1931 Chevy Detailing

[FIDOAG14]

cool car....chop that top and lower it....it could become an awesome street rod

I`ve seen a couple like that, they make pretty sweet hotrods.

This thing is far too original to go doing that though. Original engine, wood frame is original, wheels are original... the list goes on.

[briarpatch]

I`ve seen a couple like that, they make pretty sweet hotrods.

This thing is far too original to go doing that though. Original engine, wood frame is original, wheels are original... the list goes on.

sorry...got carried away...been watching Mecum auto auctions the last few days

[Accumulator]

FIDOAG14-Belated Welcome to Autopia! I somehow missed this before...

You can top the M07 with a wax to help it last longer.

IMO the remaining flaws (maybe even the "oops!"es from the paintwork) are in that "it`s patina, not a flaw" category. I wouldn`t go nuts trying for Autopian Perfection lest you open a can-o`-worms. Just keep aiming for "a lot nicer than it was" and keep making incremental progress, you`re doing great.

[FIDOAG14]

FIDOAG14-Belated Welcome to Autopia! I somehow missed this before...

You can top the M07 with a wax to help it last longer.

IMO the remaining flaws (maybe even the "oops!"es from the paintwork) are in that "it`s patina, not a flaw" category. I wouldn`t go nuts trying for Autopian Perfection lest you open a can-o`-worms. Just keep aiming for "a lot nicer than it was" and keep making incremental progress, you`re doing great.

Thanks Accumulator,
I will definitely top the Megs with something, probably my natty blue, I`m trying to use it up so I can order the liquid blue and maybe even the black.

You are absolutely right about "patina" even before I washed the car it was evident that you could call it "good condition". I`m going to live with the paint and all of the imperfections for a long while before it gets repainted. I`m not attempting to get anywhere near perfect with it. That said, if I`m not sanding, polishing and waxing the snot out of it just because, than I might not be neurotic enough for the site...haha

sidenote: incremental progress is exactly right but I`m only working on it incrementally in order to keep the wife happy otherwise I would be out there all evening every evening. *sigh* I don`t know if I can get away with any of that tonight.

Briarpatch,


Not my color but still a cool paint job. They do make a mean hotrod.

[Accumulator]

...I might not be neurotic enough for the site...haha

Well, me either I do kinda consider myself the Autopian Heretic for that reason

[FIDOAG14]

So I picked up a bottle of Meguiars #7 from the local Autozone, do I need to do anything to the paint I`ve already waxed before using it? Or just go for it and re-wax when I`m done?

Thanks,

[Accumulator]

So I picked up a bottle of Meguiars #7 from the local Autozone, do I need to do anything to the paint I`ve already waxed before using it? Or just go for it and re-wax when I`m done?

Thanks,

Generally, you`d want to use the M07 *before* the wax as the wax will "protect" the paint from M07 same as it does from anything else. I`ve known people who applied M07 over wax for a carshow, but it didn`t look good IMO (basically looked like a smeary mess to me), but YMMV.

I myself would just wait until it needs waxed again and use the M07 then.

The general idea is to get the paint to "soak up"/absorb as much M07 as it can hold, while wiping away the excess. Then use the wax to seal it in. Sometimes you can wax over top of the excess M07 and when you buff the wax residue off it`ll also remove the excess M07, but that bit me enough times that I quit doing it.

Note that M09 (do they still make that one?) has the same Trade Secret Oils plus (utterly minimal) very mild abrasives and it can do even *better* filling/concealing than M07 does. Won`t "feed" the paint as well though, and don`t expect those abrasives to actually do any correction, IME they just make for an easier wipe-off.

Heh heh, gee...this M07 talk brings back memories

[FIDOAG14]

Ok update from the weekend! Didn`t get as much done as wanted to (partly because the super regional`s were on and mostly because I encountered some serious contamination on the trunk and rear passenger fender)

So I started claying the rear passenger fender and the trunk and my guess is somebody had spray painted something red near the car at some point. It wasn`t visible to me when I started but immediately it turned the clay red and as you can see from the pictures, it looked like I was sanding the car! Needless to say that took a while but I did eventually get it cleaned up, RIP clay bar.

After I did all that I unfortunately only had time to polish/glaze/wax the passenger door. Paint sure isn`t perfect but it shines like nobody`s business! That Megs #7 is good stuff! And the paint was awful thirsty to soak up as much as it could.

This is what the trunk looked like on first pass with the clay!

Top of the passenger door all shined, glazed, and waxed

Passenger door, granddad asked what I was doing to make it shine like that so I included all the products

[FIDOAG14]

Oh I forgot... Here is a picture of the clay


So the right side is clayed and the trunk is not clayed, look at the difference in color!

[Accumulator]

FIDOAG14- Yeah, people are always painting stuff in garages. Looks like you got that sorted out OK.

And yeah, with some old-tech paints the M07 *does* get soaked up, especially the first time. Glad it`s going so well.

[FIDOAG14]

Been a while since I`ve posted any updates... Life happens, y`all know what that is like.

I have added some essential tools to the collection though! 6V/12V Battery Charger, 2 Ton Hydraulic Jack, and Jack Stands. Once I get a 4 way wrench I`ll take the wheels off and clean them up.

Wanted to pose a question to everyone. I`ve pretty much completed the exterior (I`ll roll the car outside for some shots in the sun this weekend) and now I am ready to clean up the engine area.

What should be my approach to cleaning up the engine? I was thinking either ONR at a little stronger dilution than washing or I have Blackfire Waterless Wash and a whole bunch of terry towels.

Here is a picture of the engine.

[Accumulator]

FIDOAG14- Within reason, I wouldn`t hesitate to get that engine compartment wet. Just cover/protect the obvious stuff like the generator.

If you want to use a waterless/rinselss, better mix it quite strong. Eh, I wouldn`t use that until after it`s had a "big cleanup" (use for maintenance). I like using solvents for areas where I don`t want to get things wet or I`m concerned about things like runoff.

You gonna use Calyx Manifold Dressing on the Exhaust Manifolds, or are you gonna, uhm....do it right? Note that "doing it right" would be a pretty tall order...

[Accumulator]

Eh, I`d better be more explicit/opinionated- I wouldn`t expect a waterless/rinseless to be sufficiently potent, wouldn`t even bother trying it. But hey, that`s just me.

[LEDetailng]

I hate car covers. IMHO it gives a big false sense of security.

It is just my opinion (as is everything else I say....) but "classics" demand wax, not a new techno fancy product. I like to stay period.

Something else you may want to consider is do you want to water wash it, waterless wash it, or rinseless wash it.

Sounds like a blast of a project and a fun time

ENJOY !!!!

Good advice. I would look into a rinseless/waterless wash. Stay with Natty`s wax and you should be good to go. I`m guessing single stage paint. Look up the Meguiar`s #7 treatment by Mike Phillips.

Better yet here is the link:
The #7 Rub Down Technique by Mike Phillips

[FIDOAG14]

Good advice. I would look into a rinseless/waterless wash. Stay with Natty`s wax and you should be good to go. I`m guessing single stage paint. Look up the Meguiar`s #7 treatment by Mike Phillips.

Better yet here is the link:
The #7 Rub Down Technique by Mike Phillips

LED, yep I washed with ONR! Worked like a charm. The real !#$%& was claying the car, as it had contamination like I`ve never seen.

The paint is thick and not perfect (my dad painted it 20 years ago) so I`m not overly concerned about it, just want it to look nice but I fully acknowledge it will need repainted at some point down the road if I want to make a show car of it.