http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/6899/img3074pm4.jpg



We where lucky to only run thru a small amount of rain on our way north to Little Rock.



The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. I got to drive about a third of the trip. On/off ramps where our favorite part of the drive. After the 500 mile breakin was complete, some nice long stretch of roads where fun as well. :D After 1050 miles we arrived back in Atlanta.

gmblack3
01-10-2009, 01:56 PM
Saleen actually paints all of the Vipers for Dodge. You can read all about it in this thread from the VCA forum. (http://forums.viperclub.org/srt10-srt10-coupe-discussions/617971-saleen-what-do-they-contribute.html)



The paint work is very nice and is wetsanded after, the level of orange peel is very low. Unfortunately the polishing work that is done after leaves much to be desired.



Finally 1 month later I was able to start working on the real detail.



I started with the Valugard ABC paint decontamination wash in hopes of removing the remaining lovebug etching, plus this always makes for the smoothest polishing.



Followed with a quick clay using zaino clay and Z6 as a lube.



All body panels except for the lower rockers are plastic/composite. I was getting paint thickness readings in the 4.1-4.3 range on the metal rocker panels.



I started out with SIP and a green german CCS on the rotary. This combo was getting the plastic panels too hot too quick, plus it was not removing the deeper defects from the wool polishing that Saleen did.



Rydawg suggested that I use 3M ECC with a white CCS pad. No more then 1300 he said. I tried that and it worked better then the SIP combo, but it taking forever to do a small area. Plus I still could not get the area 100% defect free.



I tried some edge blue wool with presta 1500. The edge blue wool is very soft, but this combo would really muck up the paint. I would follow with 3M ECC/white CCS at a low speed 4-5 applications to get it close to prefect. PFW with SIP was no better.



I had to detail a few other cars, so the ACR would sit in my garage for a while. I order a flex 3401 to give that a try with SIP and a white CCS. Again the panel would get way too hot. I tried my new flex with the P0203S that I received with my flex order and a white CCS. This did a very nice job, but I could still see wool marks in the paint upon close inspection. This was not going to be good enough for this car or my good friend.



Bret came down and joined in on the fun. Ryan then suggested that I try the Tufbuf black lambswool with P0203S on the rotary. I could not believe my eyes as this combo worked like it was made for this PITA paint.



Here is a good example of what I was dealing with.



http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/2097/img8625sh4.jpg



Looks ugly, but in person in was worse as you could see the pigtails that where not removed by Saleen after the wetsand.



I taped off half of the pillar and did the following:



Black lambswool/menzerna P0203s rotary at 1500

White CCS/P0203s flex 3401 speed 5



http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/2261/img8630kb8.jpg



http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/7046/img8633ll8.jpg



http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/776/img8632ni6.jpg



So the final combo we used on the car was:



Black lambswool/menzerna P0203s rotary at 1500

White CCS/P0203s flex 3401 speed 5

Green CCS/Zaino ZPC/Flex 3401 speed 5



Bug etching as talked about earlier was evident on many surfaces of this ACR:



Hood:



http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/5741/img8679tn1.jpg



Rear deck area:



http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1539/img8683bd3.jpg



Here I am using Menzerna P0203s w/ black lambswool to remove the bug etching:



http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9118/img8694hm7.jpg



http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/5563/img8696ef3.jpg



Here is Bret using Menzerna P0203s by hand to remove any bug etching that was not accessible via machine polishing. I think Bret spent close to 2 hours removing the bug etching from those hard to reach areas.



http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/9535/img8681zc1.jpg





The ACR was then foamed (Zaino Z7), rinsed, foamed w/ Z7 again, washed w 2BM and sheepskin mitts.



Wheels where cleaned with P21s wheel cleaning gel and various brushes.



Tires and wells cleaned with AM 777 APC 1:6.



All surfaces where dried with quality WW drying towels.



Bret started working on the wheels and tires. The wheels got prepped with Zaino AIO, that was followed with 2x of ZFX`d Z5pro. Tires got Zaino Z-16.



Exterior glass was polished with Zaino AIO by hand and had 2x of ZFX`d Z2pro applied.



Paint was prepped w/ Zaino AIO via PC5 and a blue CCS pad.



3x of Zaino ZFX`d Z5pro was applied to the paint.



Paint, glass, wheels got Zaino Z8.



Bret worked on the interior giving all the hard surfaces a wipedown with 1Z cockpit premium.



All leather surfaces where cleaned with Zaino Z9 and conditioned with Zaino Z10.



