Rich Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 This detail has been planned for quite a while now, since the middle of last year and I've finally got around to doing it. I had to spread it out over 4-5 days and probably 40 odd hours as it was very bad! I spent a whole day just cleaning the muck off it, washing it and claying. It was looking so much better already but still had a long way to go to restore it's former shine, it just didn't look right in pink! This has been my hardest detail yet and I found working on single stage paint a lot trickier than clearcoat. I wasn't aiming for total swirl removal but just to get it back to red, although I think I did manage to remove a lot of the heavier swirling. This was also my first time with a rotary and wool but I found it very easy, in fact it was easier than when I had my DA and without the vibration. I also sanded the wiper arms and sprayed them hammerite smooth as the paint was flaking a lot. Products used for the wash stage Valet Pro Orange Pre-Wash Autosmart Shampoo Smartwax Shampoo Autosmart Tardis Bilt Hamber Surfex Bilt Hamber Medium Clay Smartwax Clay Bar Meguiars APC Meguiars Last Touch Products used for the polishing stage Gtechniq P1 Gtechniq Wool Pad Gtechniq Medium Pad 3M Yellow & Blue Spot Pads Products used for the LSP stage Smartwax Glaze Smartwax Sealant Smartwax Concours Wax Smartwax Metal Polish Smartwax Smart Glass Optimum Opti-Seal Autosmart Trim Wizard Zaino Z6 Photos show just how bad it was before but they don't really do the finished result any justice, it looks awesome in the flesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Wow, i'm totally impressed..... That went from scrapper to a PH classic sale in no time.. Detailing world and ITD have served you well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 that's quite a transformation who's car is it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 ER's chariot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagitar Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Amazing! vive la différence . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 dint know you had a 3i mate..came up good that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Wow , shame on you for letting it get so bad though !! I had a 86 model same colour , looked great when polished up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Wow, i'm totally impressed..... That went from scrapper to a PH classic sale in no time.. Detailing world and ITD have served you well. Pink to red is always the best transformation that's quite a transformation who's car is it ER's chariot It's actually my brother's car although I've had it up here for the last 16 months. I was using it while the Mondeo was being broken and looking for another car. It should've gone back to Essex the end of last year/start of this year but with everything going on it was left. I would love to keep it as a second car if I had the money but there is no way I would have it around here anyway. All the black stuff on the roof and bonnet is actually tree sap and it only took a few months for it get in that state. I just haven't noticed it before as we've always had dark coloured cars. There is some on the missus Civic as well, which I need to remove but most of it washes off. On the Escort it was very tough though so needed scrubbing and claying to shift it. I think that is down to it having no clearcoat so it stuck to the paint. Amazing! vive la différence . . . . Thanks dint know you had a 3i mate..came up good that Not mine to keep though! Being sold when it goes back but needs some welding done first and put through the MOT. Wow , shame on you for letting it get so bad though !! I had a 86 model same colour , looked great when polished up It was already pink when I got it off my brother...his cars are lucky to get a wash, never mind a polish and wax! When he bought it it was red with patches of pink but it didn't take long for it to go completely pink. The mould/tree sap is down to me though and where I live. Normal washing wouldn't remove it so I decided to leave it until I machine polished it, it's just that it took longer for me to do that than expected so it got pretty bad. Still, it makes the before and after photos better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMARTLY Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Looks like a barn find, could you put some of that coloured was on the scrapes? I've never been able to get it to work myself mind. What about the wheels? Good job there ER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 shame its not a mk3 or it mite of been going missing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Good job mate, well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Cheers mate I had someone round last night to collect something they won on ebay. The first thing he said when I opened the door was nice Escort! He also has an XR3i with RS kit fitted and said he thought his was clean until he saw this. Makes it worthwhile when you get comments like that Looks like a barn find, could you put some of that coloured was on the scrapes? I've never been able to get it to work myself mind. What about the wheels? Good job there ER They will be getting some welding done so might get the bumpers touched up. The reason the tailgate was red is cos it had some rust sorted a while ago and resprayed. Wheels just had a clean as they need a refurb. The paint is flaking badly so not much I could do with them, which is a shame as they would really finish the look off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted May 21, 2012 Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 I know somewhere you can get the wheels refurbished Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 I would love to get them refurbished for them but I can't afford it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMARTLY Posted May 21, 2012 Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Doesn't Tony want some test wheels to make sure the equipment is working Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIH Posted May 21, 2012 Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 wow Rich that looks immense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parthiban Posted May 21, 2012 Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Unbelievable transformation, that's stunning work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Cheers Doesn't Tony want some test wheels to make sure the equipment is working Mmmm, I can't see Tony going for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Posted May 21, 2012 Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 I dont think you cleaned it really. You just dug out some old photos of the car from 1986/7 to show as the after shots srsly though fantastic results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Got me sussed there....if only it was so easy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.