I/R TLC - Spring detail...

[zhpnsnv]

First, please forgive the horrendous winter wheels. I did not touch them, clean them, or generally acknowledge their existence during this detail. Why? Because they're history in 4 days when my new and improved 135s are ready. Over summer I'm going to look for some style 68s for winter use.

This detail wasn't an amazing transformation. Just got the crap from winter out of the paint. The car never sees a garage and bears the brunt of the NE winter, as you'll see on the MTechII.

Process:
- wash, clay, wash, menz (cutting polish) with yellow pad, menz (light cut) with white pad, menz FMJ, Collinite IW.

Here we go, a day of work in photos:

Dirty:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060471.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060472.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060473.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060474.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060475.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060476.jpg

Ouch:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060477.jpg

More dirty:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060478.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060480.jpg

Ouch - car was keyed. I put touch up over it to keep rust out until I can get it resprayed. It's really deep:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060481.jpg

Products. I probably used .2% of these.
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060479.jpg

Step one - debadge. Tools:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060482.jpg

What's in a name?
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060483.jpg

Wash-town:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060484.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060485.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060486.jpg

After clay, ready for another wash:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060486.jpg

(Yes, I realize that in all of these pictures the car looks essentially the same. It will look essentially the same in the end, too, so if you're into surprise endings, this ain't your thread).

After first two rounds of polish (Menzerna):
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060487.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060488.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060489.jpg

That guy!
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060490.jpg

Lost track of the stages here - some of these pics are post Menzerna FMJ, and then others are after the top-coat of Collinite Insulator Wax. The Collinite gives Imola the deepness that the FMJ lacks. FMJ is really great, but its shine is almost "plastic," and I like depth, especially on IR:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060492.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060493.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060494.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060497.jpg

Paint all finished, before trim:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060498.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060499.jpg

Trim time!
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060500.jpg

That stuff is freaking amazing. It should be called, "Black Holy Shi*!"
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060501.jpg

Shake your shiny heiney:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060502.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060503.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060504.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060505.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060507.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060508.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060509.jpg

And an E90 sandwich with some E46 buns:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060520.jpg

Bye, thanks for looking!
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060506.jpg

[kayger12]

Looks great, Marc.

Nice work!

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[zhpnsnv]

Thanks!

I should also mention I did the polishing with a PC and 4 inch pads. FMJ and IW applied/removed by hand.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

I rather enjoyed this post. Thanks, sir.

[zhpnsnv]

Thanks!

Am I going crazy, or has the navigation thing that's at the bottom of the page mysteriously gone?

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Marc, that's really funny you asked. I removed it about an hour ago. Testing some performance items out on the site. I temporarily disabled it.

So you use that navigation thing, eh?

[zhpnsnv]

YES BRING IT BACK! I get to the bottom of a thread and don't want to click back to the top to get to where I need to go, you know?

I do have one request about the navigation now that we're on the subject: when I click it, I'd like it to be on the forum I'm on, not the top of the list.

hahahahaha I know, I know.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

It's coming back. Just disabled for a few hours.

Also, not sure what you mean when you say top of the list -- versus in the same forum.

Let's take this discussion over to site suggestions. Post your comment over there. I don't want to clutter your thread up with this stuff.

Thanks, Marc.

[danewilson77]

Looks great. Well done.

Droid + Tapatalk = FTW!

[M0nk3y]

Great Job!

Unless you're using manual focus...It's nearly impossible to focus correctly when you're trying to do correction shots

She looks really pretty though.

[zhpnsnv]

Great Job!

Unless you're using manual focus...It's nearly impossible to focus correctly when you're trying to do correction shots

She looks really pretty though.

Thanks! Yea, I have no idea how to take a proper photo, especially to show subtle differences in paint's finish.

[Linh]

Very nice looking IR. One of my favorite colors on BMW.

BTW hows the "Black Wow" holding up? Was thinking about repainted the trim the other day =)

[spencers]

Great job! That Black Wow is some serious stuff!

How long does it last on the black parts of the side-view mirrors? Mine are ugly and faded

[M0nk3y]

Very nice looking IR. One of my favorite colors on BMW.

BTW hows the "Black Wow" holding up? Was thinking about repainted the trim the other day =)

Repainting is a bad idea IMO. Just because if someone hits the strip, the paint will crack


Great job! That Black Wow is some serious stuff!

How long does it last on the black parts of the side-view mirrors? Mine are ugly and faded

Black WOW is amazing. I've usually had it hold up for a couple months

[zhpnsnv]

I don't know how long it lasts - yesterday was my first time using it.

After all that work yesterday, OF COURSE it's raining today.:crying

[kayger12]

^^^^
That was my excuse for not washing her yesterday-- knew it was supposed to pour all day today and t-storms on Sunday.

On the bright side, you can go out and admire your hard work when you see how beautifully the rain is beading off of your freshly sealed paint.

[zhpnsnv]

^^^^
That was my excuse for not washing her yesterday-- knew it was supposed to pour all day today and t-storms on Sunday.

On the bright side, you can go out and admire your hard work when you see how beautifully the rain is beading off of your freshly sealed paint.

I love the beading. Collinite IW beads like nothing else I've ever used.

I do all of my detailing in my dad's driveway/garage. My condo _could_ be a garage (ground floor, sliding glass door for access), but I haven't taken that step yet. Yesterday he says, "You know it's going to rain tomorrow, right? All of your work will be for nothing."

I said, "When will you learn that what I'm doing is for MONTHS of protection?" He knew, because he's the one who taught me to wash/polish/wax. He just wanted to be a jerk as I worked for hours upon hours.

Speaking of that, as I've gotten better with the PC, it has not made my detailing take any less time. It's more effective, for sure, but not quicker. I don't mind, though.

[zhpnsnv]

Tiny beads:
831

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kayger12]

Haha-- B E A utiful!