My First Time: My Civic

**Gimics** · 10-16-2006, 08:36 PM

Paint was really new, so there wasn`t much wrong with aesthetically. Theres some swirls and it was really dirty but nothing major. Phyiscally, the paint sucks.. theres bubbling, some webbing and lots of overspray, but you won`t notice much of that in the pics. . .

ps. i know my wheels and tires suck.

Process:

Rinse

Cleaned tires and wheels with Sonus Rim Bright

Rinse

Wash with Meg`s NXT using 2 bucket method and Sonus Der Wunder Mitt

Rinse

Dried with WW microfiber (which didn`t seem to work as well as I thought it should have, but did not leave any streaking or water marks)

Clay bared with Sonus SFX Ultra-Fine Detailing Clay - this wasn`t doing much of anything, and the paint bubbles were just thrashing the clay so I didn`t do the whole car.

Hand polished with Sonus SFX-1 Restore Polish - took at least 3 hours to do the whole car. I took my time and tried to do the best i could.

Wiped down with MF polishing towel.

Hand polished with Sonus SFX-3 Final Finish - took about an hour. Harder to take off than the Restore Polish, ? , and didn`t seem to do much.

Waxed with Meg`s NXT.

Pictures:

Before Wash:

After all (no chrome either):

Before:

After Wash:

After Polish + Wax:

Reflect :p :

**imported_DieselMDX** · 10-16-2006, 08:43 PM

wow great job

**mr.ikon** · 10-17-2006, 01:05 AM

Great job. That thing is bright. I bet driving down the road it looks like a fireball. Nice work. Keep it up.

**imported_Lightman** · 10-17-2006, 11:22 AM

Nice work..I dont think the wheels/tires are that bad at all. I would recommend leaving that chrome wheel well trim off as you did in the after pics though, that will make your fireball look ghetto-fabulous

Very bright red!

**audicoupej** · 10-17-2006, 11:49 AM

Looks great especially for your first time! Wheels are always better then hubcaps, even if they are silly small.

**Gimics** · 10-17-2006, 04:03 PM

lol thanks. No one`s noticed yet.. but the front tires are actually winters as apposed to the smaller all-seasons in the rear. My wheels are actually really crummy looking, I just didn`t want to post the pics... heres a few off.. whatever is on the rims peeling off :

Before cleaning, but still couldn`t get most of what looks like rust off:

Other wheel, even after cleaning.. theres some spots that look like bird dung:

**Scottwax** · 10-18-2006, 07:19 PM

Pretty good, especially for a hand job!

**lemans23** · 10-18-2006, 07:27 PM

You would know about those handjobs, wouldn`t you

**Gimics** · 10-18-2006, 08:22 PM

lol.. um... anyways. Thanks for the comments. I`m hoping to get a PC soon and have a go at my family`s vehicles. My bothers got some wicked like.. cuts.. in is paint and my dads trucks skratched to crap (took it on a little bush trip, unknowingly, a few years ago :nervous2: ) so those will hopefully be alot more miraculously over hauled than this freshly painted "fireball".

Kyle

**^&04types** · 12-01-2006, 11:06 PM

How Tha Hell Did U Do This By Hand?

**David703** · 12-01-2006, 11:40 PM

impressive work especially by hand!!!!

**Gimics** · 12-02-2006, 05:15 AM

Thanks guys. It actually took like 12 hours.. it wasn`t easy. It was my first try too. I think I kinda cheat with the pictures too.. showing before wash and after finish... lol. The dirt on the car makes it look pretty grubby. I was still happy with the result, but i`m deffinatly gonna grab a PC next year after the snows all gone. Thanks again.

Kyle