Carpet where vac`d and interior glass was cleaned with a quality MF and Stoners IG.

gmblack3
01-10-2009, 01:57 PM
Final pics:



http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/8027/img8710ar6.jpg



http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/8361/img8719wu5.jpg



http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/4724/img8724dd6.jpg



http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/7892/img8740sh3.jpg



http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/9447/img8743yi5.jpg



http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/402/img8746oh1.jpg



http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/9131/img8737yz7.jpg

Cleaning Fool
01-10-2009, 02:06 PM
Can I get an amen bruthers!

Bigpoppa3346
01-10-2009, 02:18 PM
MAN that thing is wild!! :eek:



TBH, I really wouldn`t want to detail it though, those crazy body lines make it look like a royal PITA to polish.

imported_Moutee
01-10-2009, 02:29 PM
TBH, I really wouldn`t want to detail it though, those crazy body lines make it look like a royal PITA to polish.



I`ll give that an amen. It must be nice to be able to afford a toy like that. Great job to all who worked on it!

imported_weekendwarrior
01-10-2009, 03:48 PM
Great Job!!!



I remember when you detailed this. You called me the evening you were done with it. I remember asking you what you were doing, and you responded, "Oh, just driving this Viper ACR back over to my buddy`s house" - Like it was some kind of chore - lol.

imported_slicknickis3
01-10-2009, 04:10 PM
Absolutely amazing car... Such a raw car to drive, one of my current favorites!!



Nice job on the detail as well!

Saleenfan
01-10-2009, 04:32 PM
That car is so bad ***, 0-60 in 147 feet!



Great detail job and im envious of you.

TSC17
01-10-2009, 06:02 PM
Very nice work Bryan!

Old Pirate
01-10-2009, 06:10 PM
I just fell off my chair when i saw the finish product, Those love bugs are the worst to remove if one doesn`t get to them soon. Awesome correction and awesome finish you and Bret have done! One question where does one can get ahold of those Tufbuf black lambswool pads? Would like to try one.........:bow:bow:bow

imported_rydawg
01-10-2009, 07:47 PM
Amazing work Bryan and Bret! Pictures look great Bryan!



Saleen`s paint shop really hacks the hell out of these ACR`s and Ford GT`s.

somebody
01-10-2009, 08:44 PM
Very cool car and what a great color scheme on it. That black looks great.



Brandon

gmblack3
01-10-2009, 10:18 PM
Can I get an amen bruthers!



Thanks Cleaning fool!




MAN that thing is wild!! :eek:



TBH, I really wouldn`t want to detail it though, those crazy body lines make it look like a royal PITA to polish.



Thanks Bigpoppa! Polishing around the hood vents was the best part. :)




I`ll give that an amen. It must be nice to be able to afford a toy like that. Great job to all who worked on it!



Thanks Moutee!




Great Job!!!



I remember when you detailed this. You called me the evening you were done with it. I remember asking you what you were doing, and you responded, "Oh, just driving this Viper ACR back over to my buddy`s house" - Like it was some kind of chore - lol.



Thanks David! After detailing this car, anything was a chore. :)




Absolutely amazing car... Such a raw car to drive, one of my current favorites!!



Nice job on the detail as well!



Thanks Nick! I actually drove a Ford GT for about 5 miles a week or so later. The Ford GT was very refined comparted to this beast.




That car is so bad ***, 0-60 in 147 feet!



Great detail job and im envious of you.



Thanks Saleenfan! These tires grip very well too, so if you are launching or attacking a turn boy does it stick. The owner installed a set of regular pilots and he hate them. :)


Very nice work Bryan!




I just fell off my chair when i saw the finish product, Those love bugs are the worst to remove if one doesn`t get to them soon. Awesome correction and awesome finish you and Bret have done! One question where does one can get ahold of those Tufbuf black lambswool pads? Would like to try one.........:bow:bow:bow



Angelo, Thank you very much my good friend for your kind words!!! I think its micro finish that sells them.




Amazing work Bryan and Bret! Pictures look great Bryan!



Saleen`s paint shop really hacks the hell out of these ACR`s and Ford GT`s.



Thanks Ryan and you are correct about the condition that Saleen leaves them in. I think they should just hire you full time to polish out each one.




Very cool car and what a great color scheme on it. That black looks great.



Brandon



Thanks Brandon!

budman3
01-10-2009, 10:39 PM
Awesome work Bryan. What are your impressions on the Flex polisher? I just picked one up to replace a dead UDM to compliment the Makita rotary. Now its a matter of making it through the winter ...