White Mary Jane...Build Thread [COTW 6/11/12]

[camaro_RS]

Originally Posted by TCAT

After the clearcoat is 100% dry (look at the recommendations on the can), be sure to buy a good paint polish (Adams, Meguires, or whatever you prefer), and polish your way to an amazing shine. After the polish, go ahead and use a good sealer wax (something synthetic to last a long time), and you can also use a more natural wax (carnauba) to give it a wet look, but it's not necessary if the sealer is on. Carnival wax doesn't last as long as a sealer wax because the sealers tend to be more synthetic. However, the carnauba gives a great wet look, and that's why it's usually used last.

Yo TCAT thanks for the info. I've never used polish on anything before so this might be a good place to start. I did use a gloss clear (because that's really the only kind I could find) so my pieces are already glossy/shiny like. Would polishing take that off?? Never thought about waxing my interior pieces but that sounds sweet!

[camaro_RS]

My interior is not completely finished yet but it has an awesome start to it! It was stressful, haha (what isn't when DIY with this car?) but it came out awesome so far IMO.

[camaro_RS]

Originally Posted by TCAT

The interior looks awesome man!! Great job!

The polish won't take much of that clearcoat off. It's soooooo minimal, especially if done by hand. In fact, polishing is what removes the imperfections in the surface of the paint, and makes it more uniform. It will enhance the gloss to a point where you can see in it like a mirror. It's what almost all paint job processes end with. A proper polish, then wax job is crutial to upkeeping/maintenaning a perfect paint job. Polishing is usually performed after a new clearcoat paint job is completed, and it can also be performed on your car or any clearcoated paint job only if imperfections occur (and obviously only if those imperfections can be removed). For your cars exterior paint job, polishing may only be performed once per year or sometimes much less because it's only necessary to restore the finish back to an absolute perfect and even glossy finish if it's not already. If there are no imperfections, or minimal, then a wash (sometimes even a clay bar job after washing), and wax job is all that's needed or recommended. Polishing requires that some of the clearcoat is removed to even out the whole panel or painted object, such as eliminating swirl marks, hairline non-deep scratches, etc. So, that's why you should not do it all the time. The deep gloss finish you achieve from polishing is phenominal. Polishing by hand does not achieve as good of results as a electronic buffer, but for small areas like the pieces you did in the interior, a hand polish job is more than sufficient, especially on a new paint job. Adams has some good polish, and so do many other brands that you can pick up at your local retail store. In the detailing section of camaro5, watch some of Adams videos or Junkman's. You can also look up the videos on youtube.

Thanks for the compliment, man!! Maybe sometime in the near future I'll polish/wax all the interior pieces to get that effect! That'd be awesome.

Yeah, I for sure need my car polished because of the nasty paint swirls I have. I either need a PC or someone with a PC to help me do that....but it's something high on my to do list. Thanks for the info TCAT.

[camaro_RS]

Am doing a couple more interior pieces (the lower center console pieces that run the length of the console) and adding more clear to the steering wheel and tach/speedo bezels. It's amazing how much faster and easier taking those pieces out goes after having done it once already.

I was going to paint the pieces today but it's raining outside so I'll do it tomorrow.

On another note....I disconnected the battery to take the airbag off the steering wheel and shut everything up in the trunk with it still disconnected. Couldn't open the trunk at all so I pulled down the back seat (as far as it would go because my front driver seat couldn't move forward) and crawled back in there...after having to pull everything out....to reconnect it.

Note to self and to others.....DON'T DO THAT!!

[camaro_RS]

Finished a couple more things on the interior. Nothing new but it looks awesome so far IMO.

[McSleepyx9]

How much did it cost for all 4 of your 20" black chrome havoc wheels?

i think their sick and i want the same for my future camaro

also, can i add thoose same rims to a LS model?

[camaro_RS]

Originally Posted by McSleepyx9

How much did it cost for all 4 of your 20" black chrome havoc wheels?

i think their sick and i want the same for my future camaro

also, can i add thoose same rims to a LS model?

Yeah man those will fit on an LS for sure. Quite a few vendors sell them on here just do a search through the vendors and you'll find the best price. I got them from Xplosiveperformance.com and they did pretty good business.

[McSleepyx9]

Originally Posted by camaro_RS

Yeah man those will fit on an LS for sure. Quite a few vendors sell them on here just do a search through the vendors and you'll find the best price. I got them from Xplosiveperformance.com and they did pretty good business.

Alright thanks man!

The dealer im buying my camaro from just sent me the pics of a 2011 camaro he found and it looks exactly how your was when you first bough it! Still dont know the price on it though and the model (prob 1LT due to the rims) , but im so excited to finally get my camaro and eventually make it similar to urs (urs is like my future dream car) hehe im only 18 also so the cheaper the better. But thanks for the info man!!

[camaro_RS]

Originally Posted by McSleepyx9

Alright thanks man!

The dealer im buying my camaro from just sent me the pics of a 2011 camaro he found and it looks exactly how your was when you first bough it! Still dont know the price on it though and the model (prob 1LT due to the rims) , but im so excited to finally get my camaro and eventually make it similar to urs (urs is like my future dream car) hehe im only 18 also so the cheaper the better. But thanks for the info man!!

Nice, man!! Good luck with your car!

Yeah these wheels are definitely on the cheaper side compared to a lot of the wheels for the 5th gen, plus I think they look great so that makes for a great buy.

Let me know if you have any other questions on making your car your own! I'd be glad to help.

[McSleepyx9]

Originally Posted by camaro_RS

Nice, man!! Good luck with your car!

Yeah these wheels are definitely on the cheaper side compared to a lot of the wheels for the 5th gen, plus I think they look great so that makes for a great buy.

Let me know if you have any other questions on making your car your own! I'd be glad to help.

Haha oh man im deffinetly gonna be bothering you for a while once I get my camaro haha ! I still have alot to learn! But nonetheless thank you so far!

[camaro_RS]

Originally Posted by McSleepyx9

Haha oh man im deffinetly gonna be bothering you for a while once I get my camaro haha ! I still have alot to learn! But nonetheless thank you so far!

Haha no problem man. I wasn't a car enthusiast when I got this car and I've learned tons since then so I know where you're coming from!

[camaro_RS]

WMJ got rear ended yesterday. Some jaggoff in a truck was following too close at a stop light and all of the sudden....BUMP!! Got out immediately to look and his truck was too close for me to see if any damage had been done. I told him to move his truck back and when I went to look there was only minor rub marks that came off with my finger. Score!!!!! The Razzi rear diffuser is indestructible! Didn't leave a dent, scratch, or a scuff in the paint. Looks brand new still. I consider myself lucky in that incident because it could have been worse.

[aquablueL99]

Interior looks GREAT...doing a real nice job presenting her..Congrats...ABL99

[camaro_RS]

Originally Posted by aquablueL99

Interior looks GREAT...doing a real nice job presenting her..Congrats...ABL99

Thanks a lot for the compliments abl99!! You keep doing what you're doing with that abl beast of yours. The build is awesome!!