View Full Version : 2000 Trans am - project resurrection
white gecko
02-06-2009, 06:17 PM
I thought I`d share this job with you guys, one of the most extensive ones I`ve done. Also was the inspiration for me to get a rotary! Wayyy too many passes with the PC.
The car is a 2000 TA owned by my uncle and he was about to sell it. He has washed it before (he said about twice a year), but I don`t think he EVER cleaned the brake dust off the wheels. They are the toughest baked on brake dust i`ve ever come across. Had to bust out the #0000 steel wool and Mothers Chrome Polish to even make a dent in it.
Here is where i`m starting from: EEK!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1628.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1630.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1631.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1638.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1636.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1634.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1633.jpg
The horrible wheels:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1632.jpg
AFTER cleaning them!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1640.jpg
After an hour of polishing: (still need to get the stuff in the corners)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1642.jpg
Removed some oxidation with a little ScratchX just for kicks. (will re-buff later)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1647.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1649.jpg
....more pics to come...
white gecko
02-06-2009, 06:38 PM
Altogether, the wheels took 8 hours.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1651.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1652.jpg
Oh, and this stuff that looks like loose dirt, is not actually. So no, i didn`t toss some dirt on it to make it look worse LOL. Its some kind of pollen or something that is bonded to the surface. Gonna take a lot of work to remove it.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1655.jpg
Took 2 washes to get all the grime off, yuck. I used some Z-12 (Zaino Clear Glass Polish) on all the windows. And used Z-14 (Zaino Plastic Magic Cleaner & Polish) on the 3rd brake light. Here are some pics
T-top 1/2 done with Z-12. (the white dots are just dust from the towel)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1659.jpg
After the Z-14 on the 3rd brake light
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1661.jpg
The glass after the Z-12 was finished
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1664.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1665.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1668.jpg
more to come....
imported_sal329
02-06-2009, 08:35 PM
Looking great
AcuraYYZ
02-06-2009, 08:39 PM
It`s amazing how someone can own a car with chrome wheels and let them get so bad they`re not even recognizable. Even a non-autopian would know to clean them somehow.
Thank you for rescuing that car,shame to let it get that bad.
white gecko
02-06-2009, 09:41 PM
some more pics......
*note: I was fairly new with the PC when I did this. LOVE my rotary now*
I clayed the car and buffed a section on the right front fender. Here is what I used
2 passes with Meguiares #83 with the burgundy Megs cutting pad
1 pass with Megs #83 with a Lake Country Orange med. cut pad
2 passes with Megs #80 with the yellow Megs polishing pad
Then finished with Megs Final Touch Detailing Spray.
Here are the before and afters:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1676.jpg
After (btw, those lines on the left are reflections, not scratches)
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1684.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1685.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1686.jpg
Here are the horror pics of the inside.
*warning, small children should leave the room. graphic images*
lol
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1757.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1756.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1755.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1754.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1753.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1752.jpg
....more to come.....
mblgjr
02-06-2009, 10:03 PM
Goodness! I really don`t see how people can "not care" how their car looks like...at least rinse it off or something once a month...geez.
white gecko
02-07-2009, 12:24 AM
underside of the hood:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1825.jpg
dirty engine bay:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1828.jpg
Flip up lights rarely get cleaned:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1830.jpg
Plastic trim is looking pretty gray:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1836.jpg
After a little polishing with the buffer:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1837.jpg
Polished, cleaned, and reassembled :) :
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1839.jpg
Before and afters for the floormats:
BEFORE:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1823.jpg
Here are the floormats finished.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1851.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1852.jpg
white gecko
02-07-2009, 12:28 AM
Here is a pic of washing the car down after the polishing (pre-zaino)
Look at how well the water is beading!!! I love that!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1868.jpg
Here is a breakdown of the time put into the car up to this point. Some interior work is still incomplete though.
-8 hours on all 4 wheels
-3 hours to wash twice preceeding claying
-6 hours to clay
-2 hours to rewash and dry
-1 1/2 hours to tape the car off
-15+ hours of buffing
-2 hours spend on floormats
-1 hour on inside of windows
-2 hours polishing outside of windows
-2 hours cleaning front leather / dash / console
-2 hours rewashing car after buffing then drying
-2 hours applying 2 coats of zaino (i was exhausted lol)
-1/2 hour detail spray
-15 min tires
-then lots of pics
After polishing and Zaino. Interior pics to come...
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1893.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1894.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1895.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1897.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1900.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1901.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1902.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1903.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1908.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1912.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1913.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1914.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1915.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1916.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1917.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1919.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1921.jpg
white gecko
02-07-2009, 12:31 AM
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1923.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1925.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1926.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1927.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1928.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1929.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1930.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1931.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1932.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1934.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1936.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1939.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1910.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1878.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/DSCN1941.jpg
white gecko
02-07-2009, 12:32 AM
Here are the final pics for ya:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/Day11-insidedone.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/Day11-insidedone1.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/Day11-insidedone2.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/Day11-insidedone3.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/Day11-insidedone4.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/Day11-insidedone6.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/Day11-insidedone8-1.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ImmaculateReflections/Day11-insidedone9-1.jpg
Lumadar
02-07-2009, 12:37 AM
Awesome turn around.
You should consider some M105 and M205- my guess is it would have cut your polishing time roughly in half.
backwoods_lex
02-07-2009, 12:42 AM
Wow, nice work there :wow:. When I read that you were going to use metal polish and #0000 steel wool on those wheels, I cringed because I thought they were painted and cleared. There was so much dust on the wheels that I didn`t realize that they were chrome...
Jobs like these are my favorite kind of before and afters. Amazing work.
white gecko
02-07-2009, 01:44 AM
Awesome turn around.
You should consider some M105 and M205- my guess is it would have cut your polishing time roughly in half.
At the time, the most aggressive stuff I had was 83 and the burgundy pad, and that left a fair amount of micromarring with the PC.
Now I`m in love with my Makita rotary with Menz SIP and the orange pad, followed by the Menz Nano :2thumbs:
I do have some 105, but I`ve only used it a couple times.
white gecko
02-07-2009, 01:50 AM
thanks guys!