My Dearest Mina (IBM 2SS/RS)

[aquablueL99]

Originally Posted by Lycanine

Hey guys, long time no see...so I've run into a huge problem lately. Over Christmas I was rear-ended and took my car into Progressive off Atlantic to have it fixed. When I got it back from the paint shop I noticed dimples and pieces of grit that were painted into my back bumper. I brought it back to them to fix and they touched it up with touch-up paint and then scratched my bumper on top of that. So I brought it back to them a third time and they took it to a different shop. This time around I had the worst luck in the world...late Saturday night about two weeks ago, a drunk guy at IHOP across from the body shop decided to strip naked outside the restaurant, sprint across the street, and then dove through the glass door to the body shop. The glass sprayed all over my car and left scratches everywhere. I swear, this isn't a joke.
So I talked to the owner of Auto World on Atlantic and he swore to me that he'd take great care of my car and make sure it was done right this time around.
I went to pick up my car yesterday and the same kind of dimples and little bumps were all over the back bumper again. There were some on the front too, where they repainted it for me as a favor, but the shop owner said it was because of my rock chips.

So here's my conundrum. Am I being too picky? The supervisor said, "it's the human element--you'll get this with any paint job". I think that's a load of crap, but when it's your baby in the shop I guess you freak out more than usual. If anyone has been through this and can offer me advice I greatly appreciate it. I really don't know what I can even do at this point.

Here is my opinion...We now live in a society in which NO ONE...I mean NO ONE takes responsibility for their actions...Period!! What he gave you was an excuse...and excuses are like something else people have...and excuses stink!!
If it were mine..I would not rest until it were restored the same if not better than it was before it took it to them for repairs...I believe it is not too much to ask to get what one pays for.
I also have to add that not everyone that has the privilege to own a Gen5 Camaro has 100 dollar bills overflowing their pockets. Maybe some people don't care what their vehicles look like, but I am not one of them!!
BTW---I have always enjoyed your ride...keep up the good work on it, and don't let Auto World on Atlantic blow smoke upwards to you....

Kurt ABL99...

[Lycanine]

Originally Posted by aquablueL99

Here is my opinion...We now live in a society in which NO ONE...I mean NO ONE takes responsibility for their actions...Period!! What he gave you was an excuse...and excuses are like something else people have...and excuses stink!!
If it were mine..I would not rest until it were restored the same if not better than it was before it took it to them for repairs...I believe it is not too much to ask to get what one pays for.
I also have to add that not everyone that has the privilege to own a Gen5 Camaro has 100 dollar bills overflowing their pockets. Maybe some people don't care what their vehicles look like, but I am not one of them!!
BTW---I have always enjoyed your ride...keep up the good work on it, and don't let Auto World on Atlantic blow smoke upwards to you....


Kurt ABL99...

Thanks Kurt! I'm still waiting to hear back from them, they promised that my car would be ready today but I'm guessing they're spending a little more time on it after I met with them yesterday.
I really hope it comes back right, but I've got to say after all I've been through these past three weeks, I'm not very optimistic. But I've had an overwhelming response from people on this forum, and if it's not done right it's going to a REAL shop this time.
Thanks for checking in man and I hope your car stays beautiful!
Jared

[aquablueL99]

Originally Posted by Lycanine

Thanks Kurt! I'm still waiting to hear back from them, they promised that my car would be ready today but I'm guessing they're spending a little more time on it after I met with them yesterday.
I really hope it comes back right, but I've got to say after all I've been through these past three weeks, I'm not very optimistic. But I've had an overwhelming response from people on this forum, and if it's not done right it's going to a REAL shop this time.
Thanks for checking in man and I hope your car stays beautiful!
Jared

Hang in there Jared!! Keep them honest...They, at least owe you that much!!
Please don't settle for any less that you would give someone else...

Oh BTW...thanks for the compliment on our ride...It is always appreciated.....

Kurt...

[Lycanine]

Well, I've had it. With swirls!
My goal, since I've started, is that I would do all the work on my own car. If I couldn't install it, I didn't want it (which has kept me from drowning myself in debt over a supercharger haha!) I was itching for another mod to Mina and I was a click away multiple times from some ghosted sidemarkers, but washing Mina the other day made me realize just how bad I had let her paint get. Zaino was great, but the swirl marks had to go...
So yesterday I got my Adam's box with a PC and the starter kit of severe swirl, swirl and haze, and fine machine polish with pads! Unfortunately, this weekend looks like a lot of rain, but I'll post before and after pictures soon. I'm definitely excited to get Mina back to her showroom shine! Thanks Adam's!

