What got you into cars?

K

kiltman

New member
I put 303 on all the black trim on the outside of both my cars. It rained the next day and the black trim had all run marks in them.:( Is 303 supposed to be water proof. I was using Turtle wax wet and black before and it never ran. This happen to anyone else?Should I not use the 303 on the outside trim?
 
I have noticed this too. It even happened to my INTERIOR trim- it started to rain suddenly while I was driving with the window open. Before I could roll up the window, some rain came in and ran down the inside of my door. The rain seemed to wash the 303 away; it left streaks.
 
it won't do everything. It's slightly better than other products at lasting, but not much. I have not seen too many products that last long, it's hard to formulate so your case is common.
 
After you applied the 303, did you buff/remove the excess with a clean terry cloth towel?



Sounds like there was too much product on the surface.
 
Go over the areas with a towel and buff off the excess an hour or so after application. I do this with Z16 and 303, and have no running problems...........
 
I think Z16 is a bit less prone to running on the exterior trim. But I make sure I buff off any excess. Sometimes, it will run slightly, especially the 303 on the convertible roof, but only on the first rain or wash.



H
 
It seems like you use 303 on your 'stang's convertible top. Is it vinyl or canvas. If canvas how does it work. I was contemplating applying a light coat on my canvas top (black) just for a slight sheen. The car is never driven in the rain. Really interested to see if you are already doing this. Thanks :D
 
blkZ28Conv,



Try the 303 Fabric Guard on your canvas top, not the aerospace protectant. The fabric guard will make the water bead like crazy, and it contains UV blockers to help protect against fading. :up
 
My top is vinyl and using the 303 for vinyl. They also make a fabric protectant which is for canvass.



H
 
303 and the such are water based so water will delute them if they have not been buffed or dried. It is the only drawback since they are PDMS type protectants.
 
I use 303 High Tech Fabric Guard on my canvas top and yes, the water beads like freshly picked concord grapes (maybe that's a bad example.) It never ran when washing, but then again, it was always a week after applying.
 
303 is a strcit "as directed" product as far as longevity....gotta let it setpu and gotta buff it out...especially with exterior stuff..just thought i would post what has already been said ..just to be a knucklehead........:p :D
 
After reading Dave (Street Dream)'s thread, I started thinking, what got me into cars?

For me, at first, it was a video game called Street Rod II. It took place the early 1970's, and you could swap out different engines for larger engines, switch to four barrel carbs headers, etc. I was hooked, and the fasted car you could build in the game was a '69 Corvette with a blown 427, 4.56 gears, etc. Thus my love of muscle car's was always focused on Corvette's and I got the bug hard.

Being a Corvette fan, meant that I was Chevy guy, hard core. At the time my dad bought a C3, and it became an obsession. I read Corvette books constantly, my hero's where guys like Harley Earl, Bill Mitchell, and Zora Arkus Duntov. One of the first things I remember spending money on was a vintage 'Duntov' camshaft that was once in a 327/375 horse Corvette. The solid lifter cam was no longer good and I only paid a couple of dollars for it, but man, it was cool.

This lead to a fascination with muscle car's (again supported by my father when he purchased a '69 442). In fact much of my humble detailing beginnings can be traced to polishing Cragar wheels with Mother's Aluminum Polish next to my dad at age 12. I mostly loved Chevy, but always like MOPAR and Ford (well not so much Ford, although a '70 Boss 302 is one of the most beautiful cars ever).

I really fell hard for the Dodge Viper, which replaced the Corvette ZR1 as my dream car. I felt guilty turning my back on my first love, but those curves, that V10.. man. I fell even harder for the '96 GTS coupe... And also for a little red car with a screaming engine called a Ferrari.

My friends and I had just turned 16 and we cruising around, when I saw the unmistakable silhouette in the passenger side mirror: A Ferrari F355, I had just read about these cars in Car and Driver (I read every C and D, Road and Track, and Motor Trend. This was before the internet, so the delivery of each in my mail box was a sacred moment). We stopped at a red light, and from the passenger seat I watched in awe as the Ferrari pulled along side of us.

Being young, and not knowing what to say, I yelled to the driver, "Is it Miller Time?" (popular television commercial from the era). The gentleman driving the car looked at his Rolex and then commented, "It will be in a couple of minutes boys." I had a new hero...

After examining the car for the brief time the traffic light I realized my jaw was on the floor and I was in love: Like when Michael Corleone first sees Appolonia in The Godfather, colpito con il tuono dell'amore : To be hit with the thunder clap of love.

