Boston Autopia Project is Complete!

Well last saturday me and joed1228 met for the first time(great guy btw) and headed up 93North off to meet the project 2000 Mercedes-Benz ML430. This car was full of embedded containments and had tons of swirls and an extremely dull finish. The tailgate of the car felt like 120 grit sandpaper, I was about to back out of the project, but we promised him to make his car shine. We began with a dawn wash, and sprayed the wheels wells with simple green (per geekysteve`s instructions). We then dried the vehicle and went about QDing the door jambs and drying it off. I then used the clay magic clay bar to remove the tons of embedded dirt (even on the freshly painted hood!). Man what an experience, barely any marring(again per geekysteve`s instructions, I love that guy hehe) and the paint came out as smooth as a teflon fry pan! The tailgate had to be clayed twice to be completely smooth but that painful step took a full 2.5 hours! The car had some gloss after that because of all the QD I used lol. Joed1228 then whipped out the PC with a white pad and 3M SMR for dark cars and went at the swirl marks all over the car while I hit the interior with a vacuum, Tuff Stuff (for the stains), Zaino Z10, and 3M vinyl leather refresh. Joe did 2 passes per panel with the 3M stuff and man, in the sunlight you could see that practically all the swirls were gone! The owner`s began to smile at our work and began to believe he made the right decision to choose us. Joe then went with #9 2.0 on some panels to remove the SMR haze and then followed up with 2 passes of AIO with the gray pad to create a perfect base for SG without swirl marks. By this time the car had an excellent gloss on all the panels and the interior was spotless. We then put a layer of SG on the car and took a break. After 45 minutes I can with an MF and QD spray to remove the SG but I noted how easy the SG was to remove and put down the spray and just used a dry MF(I guess the prep work does make a difference! hehe, thanks DK!). After removing that we hit it up with some blitz paste carnuaba wax and I noticed a clinging static action on the fiberglass panels. Man I was so impressed with the blitz, it made the car absoultely glow in the night! His mom was so impressed, she didnt think it was his car lol! Anyway, that is our story, took us from 10:30 am to 9:30 pm, whew, My legs were so full of blood from standing up for 11 hours my leg started jerking on the drive home lol. Anyway here are the pics, enjoy all!



This is a before picture. edit, well the b4 pic doesnt want to work(help me moderators!) here is the link in the meantime http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris K (28).jpg





[This picture is after 3M SMR on the tailgate(note we were not done at this point, i see the residue around the emblem)

http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K.JPG

Well none of the mods could help I guess so Ill just post the links.

After 3M SMR, #9 2.0, and AIO, check the gloss now! (http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K%20(5).JPG)

After Klasse SG drying for 45 minutes (http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K%20(6).JPG)

Here is a picture of the interior after Tuff Stuff and Zaino Z10 and the 3M stuff (http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K%20(26).JPG)

The finished product after blitz, no swirls! (http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K%20(14).JPG)

After polishing the rims with AIO and tw tire gel on the tires (http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K%20(3).JPG)

Some more pics if you are interested...

Shine after blitz(note reflection of my car) (http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K%20(10).JPG)

[Shows the ultimate wet look of klasse + blitz (http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K%20(11).JPG)

Sorry about the lighting, it was late. (http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K%20(22).JPG)

A few more shots (http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K%20(20).JPG)

Last one (http://www.mbworld.org/upload/2002/Chris%20K%20(15).JPG)



Well all in all he was very happy with us and is calling us back to do his other vehicles. He said his car has never looked this good even when brand new and he feels it was worth every penny that he paid us. At the car show he said he got tons of compliments and people were asking how his car had no swirl marks being a 2000 model year. He said he wish we gave him business cards :) . Well we were glad to transform an everyday vehicle into an autopian vehicle :xyxthumbs . BTW, he won 2nd hottest Mercedes-Benz in New England. We couldn`t get the grin off his face, hehe.

[William420]

Hey job well done!! Though I wish the pics are in daytime but still, looks great!!!



Congrats winning 2nd hottest Mercedes-Benz. I`m sure he would`t win this without you guys hard work on the detailings. Looks like all your efforts are paid off! :xyxthumbs

[Preachers Sheets]

Originally posted by AlBoston

He said he wish we gave him business cards :)



ARGH, my buddy was yelling at me for not having any made and then you say that, jeepers, I guess I really need to get them now.



That tire could of used a little more dressing but what the hell, he had some stuff and we were rushing the entire day. Just had enough time to eat 3 slices of pizza (I later farted in front of the owner because of them, pretty damn loud too) and get back to work and after all of that work me and AlBoston still wished we had a second day to do more. I guess we`re slow, but we`re good!



I can just picture what I would of got done in one day by myself, probaly nothing, just the polishing, not even the interior. If he thought that was good, man oh man, if we had decent cars to detail and they were a little smaller in size for the same price; we would need to hire help man.



It was fun, we had to rush so we missed a little bit here and there and he still got second place. Decent results for the conditions. His mother is getting her Jeep`s bumper and fender re-sprayed and she wants us to detail that. She was outside for 30 minutes through the day telling us how nice the truck was coming along.



Then on the way home I see the hazards come on from Al`s car, I thought he wanted to race my company ford explorer XLT V6, but then I found out that he had a foot cramp front standing up all day and hitting the clutch. It was a good thing, I was about to downshift to d1 and his the nos, he would of traded that Supra engine Lexus in once I flew by him and the wind ripped off the door handles. He know`s whats good for him.

Lol, Joe, he was probably dreaming that when he watched my car burn him on the I93 onramp, gotta love that sport tuned suspension :xyxthumbs

BTW, thanks for the comment william, we really worked are arses off for that benz! lol.

[chevyguy28]

Black opal is unique. Looks nice when clean. Good job.

[vettefan67]

Good job Ali and Joe!



Check this out, Ali. (http://www.autopia-carport.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10024)

Thanks for the thread link putey, tort pointed out to me how to do it. I love you guys :bow .

[Preachers Sheets]

Originally posted by AlBoston

Thanks for the thread link putey, tort pointed out to me how to do it. I love you guys :bow .



whoa whoa whoa, you keep your hands to yourself :nono hahahahah

[bmerjorge21]

Nice job boys!! :xyxthumbs Wish I coulda helped, although you didn`t need it as evidenced by those pics. Great work!!

[ALAN81]

AL BOSTON CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU CHARGED THE GUY FOR 2 PEOPLE 11 HOURS I AM JUST CUROUS

[imported_Intermezzo]

Ali and Joed, great write-up and a terrific job on the car! 11 hour detailing session with two people! I`m impressed.



Tony



BTW...Ali, was Joed everything you expected and more? :D

[Preachers Sheets]

Originally posted by Intermezzo

BTW...Ali, was Joed everything you expected and more? :D



Just think of shaking a can of tonic for 20 minutes with as much force as you can, opening the can waiting for a nuclear explosion to find out you were shaking up a can of water. ;)

LOL JOE, i couldnt have said it better myself :).



Joe is a great guy, very much a perfectionist as I am.



We have a 1999 Blue Spectra Mica GS400 (loaded with buffer marks) for this saturday, and a 2002 Black Mercedes-Benz ML500 with minor swirling.



The GS400 belongs to a finance manager I know at work, so I think he will just let me take his car to my house and we`ll get at it from there. He is a good friend of mine.