99 Jaguar XK8 in British Racing Green

[imported_weekendwarrior]

Just as a brief history on this car: I was contacted by this client last year, to detail their Escalade. When I finished the Escalade, the client was so happy, they told me to have a look at their Jaguar. Well, they opened the garage, and what I saw was a car so hammered with buffer trails, I was in disbelief. The client went on to say the previous detailer had done that (I think it was a detailer at the Jag dealer`s body shop), and they figured they were stuck with the "swirlies" as they called them. I told them I could definitely make an improvement with the car (I always like to underpromise ;-) ) Well, I corrected the car last year, and they were so thrilled, they then let me correct their SL500, and their Jeep Wrenegade. They have me come out twice a year to polish all 4 cars, and are GREAT Clients.



Flash back to last year...this is how the WHOLE car looked:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/Dogs246.jpg

And this is a 50/50 shot after my first 2 passes at removing the buffer trails:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/Dogs245.jpg



So, I went back out and touched the car up today. I was pretty happy with what I saw...basically just wash induced defects from the past 7 or 8 months, since my detail.



I won`t bore you with the interior...I simply vacuumed, and wiped down EVERYTHING (leather, dash, etc...) with Optimum`s Protectant Plus. This has become my favorite interior protectant, as it can be used on every surface, and leaves a matte look, with no greasey feel. The client has sheep seat covers, but I did use the OPP on the leather underneath. Here`s a couple of after shots showing the finish the OPP leaves:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis190.jpg

And a better (better lighting) shot:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis191.jpg

I polished the metal door plates with M105 and a foam applicator:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis205.jpg

Next, I made my way to the trunk. It wasn`t bad, just a little dirty:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis192.jpg

I pulled the trunk floor out, and detailed the spare tire / battery area. I wiped down everything with an ONR/Water mixture. I then dressed the spare tire with Giovanna Tire Gel (Thanks Angelo and Eric for the 2 bottles you gave me at DF). I hit the spare tire with Opti Seal. After:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis193.jpg

And, back went the floor:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis194.jpg



I then pulled the car outside for a wash and evaluation. Befores:

It had these pollen tags stuck all over it:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis195.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis196.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis197.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis198.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis199.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis200.jpg

I had gone there with the intention of doing a QEW wash, but figured I would be better to foam it to remove the pollen and pollen tags. I foamed it with Gold Class, on the next to highest setting on the Gilmour Foam Gun:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis201.jpg

While the foam was working on the paint, I hit the cloth top with a soft bristled brush. It is important to use a very soft bristled brush on cloth tops, so you don`t snag any threads.



I then rinsed, refoamed, and washed the vehicle with a sheep skin mitt, rinsing the mitt in my rinse bucket after each panel. I then foamed the wheels and wells.



This is my homemade brush for getting inside the wheels. You can get 10 of these foam brushes for like $2. I throw the brush out at the end of the detail and get a frest one. Notice that I tape the entire shaft of the screwdriver with duct tape, to avoid it scratching the wheels:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis202.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis203.jpg

And, the Swissvax brush for the tight areas:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis204.jpg

I then rinsed the wheels, wells, and car one more time, and moved it in the garage to dry. I used microfiber drying towels to dry the car.



To be continued...

[imported_weekendwarrior]

Well, I dried her off, clayed, and proceeded to start with the correction. The hood and trunk needed SIP on the rotary, with a PFW pad. I spread at 900, bumped up to 1500, up to 1800, then finished at 900. I then went back over the hood and trunk with the Flex, a white LC pad, and Menz PO203S. I was able to clean the vertical panels up with the Flex, the white LC pad and PO203S as well. This pretty much left the car LSP ready. The client loves the look of a nuba on this car, so I used Carnauba Moose Wax, applied by hand.



I left my halogens at home (by mistake) and we had no sun. I didn`t even bother capturing before shots of the defects, because I was having to look at them from all kinds of weird angles under the client`s incandescent bulb fixtures on the ceiling. I was also using the flash on my camera.



Here are afters with my flash:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis207.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis208.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis210.jpg

Some garage reflection shots:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis212.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis214.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis216.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis215.jpg



I then dressed the tires with Giovanna Tire Gel, and Used RaggTopp on the cloth Top:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis206.jpg



Next, I cleaned the glass to remove the overspray from the RaggTopp, and used FK425 on the paint to remove any overspray there as well. I then moved it outside to inspect:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis217.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis218.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis219.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis220.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis221.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis222.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis224.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis228.jpg



While I was at it, I had to snap a couple of my Element, which I just polished Sunday, and sealed with Z5 Pro...notice the snazzy color matched Meguiar`s and Zaino decals:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis225.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis226.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u307/dstrum_photos/jackchis227.jpg



Thanks for looking!!!

[jwclements1]

I`ve got an XJ6 with the exact same problem like the first image (same color too) and I haven`t even begun to start trying to fix it. what was your process for the first time?



All I have is the griots dual action polisher and some of their polishes which don`t even put a dent in the swirls.

[Setec Astronomy]

Man those cars are beautiful...I used to pass a vert like that going the other way to work back in the late 90`s, cept it was dark blue.

[imported_weekendwarrior]

I`ve got an XJ6 with the exact same problem like the first image (same color too) and I haven`t even begun to start trying to fix it. what was your process for the first time?



All I have is the griots dual action polisher and some of their polishes which don`t even put a dent in the swirls.



The first time, I believe I used an orange LC pad on the Flex, with 1Z Intensive Polish. I followed with Meguiar`s #83 on the Flex with a white pad, and finished with 1Z High Gloss on the Flex with a grey pad.

[imported_sal329]

Great work Dave. Where are the pics of the SL and Escalade

[baseballlover1]

Looken good dave!



Cool honda too! My cousins have an orange one and they love it. It must be VERY handy to cart the detailing stuff around in!!