usdm
09-09-2004, 12:05 AM
I guess this could be called a semi review of a variety of products applied to my hood. First off, no pics due to my camera acting funky at the last minute. Not sure it would matter anyway since the hood was already in garbage shape, and is due for a repaint anyway. Plus there was some bird crap on there that I never made the time to remove.
Pro Polish was used first to clean the hood. I used it with a polish pad on a rotary. It definitely pulled up some gunk on the surface of the paint (more likely the remains of the WG and VM I had on there for almost 4 months now). It was a bit sticky wiping off, but when I felt the surface, it had an almost slick feel to it, and left the panel very clear looking. I noticed big difference from the way it looked before when I just used FPII, VM and WG. With the FPII, VM, and WG, it left the finish glossy and warm looking. With just the Pro Polish, it left the surface very clean looking, bringing up the metallic flake. It also emphasized the real nastiness of the clearcoat under harsh lighting. Looks very much like AIO in that respect. It felt smooth sitting between slick and grabby. A trance of the bird crap was still on the hood.
IP followed with a polish pad on rotary as well. It started to bring up some gloss that the Pro Polish seemed to kill. Wipe off was ok, and it left the paint feeling just as clean as the Pro Polish. Bird crap removed, but left behind slight etching.
FPII came and was used also on rotary with a finish pad. This virtually cut down all the swirling I could see from the IP. Unfortunately, I also manged to cut into a small section of my fender:mad:. So much for my success streak with the rotary:( Anyway, cleaned off the panel and gave it a touch. FPII still has that squeaky clean feel, and no swirls, even with the rotary (just have to remember to tape up my own car from now on:lmfao ) Birdcrap etching almost invsible, now, so I stopped pressing the issue.
Finally, for kicks, giggles and to cover any swirls I might have actually missed, I applied a coat of SSR1 just to see what would happen. Wipe down of the SSr1 was the easiset of all the stuff I used on the car. In fact, when i felt the paint, it was really slick, just like if I had put on a nice wax or sealant. But the slickness is not the even the interesting part. After I wiped it off, I nticed that the paint took on a look I never saw before.
In past, I just used either the Menzerna twins or the PB stuff independantly, with the IP/ FPII combo giving me a glossy look, and the PB stuff giving me a wet look. Using them all together gave me a look that is hard to really explain. Now I did use the FPII and SSR1 on my father`s car, but I never really had a chance to appreciate the look because i rushed in and put #26 on (and that look really pissed me off for some reason). I have to assume the lighting was playing tricks with me, and the humidity from the rain and light fog was constantly hazing up the paint while I was working, so I plan to have a look at it when the weather finally fairs up.
I doubt anyone here will need to go throught all the steps I took, and honestly I didn`t think I needed to go through them myself. But if anyone has the free time, I would suggest you at least give the FPII and ssr1 combo a try. Maybe you can better describe what the look is.
And once again, yes, I know:
:showpics
Pro Polish was used first to clean the hood. I used it with a polish pad on a rotary. It definitely pulled up some gunk on the surface of the paint (more likely the remains of the WG and VM I had on there for almost 4 months now). It was a bit sticky wiping off, but when I felt the surface, it had an almost slick feel to it, and left the panel very clear looking. I noticed big difference from the way it looked before when I just used FPII, VM and WG. With the FPII, VM, and WG, it left the finish glossy and warm looking. With just the Pro Polish, it left the surface very clean looking, bringing up the metallic flake. It also emphasized the real nastiness of the clearcoat under harsh lighting. Looks very much like AIO in that respect. It felt smooth sitting between slick and grabby. A trance of the bird crap was still on the hood.
IP followed with a polish pad on rotary as well. It started to bring up some gloss that the Pro Polish seemed to kill. Wipe off was ok, and it left the paint feeling just as clean as the Pro Polish. Bird crap removed, but left behind slight etching.
FPII came and was used also on rotary with a finish pad. This virtually cut down all the swirling I could see from the IP. Unfortunately, I also manged to cut into a small section of my fender:mad:. So much for my success streak with the rotary:( Anyway, cleaned off the panel and gave it a touch. FPII still has that squeaky clean feel, and no swirls, even with the rotary (just have to remember to tape up my own car from now on:lmfao ) Birdcrap etching almost invsible, now, so I stopped pressing the issue.
Finally, for kicks, giggles and to cover any swirls I might have actually missed, I applied a coat of SSR1 just to see what would happen. Wipe down of the SSr1 was the easiset of all the stuff I used on the car. In fact, when i felt the paint, it was really slick, just like if I had put on a nice wax or sealant. But the slickness is not the even the interesting part. After I wiped it off, I nticed that the paint took on a look I never saw before.
In past, I just used either the Menzerna twins or the PB stuff independantly, with the IP/ FPII combo giving me a glossy look, and the PB stuff giving me a wet look. Using them all together gave me a look that is hard to really explain. Now I did use the FPII and SSR1 on my father`s car, but I never really had a chance to appreciate the look because i rushed in and put #26 on (and that look really pissed me off for some reason). I have to assume the lighting was playing tricks with me, and the humidity from the rain and light fog was constantly hazing up the paint while I was working, so I plan to have a look at it when the weather finally fairs up.
I doubt anyone here will need to go throught all the steps I took, and honestly I didn`t think I needed to go through them myself. But if anyone has the free time, I would suggest you at least give the FPII and ssr1 combo a try. Maybe you can better describe what the look is.
And once again, yes, I know:
:showpics