imported_Aurora40
12-24-2004, 02:41 PM
So I was bored today, and felt like doing something with the cars. Too cold to wash the Regal, plus my wife keeps driving it.
So I figured I`ll try some section stuff on the Aurora. As a note, it had been Souveran`d about two to three weeks ago, driven only once since then, and Crystal Misted after the drive. So it`s pretty nice looking. I wiped the hood down with Spray and Wipe to remove any garage dust, as it seemed like the QD least likely to alter the appearance.
I divided the hood in half lengthwise, then again right to left. My first test was to apply #81 Hand Polish to the right side with a foam app by hand. Then I checked it out in the garage with the overhead flourescents, an incandescent, and a hand-held halogen (a 500W work light, but not on a big pole, the kind that sits on the ground). I couldn`t tell any difference at all. The #81`d side did feel less slick than the other side.
I then applied Souveran by hand with a foam app to the top half of the right side over the #81. I couldn`t discern any difference from the untouched side, nor from the #81`d only 1/4. It was certainly slicker than the #81 side and nominally slicker and smoother than the untouched side.
Then I applied Souveran onto the other #81 1/4. But first I sprayed the 1/4 with 50-50 Last Touch/water and spit-shined it. Again I couldn`t tell a difference between the Souveran over #81 regular, but I could discern a slight difference from the left 1/4 that was untouched. It seemed a little wetter looking.
Then I spit-shined the upper left corner, which had nothing done to it to this point. What I usually do when spit-shining, is keep working the wax until all the water/QD is gone, until it isn`t wet anymore. But usually at that point it means the app is getting kind of grabby. So this time I decided to work it in well, but not until it`s dry. My thinking is that possibly this will help keep wax underneath it from being disturbed by any mechanical means, while the "spit" helps keep it from being disturbed by a solvent means. So I worked this 1/4 well, but it was still wet when I stopped and buffed it. I could discern a difference from the untouched area, but again, not from the #81/Souveran without spit-shine area.
When I pulled the tape off, I looked at it all again without any tape there. It seemed like the spit-shined without drying part was ever so slightly wetter looking than the #81/Souveran no spit shine part, but I still couldn`t tell any difference in the #81/Souv vs #81/Souv with spit shine.
The main thing it illustrated to me is how freaking hard it is to compare small areas for modest differences, especially to do it indoors. I`ll try to check it out in the sun at some point. I was kind of impressed that Souveran looks so nice that a glaze doesn`t help very much (at least in those viewing conditions). And I think I may try the leave-it-still-wet approach to spit-shining the next time I do it. For one, it`s really easy, and for two, maybe it will result in a little more wetness and depth? :nixweiss
So I figured I`ll try some section stuff on the Aurora. As a note, it had been Souveran`d about two to three weeks ago, driven only once since then, and Crystal Misted after the drive. So it`s pretty nice looking. I wiped the hood down with Spray and Wipe to remove any garage dust, as it seemed like the QD least likely to alter the appearance.
I divided the hood in half lengthwise, then again right to left. My first test was to apply #81 Hand Polish to the right side with a foam app by hand. Then I checked it out in the garage with the overhead flourescents, an incandescent, and a hand-held halogen (a 500W work light, but not on a big pole, the kind that sits on the ground). I couldn`t tell any difference at all. The #81`d side did feel less slick than the other side.
I then applied Souveran by hand with a foam app to the top half of the right side over the #81. I couldn`t discern any difference from the untouched side, nor from the #81`d only 1/4. It was certainly slicker than the #81 side and nominally slicker and smoother than the untouched side.
Then I applied Souveran onto the other #81 1/4. But first I sprayed the 1/4 with 50-50 Last Touch/water and spit-shined it. Again I couldn`t tell a difference between the Souveran over #81 regular, but I could discern a slight difference from the left 1/4 that was untouched. It seemed a little wetter looking.
Then I spit-shined the upper left corner, which had nothing done to it to this point. What I usually do when spit-shining, is keep working the wax until all the water/QD is gone, until it isn`t wet anymore. But usually at that point it means the app is getting kind of grabby. So this time I decided to work it in well, but not until it`s dry. My thinking is that possibly this will help keep wax underneath it from being disturbed by any mechanical means, while the "spit" helps keep it from being disturbed by a solvent means. So I worked this 1/4 well, but it was still wet when I stopped and buffed it. I could discern a difference from the untouched area, but again, not from the #81/Souveran without spit-shine area.
When I pulled the tape off, I looked at it all again without any tape there. It seemed like the spit-shined without drying part was ever so slightly wetter looking than the #81/Souveran no spit shine part, but I still couldn`t tell any difference in the #81/Souv vs #81/Souv with spit shine.
The main thing it illustrated to me is how freaking hard it is to compare small areas for modest differences, especially to do it indoors. I`ll try to check it out in the sun at some point. I was kind of impressed that Souveran looks so nice that a glaze doesn`t help very much (at least in those viewing conditions). And I think I may try the leave-it-still-wet approach to spit-shining the next time I do it. For one, it`s really easy, and for two, maybe it will result in a little more wetness and depth? :nixweiss