The light turned green and the air was filled with an orchestra of such violent beauty, as 40 valves and 8 perfectly tuned cylinders blasted towards a 8000 rpm red-line. The rear tires fought briefly for traction, leaving wisps of white smoke, and letting the back end glide slightly to the right... I can still see it today.

The shift to second gear was Beethoven switching the key masterfully behind his piano. Perfect. The engine tone once again became a crescendo begging the shift to third. The Ferrari disappeared over a crest in the road, the owner sticking his thumb into the air. Definitely Miller Time!

The sound of a horn ruined the concert, and snapped us back to reality. It was just then that I realized that I wasn't the only one in love. Our car of 4 kids hadn't moved, we all were all in love. It wasn't bad enough that the driver took her away from an all to brief interlude at a stoplight, but now I had to share her with these clowns.
 
I always loved cars. Dad was a Chevy guy and he would buy a new Impala every 2 years. My favorite was the '64 Impala SS, Red/Red, 327, bucket seats...

That's the car that got me into cars.

Dad had no interest in keeping them clean, only running well mechanically. I did the detailing. I loved that car! I would wash it twice a week and wax it once a month! I was only 14 at the time...:redface::clap:

(This isn't the car but...) It looked like this!:D

1impalaSS409Red4SPD.jpg
 
I think it's rite of passage from a boy to a man!

I got my first real car in 1967, it was a 1956 Chevy Belair; 265 V8 and a 2 speed automatic transmission. I remember working on that car every single day and I couldn't get enough! Wash, wax, vacuum, clean the engine and it never was perfect enough!

I drove this for a few years and traded up to a 1964 Buick Riviera. This sleeper had a 425 CI V8 but just didn't seem to fit will with an 18 year old.

Next was a 1966 Pontiac Lemans which sported a 326 CI backed up by a stone crusher 4 speed, Hurst shifter and all.

Drag racing in the early to late 70's and could swap a motor with my eyes closed.

I began to do allot of custom paint jobs on cars and motorcycles from metallics to flakes, pearls, and everything in between.

Instead of writing a book I'll simplify things just a bit.

In order

1956 Chevy Belair
1964 Buick Riviera
1966 Pontiac Lemans
1966 Ford Mustang
1966 Chevrolet Corvette
1968 Pontiac GTO Ram-Air 4 Convertable
1970 440 Cuda

These were the cars of my youth through late 20's

Today

Detailing005.jpg


CudaZ06-650.jpg


Cuda-650-1.jpg


BackYard25-May-08_020-1.jpg
 
Love the story Todd. Its Miller Time...lol...my life has been filled with akward momemts like that :-B

I really don't know how my obsession with cars began. I think it has always been there. At age 14 I purchased a 55 Chevy from a freinds Grandfather for $300. It needed a full out restoration that I attempted to start. I got sidetracked though after finding a 72 Heavy Chevy 402 4-spd at a local street gathering. I ask the owner if he was ever intrested in selling it to call me. A couple days later my phone rung :-c The man said he was reluctant to sell the car (especially to a 14 yr old) but that it was time. He informed me he wanted $2,000. To me, at this point in my life he may as well have said $200k, but I told him to please save it for me for a few weeks and let me see what I could do ~X( It was a mad dash for cash at that point. I sold everything of any value I had to get this baby. I flipped the 55 for $500 (regretably), sold all my bicycles for a hundred or so, had about $80 in savings, sold a gold chain, baseball card collection, you name it, I sold it. I however still fell way short ($850) :redface:

My Father had been watching with what seemed like very little intrest in my endeavor. I joked with him several times that he should help me out with this, but all he would do is chuckle and say > Your On Your On Kid /:) Well about 3 weeks went by and the owner called to see what progress I had made. When I informed him of my current financial status he wasn't impressed. He told me he was going to go ahead and run an ad in the paper the following week :( This news hit me like a ton of bricks. I was so depressed, I could hardly function at all. After a few days my Father asked me what the hell was wrong with me. I informed him of the situation and he said there will be something better later and to get my a$$ back in gear. Well, that Sunday came and sure enough there was my baby in the local classified ads, I was heartbroken Boo Hoo

Well, much to my surprise the ole man steped up to the plate. He told me to call the guy and tell him we were on the way out :Car smiley: We got there and kicked the tires for a few minutes then proceeded to take her for a test run. My Father driving, owner in pass seat and me in the back. We headed towards a remote location, my Father came to a complete stop and asked the fellow if he would mind if he could see what this thing will do. Owner replied, GO For It. He revved up the engine a couple of times and dumped the clutch <:-P He was slamming gears like a mad man :driving: I honestly believe even the owner was not aware of how this car would preform under these conditions @-)

