Washing your beloved Camaro

[Disqualified]

Hi guys, I found something on the supra forums that looks like it will give the Camaro an amazing finish.. I in no way take credit for writing this, as I did not. I'd like to thank VIPImports for posting this write up, and sharing. Enjoy!

Originally Posted by VIPimports.com

I am frequently asked how to achieved the wet-mirrored finish that all of my black cars have, including the '98 Supra I sold to Peter Blach that many of you may have seen at the recent Texas Meet. Below I've demonstrated my process on a 18k mile black Supra I recently purchased. As a favor, SW inspected the car for me and held it until transport could be arranged. SW indicated that I may want to repaint the hood to make the car perfect.

The processes I'm outlining below can actually take something that many would say needs paint work and revive it to as new, or even a better than new finish! This Supra has the potential to be very close to a 10 out of 10, but has a few surface scratches and the hood has a quite a few scratches, swirls, and a few rock chips. I also removed the front bumper and had it repainted due to having a front plate attached.

Step 1:
Wash car and locate in well lit area--use brightest light you can get. Use 500KW Halogen lights if you have them.

Step 2:
Assess the job and determine whether you need just a polish and how aggressive of a cut, or need to clay bar if there is overspray or contaminents, or even wet sand if there are swirls, scratches, and other contaminents to be removed. I would normally tape off the panels to be wet-sanded and/or buffed, but in this case since I haven't detailed the rest of the car yet, I did not do so.

Step 3:
Obtain the products to be used. I didn't bother taking a picture of the common items, Orbital buffer, foam pads, micro fiber applicators and cloths, spray bottles, etc. Pick both the polishing compound and finishing product of your preference (everyone has different opinions on what works best). Below are some other products that I use when doing wet-sanding and touch-ups:


Step 4:
Wet Sanded hood and fenders to remove scratches and other contaminents in paint - you can use anything from 2,000G to 3,000G. I used a combintation of 2500 and 3000 (Can use Clay bar instead if the car is in good condition).


Step 5:
The wet-sanding/clay barring allows you to identify any chips or marks that require touch-up. You clean each one with Acryla-Clean and then thin the touch up with the Duracryl and fill each spot. Repeat application to each spot as they are dry enough to allow another layer until the level of the paint in each chip is higher than the level of the surrounding paint. Allow the touch-ups to dry over night and then use a small piece of the sanding block on end and a small piece of wet sand paper (2500 or 3000G) and press down on each touch-up area and sand it smooth with the rest of the paint--being very careful not to go through the paint! If done properly, after buffing you will never be able to tell where the chips were located!!!

Step 6:

Once all the wet sanding was completed, including all the touch-ups, I started buffing with an orange polishing pad and intensive polish at 1,000RPM's. You want to start on one panel and buff a 1 SQ/FT area at a time. You should have two squirter bottles next to you. One with water and one with a 50/50 Alcohol and Water mixture. You need to spray the pad upon starting each area and then swirl in with the buffer pad before turning it on. Once the area is completed, use the 50/50 alcohol water mixture and a microfiber towel to wipe off and assess.

I started with each fender and then progressed to the outer hood edges and moved towards the middle:



Once all the major scratches are removed, you move to a finishing product and finishing pad and repeat the process all over. After you've polished and finished the car, you need to apply a protectant. I applied a glaze product follow by Zaino Grand Finale.

Here is the final result of the hood and front fenders--literally a show car finish with not a single scratch to be found and just liquid, wet looking! The hood definitely does not need a repaint as it is perfect. If you do the touch-up process properly, nobody will ever be able to tell where the chips were. I now just have the doors and rear of the car to go and then finish the detailing of the engine bay, under carriage, etc. Special mention & Thanks to Steve Smith who showed me the thinning/touch-up process a number of years ago and also gave the the lead on where to obtain the products!!

Now, I think that came out amazing. and I think it coming out like that for a 14 year old car, is.. incredible.

Once again, I'll be quoted VIPImports from Supraforums. Here is some work done on a Nissan GTR, however it was professionally detailed with 1800$ worth of products. But hey! you can't beat that shine! I am not the one who wrote either of these 'write-ups' for the record.

Originally Posted by VIPimports.com

It has been a while since I've posted any detail photos up here. This time I didn't do the work--instead I used Aaron (SF Member "Grouse"). He did an amazing detail on my GT-R using Swissvax products, including Paul Dalton's Crystal Rock. I have been using Aaron for all of my details for the past year or so. He is without a doubt the most talented detailer I've ever worked with.

Below are some photos of the products and the car during and after the detail

Here are photos of the detailing SwissVax products - hard to believe this is $1800 worth of products and one of those two jars is the Crystal Rock.


Crystal Rock Certificate that includes a serial number and Paul Dalton's signature


Here is a shot of just some of the equipment Aaron utilized to complete the two day detail! Aaron has a portable trailer he tows to each customer's place with more detailing supplies than a Snap On Truck has tools! He even has tons of lights, water, electricity and a portable canopy available in case you don't have a shop for him to work in.


Next two photos of the GT-R at the end of day one. All the polishing has been completed and the Crystal Rock has been applied:



Here are photos of the finished detail. Definitely liquid mirrored black with a depth to the shine that is amazing! The level of improvement over the day we picked it up from the showroom is unreal!