[aquablueL99]

Originally Posted by Lycanine

Well, I've had it. With swirls!
My goal, since I've started, is that I would do all the work on my own car. If I couldn't install it, I didn't want it (which has kept me from drowning myself in debt over a supercharger haha!) I was itching for another mod to Mina and I was a click away multiple times from some ghosted sidemarkers, but washing Mina the other day made me realize just how bad I had let her paint get. Zaino was great, but the swirl marks had to go...
So yesterday I got my Adam's box with a PC and the starter kit of severe swirl, swirl and haze, and fine machine polish with pads! Unfortunately, this weekend looks like a lot of rain, but I'll post before and after pictures soon. I'm definitely excited to get Mina back to her showroom shine! Thanks Adam's!
Attachment 500206

Jared,
Can't wait to see the results....I will be watching..."Big Time".

Kurt ABL99...

[Lycanine]

Ok Adam's test done. Mina looks better, especially finishing her with Zaino after using the swirl correction by Adam's, but there's definitely some swirls and scratches I need to go back and fix. My first time with it I did the top of my car and wasn't too impressed. But the more I used it the better I got with it and now after detailing for about four hours today, I definitely feel more comfortable and Mina's doors and sides look great.
I'm going to have to redo the top of her, but for now, I'm gonna drink a cold beer and give myself a pat on the back (well maybe not because of my sunburn lol)
I'll resize these pics when I'm not on my phone...
Before (I tried to get the swirl marks for you guys):







After:

[aquablueL99]

Mina looks pretty nice....thanks for the update...

enjoy that brewski.....

Kurt ABL99...

[Lycanine]

I'm a constant peruser of the members classifieds and found a deal that I could not pass up! AAC ghosted sidemarkers...now I've heard that a lot of people have had issues with the LEDs going out so that's the first thing I checked. They were brand new and uninstalled on the previous owner's car so I got them for a great deal. Mina looks really slick now and it's a possibility I might use my plastidip and try a little white accent on them.
Anyways, on to the pictures!

[bluetooth-ss]

Car looks awesome.Sounds good to.

[Lycanine]

Originally Posted by bluetooth-ss

Car looks awesome.Sounds good to.

Thanks man! Can't wait to see the new front end on your car!

[Lycanine]

I went back and added this in, but I realized I never said where my love for Camaros came from.
Like most guys, it starts with my Dad. He had a '68 SS that was an absolute monster. He turned it into a drag car that used to absolutely mop the floor with most cars here in Jacksonville in the 80s. It was a hobby that my oldest brother Chad and he spent a lot of time bonding over. I was too young to really remember the car, but I imagine it's where my love of loud exhausts comes from lol.
In 1990, Chad died in a hunting accident and my Dad lost all desire to work on the car. He sold it off quickly and as far as we know, it's somewhere in Georgia in someone's garage. Scouring through old family photos, there's only one I could find and my Dad keeps it in the garage on the outside freezer. He spends a lot of time out there just reminiscing over it.
When I started teaching, my first inclination was to find it and buy it back. Unfortunately, no amount of Craigslist and car ad searching turned it up. I held onto my Cobalt and just put it on the "To Do" list. In the meantime, I drooled over the new Camaros and I even remember test driving a LS3 IOM (much like Orange Crate ) one afternoon with my Dad. The car salesman let us drive it by ourselves, huge mistake, and I remember my Dad opening that poor thing up lol. We pulled into a parking lot and he let me get behind the wheel, but I was so afraid of grinding the gears and I had this fear of hurting such a beautiful car that I only took a lap around the parking lot before we drove it back to the dealer. Looking back, that was one heck of a missed opportunity lol
As I've shared before, my Dad suffered a major stroke in August 2010 and it left my Dad without the ability to truly convey what he is thinking. He hasn't really lost his cognitive thinking, he still fixes everything around our house and solves any electrical issue a neighbor or friend might have, but to figure out what he's saying takes a lot of patience and charade-like clues. After trading off nights at his side in the hospital with my Mom for a month, Dad got to come home and start rehabilitation at the house. Having quit my previous teaching job over the summer, and having plans fall through with Film School at FSU, it seemed like my entire world was collapsing in on itself. I had money saved up, so I wasn't worried about that, but it was a rough time for my entire family.
But God isn't just good, He's great.
In December, right before I took a 9-5 delivering medical supplies for a company here in town for slightly more than minimum wage, I got a teaching job with a private school. Life started to turn around.
My sister was getting ready to graduate high school that spring and I remember talking with our cousin at Garber Automall about getting her a car. It wasn't too long after that, that I tried lifting my Dad's spirit talking to him about cars. My Cobalt was an LS, nothing special, but I remember how my Dad always lit up when we talked about his old Camaro. I found myself back on these forums and showing him the cars different members had and how he'd smiled and get excited watching some of the burnout videos y'all would post.
With my new job, I started playing with the idea of getting a Camaro myself. I showed Dad the color I wanted, we went to Chevy dealers and looked at them in person, every time we'd see one, Dad would light up.
About a month after my sister got her car I talked to my cousin about ordering a Camaro. I literally walked in with every code for every feature I wanted, the discounts I knew I deserved, and told him to order it for that or let it be. Not too long after that Mina was mine, and well...I think you guys know the rest of the story
Here's the picture Dad keeps in his garage. It's old and exposed to the elements all day so it's a bit faded and falling apart, but he loves to show it off when people come over And while my car might never be the monster his was, Dad loves to help me put all of my mods on and watch my car slowly become my own. So here's to you Dad Thanks for making me who I am today.

