Today`s work

**imported_FordTaurus** · 11-11-2003, 07:06 PM

Hey,

Had the day off of school, and managed to get this Explorer done during the day. I patiently waited until the thermometer hit 34 degrees and headed outside. The heat wave for the day hit at about 1:00, at 40 degrees F. Here are some pics..it`s cloudy out but I liked a few. Unfortunately, two hours after this was done, it began to snow and sleet and the car doesn`t go in the garage. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. I`m still relatively new to detailing (really got into at the beginning of this summer) and would greatly appreciate any tips or criticism. Here they are:

First, some scratches on the door were made almost invisble -BEFORE.

**imported_FordTaurus** · 11-11-2003, 07:09 PM

The same scrathes AFTER-

**imported_FordTaurus** · 11-11-2003, 07:11 PM

A Reflection.....

**imported_FordTaurus** · 11-11-2003, 07:15 PM

Driver`s side - Notice the reflection of my wash buckets and a few of my products in the door.

**explorer** · 11-11-2003, 07:15 PM

Very nice work:xyxthumbs what did you use to remove (fill) the scratches.

Tell me what you did from start to finish:xyxthumbs

You may not have been around long but

:xyxthumbs :xyxthumbs

**imported_FordTaurus** · 11-11-2003, 07:18 PM

Front view:

**imported_FordTaurus** · 11-11-2003, 07:20 PM

The Explorer from another angle. I really like this one. Again, any suggestions or criticism is apreciated.

**explorer** · 11-11-2003, 07:26 PM

Is this your Explorer? I would lose the itch looks sharp with out it, I keep mine inside till I need it:up

**explorer** · 11-11-2003, 07:29 PM

correction: hitch

**Juggalo** · 11-11-2003, 07:55 PM

Very nice job on the scratches:up

The rest of it looks great too:xyxthumbs

Juggalo

**imported_FordTaurus** · 11-11-2003, 09:05 PM

Thanks for the comments.

The scratches aren`t gone for good. It was really just a hiding job for the most part. I used some Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner on the entire vehicle (hey - It`s cheap and I had a bottle I had never opened - I wanted something not too abrasive-I felt that the paint was just a little cloudy, and the vehicle has been outside for the better part of 4 years), then #7, then a coat of #20. I didn`t clay because I had done that recently. I`ve worked on this car over the summer on many different occasions and its gotten a lot better than it was.

The Explorer is actually one of my parents` cars. My car is the white Taurus in my member gallery. This Explorer has 107,000 miles on it and is a `97. It is still running great and nothing major has gone out on it yet. It`s spent the last 3 or four winters outside here in NH, so the paint takes a beating during the winter months. I like driving the Taurus better, but the 4 wheel drive is nice in the winter. My mom hates driving anything but this explorer. We plan on having it until it hits at least 200,000.

-FordTaurus (Cleancar on detailcity.)

**Scottwax** · 11-11-2003, 11:03 PM

Nice work :up

Even the fenderwells look clean.

I`m glad we don`t get days with 40 degree highs down here to often, even in the dead of winter....but it is miserable to detail when it is like that, huh?

**imported_FordTaurus** · 11-12-2003, 02:59 PM

Thanks again for the comments,

Scottwax,

It`s really not that bad when it gets around 40. I used warm water to save my hands because I started at around 34 degrees. It got up around 40 pretty fast, and it wasn`t bad doing everything else - it`s just the washing part that is bad. Unfortunately, I wasn`t payed for this job. I have certain products for the cars in my family and certain products for other people`s vehicles. The deal is that my parents pay for all materials used in return for getting more experience on their cars. It`s not a bad deal because I enjoy doing it anyways.

-FordTaurus

**Juggalo** · 11-12-2003, 04:21 PM

Originally posted by FordTaurus

We plan on having it until it hits at least 200,000.

Good luck, you`re going to need it

**GoodnClean** · 11-12-2003, 05:20 PM

Looks great! Unbelieveable for a 97 that site outside all the time! I have a 97 Limited but its always been garaged.

Explorers get a bad rap, mine has almost 150k and its going strong. Had some repair foibles a while back that ran up several k, but after that overall its running good (knock on wood). The 4WD isn`t working for some reason, probably they disconnected it by accident or somthing (they`ve done that before) need to get that looked at before winter. They`re great trucks if you keep up with maintaining them and servicing them. They cannot however be driven without maintenence and be expected to be trouble free like some vehicles though. No biggie if you stay on top of it.