Before & After '96 Riv...

Some of my before pics didn't come out, but here's the project.......this car was completely TRASHED. It has never been detailed and I'm sure it had never been waxed or polished and it was covered with white speckles of paint overspray.



Here's a list of my procedures & products...



INTERIOR:



1. Complete wipedown with MF and warm water.

2. Window clean with MF and warm water.

3. Window buff with dry MF.

4. Cleaned vents and cracks with small detailing brush.

5. Removed mats and vacuumed.

6. Steam cleaned carpets and mats with extractor.

7. Cleaned door jambs and hinges with Simple Green.

8. Vacuumed and cleaned trunk

9. Dressed weather stripping and vinyl trim with Meguiar's Trim Detailer.

10. Dressed leather with Zaino "Leather in a bottle".



ENGINE:



1. Saturated entire engine bay with Simple Green.

2. Let soak for 5 minutes.

3. Scrubbed with tire brush - 5 minutes.

4. Rinsed with a trickle of water.

5. Saturated entire engine bay with Tire Foam.

6. Wipe dry.



EXTERIOR:



1. Wash with Eagle One Car Wash soap.

2. Mother's Clay bar using a fresh bucket of car wash soap as lube.

2a. EDIT: One Grand Special Touch paint cleaner (made car very smooth!)

3. Scrub tires and wheel wells with Simple Green.

4. Dry with Big Blue.

5. 2 coats of Z2 with Z6 in between layers.

6. Final Z6 Application and buff.

7. RainX and buff windows.

8. Meguiars Endurance on tires.



I'm sure I must have left something out.



This took about 6 hours and I charged her $200.



BEFORE:

fae5b0ff.jpg


fae5d30b.jpg




AFTER:

fae5d300.jpg
fae5d2f0.jpg
fae5d2eb.jpg
fae5d2f3.jpg
 
BK1 said:
Nice work, I love how clean the car looks after all that work--I'll bet she was happy.



After her initial "Oh my gosh!", her response was....."This is cleaner than the day I bought it new!"



Made me feel good. I told her I'd detail it once a month for $80, to keep it looking like new. (twice a year Zaino for another $60).
 
Out of curiosity, no paint cleaner or cleaner/polish combo? I would think after 9 years it might have been in need. However, those pictures are great!



I always thought that style Riv was attractive, but they were so floaty and the steering was so overboosted. I never understood that. And the interior was never as lux as the Aurora, even though they cost about the same (and were on the same platform). It was a cool looking car but they just never seem to have gotten whole package together. Perhaps that's why they never sold well (though neither did the Aurora except in 1995 and 2001).



I'd love to see some more/larger pictures of it!
 
Aurora40 said:
Out of curiosity, no paint cleaner or cleaner/polish combo? I would think after 9 years it might have been in need.



I KNEW I FORGOT TO LIST SOMETHING....



Yes, I used "One Grand Special Touch" paint cleaner as one of my steps, immediately after clay and before Zaino.



Applied and removed by hand. Made the paint very slick... (I'm adding this to my list above)...
 
:bow



you are a master dude! simply amazing transformation. This is what detailing is all about for me. Taking the ugly frog and making it a prince. . .
 
Luster, you did all that for $200??? Ya wanna detail a couple of engines in mid-Mo? SEND ME A PM ... really!!! :D I'll make dinner.
 
Back
Top