Hooptie Exterior

**Diesel1** · 07-31-2006, 01:05 PM

A vendor of mine bought a hooptie for when she is home (IE not living in Manhattan). She picked up a mid-late 90`s grand prix that was a former station car (Read: Never washed and about 50lbs of rail dust). Well, my brain filter wasn`t working and before I knew it, I offered to detail her car while I was on vacation, gratis (Cute girls have it easy!) I wanted the opportunity to use the rotary on a car since I haven`t used it (On a car) in a few years. I figured what better way to dust off the cobwebbs then with an old white hooptie!

Unfortunately, I only have a few decent afters and the befores were tough to capture just how much rail dust was trapped in the paint. I think it took me almost 1.5hrs to clay it. It was like claying 400 grit sandpaper! The rail dust was so bad that the next day I noticed that it actually stained my driveway (Luckily a quick rinse with degreaser etc took care of the stain).

I wasn`t about to go too crazy for a freebie and a beater car so it`s not the best detailed work. If you look close, it some pics you can pick out the rust spots on the (Passenger side roof, drivers side A pillar, etc)

Process:

Wash & Clay

Castrol APC diluted for tires n wells

Wetsand headlights to remove haze/yellowing. Followed with polishing.

Makita rotary with Orange Excel propel pad from Excel detail (Great service). After trying a few products and combos, I found that Menzerna PG mixed with IP and RMG worked teh best. I never realized PG was so damn thick and sticky. It totally gummed up the pad when I tried it straight. Mix wise, I used about 1/3 each. On the flat panels I used a lil more PG and on the sides a lil more IP.

Followed up with either IP/RMG or FPII/RMG (Sorry it was a few weeks ago and I forgot) with the cyclo and green cyclo pads.

Zaino Z5 Pro w/ ZFX x 2

IG on glass

I think that`s about it. Again, I was not about to go crazy in the heat for a beater!

Unfortunately you can`t really see all the rail dust and marring in the before`s, but trust me it was the worst rail dust I have ever seen!

Before`s (Damn it`s hard to photograph white!!!!)

**Diesel1** · 07-31-2006, 01:09 PM

AFTERS:

All in all, it wasn`t too bad. White does have it`s benefits.

Key Learnings:

Rotary makes for quick correction!

Working in the sun sucks! Tough to see and Menzerna hates it)

Watch edges with rotaries (Not just the usual suspects) This car had a wavy body molding piece that you have watch carefully. IMO, keep the rotary far away and save it for the cyclo/PC

NEVER MAKE AN OFFER UNLESS YOU REALLY WANT TO DO IT! LOL

**sneek** · 07-31-2006, 01:18 PM

lol tell me about GPs

we must be talking about the same girl

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/sho...threadid=13118

but i didnt fully remove the swirls because mine had a clear coat failure

**Diesel1** · 07-31-2006, 02:20 PM

LOL!!! Does she have a rather LARGE....ummmmm .....

I couldn`t get the hubcaps clean either! Damn break dust was baked in the plastic and I wasn`t about to spend too much time on it.

For anyoen else, what have you used to get the hub caps completely clean? Is it even possible.

**imported_themightytimmah** · 07-31-2006, 02:36 PM

To get the completely clean you pretty much gotta burn the dust out with an acid-based cleaner, or spend all day with a neutral one (P21S is a really good neutral one) and a brush. I use Meguiars wheel brightener cut 3:1 with water, its 18 bucks a gallon and it mixes up to make 4 gallons, can`t beat it. It`s literally spray on, hose off, apply x2 for the worst of the worst. Keep it off polished aluminums, but other then that its like a gift from god on those *bad* rim jobs.