[Lycanine]

I came to the conclusion last summer that Mina's exterior mods were over. I had a great compliment from a neighbor walking down the street. He said, "Hey, what edition of the Camaro is that?" I was really confused and asked him what he meant. He said he thought I bought my car like it is from the dealership. I explained to him that I had bought and installed these parts myself so it was actually my idea.
Now, while that may mean nothing to some of you, it meant a lot to me because it showed that my car wasn't crazy. That it looked somewhat factory. As my girlfriend would say (the non-motored one lol) "She's got class."

So with my exterior mods done, I looked around in my interior and decided that it was time to take the plunge. So, with the help of Nuclear Envoy's DIY http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244860 , I started painting my dash and door panel trim.
Without further ado, here's my process!

Here's my materials:
Long flathead screwdriver (to remove trim)
#0000 (Fine grade) Steel Wool
Graffiti Remover
Painter's tape
Magazine (to paint on)
Polish (I used Adam's Swirl and Haze and Finishing polish)
Microfiber towels/pads
3M tape
Materials I should have had :
Goo gone or adhesion remover


I started with the smallest piece in case I butchered it. To remove, it's simple. Gripping from the top, tilt the piece forward to slide your fingers behind it. Using this gap, slide the screwdriver in and locate the two clips locking the piece in place. There's a little metal clip, push down on this piece and pull out to get one side free. Repeat on the other. Now you're free! On to the hard stuff


So in order to strip the paint on the back, you have to remove the plastic clip and the adhesive holding it there. Be careful here, the plastic can definitely break, I got lucky and only chipped off a little piece. The tough part for me, was removing the adhesive. Because the panel is lexan, I was afraid to use anything that might eat through it so I used liberal amounts of the graffiti remover I bought, steel wool, and eventually a butter knife (very careful not to scratch). I believe adhesion remover will be fine, but double check the back of the product you use and see if its safe for plastic and lexan.
Next step, is to remove the paint! Now the reason I painted the back is because I love the depth of the trim, and if I had painted the whole piece it would lose that effect. So, to remove the paint you spray the graffiti remover on the paint and using steel wool, scrub away! It'll take time and at the end, it will look hazy.
***PLEASE NOTE!*** You MUST remove all paint. Since what shows through to the other side is the first layer you put down, if you don't completely remove that first layer then you are left with flecks of silver and whatever color you throw on top of it.***
When you are silver-free, you need to follow up with a fine polish to bring it back to a clear state. Adam's came in handy and I just used their polishes with a microfiber towel to clear it up and make it ready for paint.
Another note, on one small part, I tried using sandpaper to get rid of the silver. I highly advise you NOT to do this. It'll take longer and at some points seem impossible, but the steel wool is the safest bet. I have a scratch that you can't see unless you take the piece out, and even with the finer grit sandpaper, it still cuts too hard.



Now, anyone who's bothered to read the massive amount of text I've put into this journal, knows I have a blue and white theme. So knowing that the first layer is the only layer you see, I taped off a pinstripe on my trim piece to paint white as shown here.


Because I didn't want to play the guessing game with colors, I ordered two aerosol cans from automotivetouchup.com in Summit/Olympic White and Imperial Blue Metallic.


Then, I set my piece on top of old magazines, followed the instructions on the can, and sprayed my first layer of paint. I waited five minutes and gave it a second even coat and just out of caution, waited about ten minutes before I peeled off the tape...


And this is what it looked like!


Now, the next part was easy. I could cover the whole piece in IBM because as I said before, only the first layer shows through. I was careful to tape off the front of the piece though, just so I wouldn't accidentally cover the lexan. So, same process as above! I did two coats because they advised that metallics may change color if too heavy, and waited ten minutes before pulling off.


Here's a picture of how it turned out! Now I will say, at first I was super scared. I test-fitted it to my car and was like, "What have I done?!" But, a few hours later and I realized how psyched I was to do the next piece of trim


So, here's how I attached it back in. I used some 3M tape and put some on the back of the plastic tab piece. I snapped it back into my dash first. Before I put the painted trim back on, I attached another piece to the painted piece underneath the top bezel where it would hit the dash. Then, I carefully lined it up and pushed it on. It's still on two days later, and I will definitely update if it should fall off. This isn't the best picture either, I'll take more when the whole thing is complete.


