CMC Detailing-SVT Cobra w/Heavy Waterspotting

[mikenap]

Although I`ve never been much of a Mustang guy, the SVT Cobras have always appealed to me. They have a more stripped-down, all-business look to them compared to standard Mustangs and GTs. The subtle decklid spoiler replaces the gaudy rear wings of other, lesser `Stangs. No hood scoops are found here, just the inverted vents. In my eyes it`s a cleaner, classier look.

This car came to me to clean up some heavy waterspotting. In discussions with the owner, it seems the car is often washed with well water and had been rinsed without drying off several times. This resulted in many tiny above-surface spots which cleaned up easily along with some deeper etching that was challenging to remove. This car was initially scheduled for a one-step correction but ultimately that one step was performed multiple times on every panel. I guess it should be considered a multi-step detail, even though only one polish and pad type was used.:tongue2:

On another note, the owner is very particular about this car. It`s the first car he ever bought, so he has a definite emotional attachment to it. He also doesn`t like driving the car at night, so it had to be completed with enough daylight to get it back to where it`s stored. So I had to hustle to have it ready in time and didn`t have a chance for too many pics. In all, I had about 16-17 hours into it.

Process:

Foamed with CG CWC, then rinsed
ONR Washed
Clayed with CM Blue
Glass and underhood areas compounded with M105/orange
Paint polished with D300/ MF cutting pad.
Wheels polished with M105/orange and M205/white
Exhaust polished with Meguiar`s NXT Metal polish
Wheels and exhaust coated with OPT Opti-Guard
Foamed again with CG CWC
Glass cleaned with Meguiar`s D120
LSP was Wolfgang DGPS 3.0

This was a cool pic from before the initial wash

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1562.jpg



The factory wheels were off the car, so I cleaned and polished those first and coated them.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1536.jpg
Scratches before

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1540.jpg
Scratches after

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1541.jpg
Center caps before

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1547.jpg
Center caps after

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1565.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1567.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1568.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1574.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1569.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1570.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1559.jpg
Dull reflections on hood

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1587.jpg
No reflection from trunk

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1591.jpg
Trunk under fluorescent lights

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1592.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1594.jpg
Roof before

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1593.jpg
After several passes, some outlines of the deeper etching remained

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1598.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1599.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1600.jpg
Foaming after polishing. Aftermarket wheels had bubbling under the chrome, so the factory wheels were going back on.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1606.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1607.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1610.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1611.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1612.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1613.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1614.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1615.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1616.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc50/micnap/Long%20SVT%20Cobra/DSCN1617.jpg




In the end, some of the etching was too deep to fully remove this time, but the improvement in gloss and reflection was apparent. Thanks for looking, and any comments or criticisms are welcome!

[Marc08EX]

Great job on the detail Mike! That`s what I call attention to detail. Even the center caps were polished?! NICE! Those waterspots looked really bad as well but you brought the paint back to life.

[C. Charles Hahn]

Nice work, Mike! Looks like you gave that Terminator its slick back! (;))

[Todd@RUPES]

Great turnaround. That is such a great color on those cars! It looks amazingly wet and deep now, thanks for sharing!

[AndrewBigA]

nice work mike. :bigups

[kakeuter]

Great work Mike! Car looks awesome.

-Kody-

[Old Pirate]

Always great work Mike! Looks super:bigups

[BIOLINK]

I hate water spots. Nice work, looks great.

[mikenap]

Great job on the detail Mike! That`s what I call attention to detail. Even the center caps were polished?! NICE! Those waterspots looked really bad as well but you brought the paint back to life.
Thank you Marc!


Nice work, Mike! Looks like you gave that Terminator its slick back! (;))
LOL, that one actually took me a sec. I didn`t know you were a Boondocks fan too, Charlie!


Great turnaround. That is such a great color on those cars! It looks amazingly wet and deep now, thanks for sharing!
Thank you Todd, always appreciate the kind words!


nice work mike. :bigups
Thanks buddy! Hope things are well up in NYC!:D


Great work Mike! Car looks awesome.

-Kody-
Thank you Kody. This client has a monstrous Ford Super Duty that I may take a run at in the spring. I`ll be following in your footsteps with that beast.:lol2:


Always great work Mike! Looks super:bigups
Thanks Angelo!


I hate water spots. Nice work, looks great.
Thanks, man, I hate water spots too! I still need to break out that Finishing Wax you sent me, I may give that a shot tomorrow. I`ll let you know what I think.:bigups

[Rocket]

Nice job. Car looks great and I really think the factory wheels look better than the Cobra R wheels

[mikenap]

Nice job. Car looks great and I really think the factory wheels look better than the Cobra R wheels

Thanks Rocket. I like the look better too, but the weight difference was incredible. The R wheels were several pounds lighter, even though they had wider tires on them.

[Stokdgs]

Beautiful, detailed, work !!!
He had to be stunned ! I would be ! :)
That Mustang is beautiful in that color. You really brought out the Metallic in it.

I bought a new Ford Lightning Truck the last year they made them in that color. It was an awesome SVT tuned truck !

Thanks for sharing !
Dan F

[mikenap]

Beautiful, detailed, work !!!
He had to be stunned ! I would be ! :)
That Mustang is beautiful in that color. You really brought out the Metallic in it.

I bought a new Ford Lightning Truck the last year they made them in that color. It was an awesome SVT tuned truck !

Thanks for sharing !
Dan F

Thank you Dan! I have a buddy with a Ford Lightning and I believe a KB supercharger on it. He always jokes that it can pass anything except a gas station.:D

[blk5.0]

Man I love the 03-04 cobras. You did a great job

[Tyler@Poorboys]

Dark Shadow Gray is a really sharp color when you get it to pop. I had an `03 DSG and it was fun! Nice job!