Nicky's Spec C Detailed

Rob Spec C

Octane Boostaholics
This was done so long ago, I always meant to post it up but just never got around to it until my mate as asking me to put up a few threads on detailing replublic. You'll have to forgive the pics. Back then I didn't know how to get any sort of decent swirl or 50/50 pics. Meant to post it up so many times but never got round to it. I'm sure most of you know how much care Nicky gives his car and its great to see the condition the car is still in over 2 years later. All thats on the car now are very light swirls which are unavoidable over time but because he's looked after the car so well, all that would be required to bring the paint back to its best again is a very light polish as opposed to have to cut deep into the paint.

So I drove down to Arklow to do a job on Nicky’s Spec C, Nicky had arranged to use a recently built garage belonging to a mate of his. I have to say that the garage was unbelievable and I’ll probably be having wet dreams about having one like that for years to come.

So, on to business… The car had little or no protection on it to start with and was quite dirty so I mixed up a strong snow foam mix using Supa snow foam, Meg’s APC, Meg’s Super Degreaser and Meg’s Hyperwash. Car was then foamed with my Autobrite foam lance and a Karcher 550M pressure washer. There aren’t too many pics of the wash stage unfortunately as my camera was broken and we only managed to get more later on because Nicky went home to get his SLR.

Snow foam/wash
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While the foam was doing its thing, I went around the car with a megs slide lock detailing brush and triple duty detailing brush to get into all the nooks and crannies. Then the 2BM was used to wash the car using Dodo juice BTBM shampoo and various lambs wool and microfiber mitts. Inner door sills, then wheel arches were sprayed with a 4:1 dilution of APC, agitated and rinsed clean. Wheels were cleaned with Bilberry safe wheel cleaner from a foaming trigger sprayer and rinsed down. Car was then dried with a Microfiber drying towel. Car was then detarred using meg’s bug and tar and AG intensive tar remover, (not too impressed with either of these so will have to get some tardis next time I’m up north). The car was then foamed again to remove any traces of tar remover from the paintwork.

I then brought the car inside to be dried, then clayed with meg’s clay and PB spray and gloss was used as lube. This was followed by an IPA wipedown in preparation for polishing. Nicky now had his camera so some photo’s after IPA wipedown:

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Onto the polishing… Had to be very careful with this as the Spec C paint is so thin so I started with a Menzerna 106FA on a meg’s polishing pad with my Kestrel DAS-6 and it was struggling to make any indent so I upped the polish to Menzerna 203S and this left a fantastic finish on the paint with no need to refine so I stuck with it. Don’t have many before photos as Nicky dropped the ball on camera duty but here are the pics that we have: (Each after shot is after IPA wipedown)

Spoiler before
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During
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After
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Bootlid before
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Bootlid After
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Driver’s side rear Quarter after
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Bonnet After
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Driver door after reflection
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There was a scratch on the front drivers light which I polished down to where its barely noticeable but I’ll have to sand it at some stage to fully remove it. I then polished the swirls from the rear lights.

Lights polished
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The car was then taken outside again to wash and remove all polish residue from the car. The engine bay was cleaned, degreased at the same time. Then the car was back inside to be dried and finished off. Engine bay was dressed using 303 Aerospace protectant for the plastics and FK1000P for the carbon fibre. No pics unfortunately as Nicky dropped the ball again.

I chose to use Autoglym HD wax on Nicky’s car over my other Dodo wax as I tried it on my own a few weeks ago and it left a lovely finish so thought it would be great on white. The exhaust was polished with autosol and sealed with FK1000P hi-temp sealant. The wheels were left unprotected as the new paint still needs at least another week to fully set. Tyres were dressed with Meg’s Endurance tyre gel. External Plastics/Trim were treated with Chemical guys New look Trim gel. Exterior rubbers dressed with 303 Protectant. Windows were cleaned, treated and sealed with the Carlack twins, nanotech sealant.

Randomly Assembled Afters
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cant believe this was 2 years ago , remember calling out and been amazed by the snowfoam , really done a cracking job Rob
 
[quote author=AndyC link=topic=34119.msg391467#msg391467 date=1335038131]
No pictures?
[/quote]

They are all there Andy, try reload maybe? :dontknow:
 
Love that car, excellent work on the detail, great pics, will be looking something similar late June!!!
 
amazing job robbie :clap: :clap: gorgeous car nick :thumbsup: we'll have to organise a group detailing meet at some stage
 
Thanks lads :thumbsup:

[quote author=scoobycolm link=topic=34119.msg391482#msg391482 date=1335042253]
was this the job you done before scoobfest
[/quote]

It was about 5/6 months before scoobfest 2010 I think, not sure though and then Nicky brought it up to me to do a top up job on it the day before scoobfest. It did look pretty that day :smile:
 
Doesn't seem like 2yrs ago :icon_omg:

I and like the majority here probably never really properly washed or knew how to wash a car in a way to minimise swirls and scratches,
it was always a trip to the motor factor to pick up a bottle of turtle wax car wash liquid and the dreaded :new_2gunsfiring_v1: SPONGE

or back a bit further in time and it was like what my auld man would do on a Sunday to clean the Renault, out with the bucket of water and sponge, with a splash of fairy liquid and 10mins later job was done :icon_biggrin:

The detailing and paint correction aspect is an eye opener and hats off to Robbie, he fooking loves it and it shows in the finished product, it was brilliant to see how its done and also how much time and effort goes into getting a quality finish :icon_pray: :icon_pray:

and too his credit Robbie explained how to keep the paint work in good condition and gave loads of advise on products to use and how to use them, also the tools needed ie lambs wool wash mitts, foaming lance and buckets and grit guards,

and that's how its been washed from then til now :thumbsup:

Cheers Robbie :xmas_cheers:
 
[quote author=Nic Spec C link=topic=34119.msg391510#msg391510 date=1335086800]

or back a bit further in time and it was like what my auld man would do on a Sunday to clean the Renault, out with the bucket of water and sponge, with a splash of fairy liquid and 10mins later job was done :icon_biggrin:


[/quote]

What's wrong with the ol bucket and fairy liquid method.... I still wash my car that way Nic. :ponder2:
 
Savage work there Robbie, the end result is fantastic.
As for the car Nicky, beautiful as ever!
 
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