Stay tuned for Part II!

[Behic2320]

Originally Posted by Lycanine

I came to the conclusion last summer that Mina's exterior mods were over. I had a great compliment from a neighbor walking down the street. He said, "Hey, what edition of the Camaro is that?" I was really confused and asked him what he meant. He said he though I bought my car like it is from the dealership. I explained to him that I had bought and installed these parts myself so it was actually my idea.
Now, while that may mean nothing to some of you, it meant a lot to me because it showed that my car wasn't crazy. That it looked somewhat factory. As my girlfriend would say (the non-motored one lol) "She's got class."

So with my exterior mods done, I looked around in my interior and decided that it was time to take the plunge. So, with the help of Nuclear Envoy's DIY http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244860 , I started painting my dash and door panel trim.
Without further ado, here's my process!

Here's my materials:
Long flathead screwdriver (to remove trim)
#0000 (Fine grade) Steel Wool
Graffiti Remover
Painter's tape
Magazine (to paint on)
Polish (I used Adam's Swirl and Haze and Finishing polish)
Microfiber towels/pads
3M tape
Materials I should have had :
Goo gone or adhesion remover
Attachment 523288

I started with the smallest piece in case I butchered it. To remove, it's simple. Gripping from the top, tilt the piece forward to slide your fingers behind it. Using this gap, slide the screwdriver in and locate the two clips locking the piece in place. There's a little metal clip, push down on this piece and pull out to get one side free. Repeat on the other. Now you're free! On to the hard stuff
Attachment 523289

So in order to strip the paint on the back, you have to remove the plastic clip and the adhesive holding it there. Be careful here, the plastic can definitely break, I got lucky and only chipped off a little piece. The tough part for me, was removing the adhesive. Because the panel is lexan, I was afraid to use anything that might eat through it so I used liberal amounts of the graffiti remover I bought, steel wool, and eventually a butter knife (very careful not to scratch). I believe adhesion remover will be fine, but double check the back of the product you use and see if its safe for plastic and lexan.
Next step, is to remove the paint! Now the reason I painted the back is because I love the depth of the trim, and if I had painted the whole piece it would lose that effect. So, to remove the paint you spray the graffiti remover on the paint and using steel wool, scrub away! It'll take time and at the end, it will look hazy.
***PLEASE NOTE!*** You MUST remove all paint. Since what shows through to the other side is the first layer you put down, if you don't completely remove that first layer then you are left with flecks of silver and whatever color you throw on top of it.***
When you are silver-free, you need to follow up with a fine polish to bring it back to a clear state. Adam's came in handy and I just used their polishes with a microfiber towel to clear it up and make it ready for paint.
Another note, on one small part, I tried using sandpaper to get rid of the silver. I highly advise you NOT to do this. It'll take longer and at some points seem impossible, but the steel wool is the safest bet. I have a scratch that you can't see unless you take the piece out, and even with the finer grit sandpaper, it still cuts too hard.

Attachment 523290

Now, anyone who's bothered to read the massive amount of text I've put into this journal, knows I have a blue and white theme. So knowing that the first layer is the only layer you see, I taped off a pinstripe on my trim piece to paint white as shown here.
Attachment 523291

Because I didn't want to play the guessing game with colors, I ordered two aerosol cans from automotivetouchup.com in Summit/Olympic White and Imperial Blue Metallic.
Attachment 523292

Then, I set my piece on top of old magazines, followed the instructions on the can, and sprayed my first layer of paint. I waited five minutes and gave it a second even coat and just out of caution, waited about ten minutes before I peeled off the tape...
Attachment 523293

And this is what it looked like!
Attachment 523294

Now, the next part was easy. I could cover the whole piece in IBM because as I said before, only the first layer shows through. I was careful to tape off the front of the piece though, just so I wouldn't accidentally cover the lexan. So, same process as above! I did two coats because they advised that metallics may change color if too heavy, and waited ten minutes before pulling off.
Attachment 523295

Here's a picture of how it turned out! Now I will say, at first I was super scared. I test-fitted it to my car and was like, "What have I done?!" But, a few hours later and I realized how psyched I was to do the next piece of trim
Attachment 523296

So, here's how I attached it back in. I used some 3M tape and put some on the back of the plastic tab piece. I snapped it back into my dash first. Before I put the painted trim back on, I attached another piece to the painted piece underneath the top bezel where it would hit the dash. Then, I carefully lined it up and pushed it on. It's still on two days later, and I will definitely update if it should fall off. This isn't the best picture either, I'll take more when the whole thing is complete.
Attachment 523297

Stay tuned for Part II!

Looks great!!!!

[Dznts]

awesome build! car looks great!