We got back to the owners house and my Father comensed to show me the fine art of negotiating a deal Da Rules! He offered the guy $1,000, owner quickly renigged. (I was like oh boy, pops is going to blow it) guy said he would take no less the $1,800, Pops shoots back with $1,200 cash :money: Owners reniggs again (I'm thinking WTF) the negotiations continue on for several minutes. The owner finally drops to $1,600, but my Father says $1,400 is his absolute tops. Owner renigs again, deal is off, my depression level starts to increase. My Father thanks the guy for his time and we comense to heads towards the car. Right when we were about to get in Pops car the owner yells something at us (I thought he was going to ask for clutch damage funds) We walk back up the driveway and the owner asked if we had alkl the cash, Pops replies yes, my depression level starts to decrease. 30 minutes later I am following Pops home (No DL or Ins) :Santa Smiley:

This is how I suppose I got involved with cars. Thanks for the trip down memory lane :-?
 
Flash Gordon said:
Love the story Todd. Its Miller Time...lol...my life has been filled with akward momemts like that :-B

I really don't know how my obsession with cars began. I think it has always been there. At age 14 I purchased a 55 Chevy from a freinds Grandfather for $300. It needed a full out restoration that I attempted to start. I got sidetracked though after finding a 72 Heavy Chevy 402 4-spd at a local street gathering. I ask the owner if he was ever intrested in selling it to call me. A couple days later my phone rung :-c The man said he was reluctant to sell the car (especially to a 14 yr old) but that it was time. He informed me he wanted $2,000. To me, at this point in my life he may as well have said $200k, but I told him to please save it for me for a few weeks and let me see what I could do ~X( It was a mad dash for cash at that point. I sold everything of any value I had to get this baby. I flipped the 55 for $500 (regretably), sold all my bicycles for a hundred or so, had about $80 in savings, sold a gold chain, baseball card collection, you name it, I sold it. I however still fell way short ($850) :redface:

My Father had been watching with what seemed like very little intrest in my endeavor. I joked with him several times that he should help me out with this, but all he would do is chuckle and say > Your On Your On Kid /:) Well about 3 weeks went by and the owner called to see what progress I had made. When I informed him of my current financial status he wasn't impressed. He told me he was going to go ahead and run an ad in the paper the following week :( This news hit me like a ton of bricks. I was so depressed, I could hardly function at all. After a few days my Father asked me what the hell was wrong with me. I informed him of the situation and he said there will be something better later and to get my a$$ back in gear. Well, that Sunday came and sure enough there was my baby in the local classified ads, I was heartbroken Boo Hoo

Well, much to my surprise the ole man steped up to the plate. He told me to call the guy and tell him we were on the way out :Car smiley: We got there and kicked the tires for a few minutes then proceeded to take her for a test run. My Father driving, owner in pass seat and me in the back. We headed towards a remote location, my Father came to a complete stop and asked the fellow if he would mind if he could see what this thing will do. Owner replied, GO For It. He revved up the engine a couple of times and dumped the clutch <:-P He was slamming gears like a mad man :driving: I honestly believe even the owner was not aware of how this car would preform under these conditions @-)

We got back to the owners house and my Father comensed to show me the fine art of negotiating a deal Da Rules! He offered the guy $1,000, owner quickly renigged. (I was like oh boy, pops is going to blow it) guy said he would take no less the $1,800, Pops shoots back with $1,200 cash :money: Owners reniggs again (I'm thinking WTF) the negotiations continue on for several minutes. The owner finally drops to $1,600, but my Father says $1,400 is his absolute tops. Owner renigs again, deal is off, my depression level starts to increase. My Father thanks the guy for his time and we comense to heads towards the car. Right when we were about to get in Pops car the owner yells something at us (I thought he was going to ask for clutch damage funds) We walk back up the driveway and the owner asked if we had alkl the cash, Pops replies yes, my depression level starts to decrease. 30 minutes later I am following Pops home (No DL or Ins) :Santa Smiley:

This is how I suppose I got involved with cars. Thanks for the trip down memory lane :-?
Click to expand...

Flash...that's an awesome story! I had a similar experience when I was 21. My father helped me save a ton of $ on a car that I was dying to own. I did end up with it too.
 
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