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  1. #31

    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    western NC
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    362
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    I do the interior first also, so that it can be drying before the customer picks it up, I try not to get it too wet anyways.



    I use the air compressor first, to blow out all the vents, in between the seats, the seams in the seats, the rear tray around tthe third brake light etc.



    Then, I take a bottle of water with a little multipurpose cleaner in it, and spray the vents, ashtrays, gauges, shifter boot, etc. and agitate with a round paint brush, and use the air to blow everything clean.



    You can use the vehicles heater, to dry interior.



    I take the nozzle off a wd 40 can, and the little red extension, and put it on cans of paint for the fenderwells, you can really shoot the paint where you want it with less overspray.



    I cover engines electrical parts with foil, spray cleaner, start engine, and let it dwell for about 5 minutes, leave engine running, and pressure wash everything clean. Its easier to keep a engine running, than it is to start one that has gotten the electrical parts soaked!



    These tricks work for me, and help speed up the detail.



    Oh yeah, get a portable jumper, dead batteries are a pain, and if you dont have another vehicle to use to jump, your stuck.

    :xyxthumbs

  2. #32
    The Rainmaker
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Ankeny, Iowa
    Posts
    8,468
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    For rinsing, I use a shut-off valve and a short section of old hose.

    The valve lets you control the flow for sheeting, and the cut off hose has no metal or hard plastic parts to damage anything.



    A 4` piece of 3/4" pvc, a 90 degree street el with a cap you drill 3- 3/16" holes in, works great for spraying wheel wells, (instead of your face), and you can rinse lots of muck off the bottom of the car as well.



    Charles

  3. #33

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    278
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    For cleaning the interior I have several different size chip brushes cut to varying lengths using serated utility scissors. The length controls the stiffness. I use them to clean all areas and scrub panels and seats without overspray in tight areas and flicking from larger brushes. Spray the cleaner directly on the brush and it will stay there until applied to the panel you are cleaning.
    Likes 4u2nvinmtl liked this post

  4. #34

    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Posts
    538
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    For those who have a relatively short distance from their

    water spigot to their car you may like this.



    I found going back and forth around my car was a royal

    PIA so I decided to try dual hosing. One hose for each side

    of my car. I just got a Y-coupler[splitter at water spiget]

    and incorporated some quick disconnect couplers for speed.

    Also, i`m sure some of you like myself have whipped the hose

    into your paintwerk causing a Ohh-Nooo. It only takes a few

    seconds for the extra hose. Well worth it.





    I`ll try a schematic.



    ------------------{}

    / hose # 1

    / ___________

    / | |

    WS [ ] | CAR |

    \ |___________|

    \

    \ hose # 2

    ------------------{}



    Ah Shucks! The post broke it up. I hope you get the idea though.
    As Soon As I saw That Guys Cars Dirty I Knew He Was Going To Be A Failure! Donald Trump - The Apprentice

  5. #35

    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Red Stick/Nawlins
    Posts
    2,917
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    Originally posted by rd_volvo

    For those who have a relatively short distance from their

    water spigot to their car you may like this.



    I found going back and forth around my car was a royal

    PIA so I decided to try dual hosing. One hose for each side

    of my car. I just got a Y-coupler[splitter at water spiget]

    and incorporated some quick disconnect couplers for speed.

    Also, i`m sure some of you like myself have whipped the hose

    into your paintwerk causing a Ohh-Nooo. It only takes a few

    seconds for the extra hose. Well worth it.



    Hrmm... are we autopians getting lazy? J/k`ing good idea. Now since I`ve got two hoses I might have to do this.



    Did you notice any decrease in water pressure having two hoses?
    2005 F-150 Reg Cab Flareside 5.4L

    Chemical Engineers: More refined than the rest.

  6. #36

    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    151
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    Mist the vehicle with distilled H2/0 and wipe with a MF after polish/waxing. It will help "set" the product. Oh yeah,....don`t run out of beer before you reach this final step!

  7. #37

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    2,022
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    To check the paint while surface prepping, I like to pull a large sheet of plastic wrap and lay it on the paint. If you glide your fingers over it, it really magnifies the bumps...



    And its useful to protect your windows, etc. from splatter (of polishes) too!

  8. #38

    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    151
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    To know if a vehicle has clearcoat or not...........

    Take a good paint cleaner and rub the body pannel. If the vehicles paint color comes off on your towell, then it is NOT clearcoated.:xyxthumbs

  9. #39

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    1,538
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    :up

  10. #40

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    49
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    I buy gobs of those little 4 1/2 by 3 in sponges when they are on sale. I use them for application of wax, polish, vinylex, etc. Lots of times I just pitch after use. But if I want to reuse for the next time I just keep each one in a little zip lock bag so it stays moist. Sometimes I`ll label the bag like Vinyles etc.



    Great thread:xyxthumbs

  11. #41

    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Ann Arbor Michigan
    Posts
    226
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    I buy several cans of compressed air at office supply stores, and use them to lightly blow water out of the cracks and crevasses after washing & drying. Works great if you don`t have a leaf blower, or are detailing away from home



    Just don`t hold them upside down or any akward angles

  12. #42

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    8
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    How many of us have side moulding that has white chalked? :wavey



    Well One Grand provided me with a way to bring back the black and to prevent the chalking look!



    You need a toothbrush or detail brush

    One Grand Interior Leather Cleaner

    Your choice of moulding protectant



    Do this before you wash the car*



    First spray the toothbruth or detail brush witht he Leather Cleaner (away from the car). Work the cleaner into the moulding all around the car. Then wash the car.



    After you wash and dry the car dress the mouldings the difference will amaze you. :shocked This will also prevent wax from getting on the moulding again!



    Oh!!! One more thing Clay, Clay, Clay before every wax!!!



    Good Luck and Happy Detailing!

    Craig

  13. #43

    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    1,976
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    FlyGuy - Nice to see a BMW like yours with a few toys.



    StyleTeg - I just read a post suggesting using a vac to suck the water out of the crevices instead of using the compressed air cans. Isn`t that kind of expensive?

  14. #44

    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Posts
    3,428
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    I use a couple of kitchen pump sprayers for Z6 and homemade glass cleaner (see picture). The mist is very fine, and the small size of the sprayer makes it easy to slip into a pocket if you should happen to need both hands for a moment. Click the picture to see the Pampered Chef version . . . you can find them in kitchen stores, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. for less than $10.



    click pic





    Tort

  15. #45

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    505
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    To know if a vehicle has clearcoat or not...........


    Unfortunately, this doesnt work real well with a white car! First most towels are white...But, even if you get a non-white towel, odds are the product will be white! Either way, its damn hard to distinguish between the white product and the white paint on teh towel.

 

 
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