2015 Corvette Stingray C7 3LT-Z51 – Laguna Blue - PBL Coating - By: Detailed Reflection Auto Spa

[Tato]

Wow, what a work!, and incredible results shown.

I always enjoy your forum participations and this time you definitively set the bar very high, we are looking forward for what's next!

Thanks for sharing, and sure,

Congrats on this one.

Kind Regards.

 

[KS_Detailing]

Great job & really enjoyed reading your write uprops:

For me however doing this IS NOT about watching a clock. I’ll spend as much time as it takes, doing things the way I’d do it no matter what type of vehicle, with total and complete OCD and as if every - single - vehicle - were my own. Recently there was a thread where a guy said someone told him he was taking too long. When I showed that to CarMomma and said that the guy said he was told he should be moving faster, she simply said this “It takes as long as it takes. If the owner isn’t going to do it for himself, then what does it matter how long you take to do it, as long as it’s done right.” Ah the woes of not doing production work.

I think you were referring to my thread. It is difficult to detail under someone else's clock.

 

[POPPAJ]

Cardaddy, thanks so much for the detailed write up and photos. Absolute artistry shows in your work. You da man!

Pity those that passed up your post because it wasn't a quick read.

 

[Jaretr1]

IF I could afford a new Stingray that is the color I would have! Awesome!

 

[Justin at Final Inspection]

Great job! I too also use the CCS 5.5in pads on my 3401 and they tend to work great.

I have a Red C7 ZO6 coming in next month for a correction and PBL coating as soon as he takes delivery. Been reading every C7 thread I can to see what everyone is using on them. Thanks again for the great write up!

 

[cardaddy]

Well Brother, Outstanding job!!!! the wheels turned out great.

Was it concrete in the barrels? ( if so Backset is your best friend)

Thanks for taking the time to share.......I knew this was going to be a good one!

Great job Tony!

Thanks brother, good to hear from you today.

Sorry everyone for not replying earlier, been fighting with a massive ear & sinus infection all week. (Scary when you find you're swallowing fresh blood.) The worst part however has been the ear ringing. Couldn't freaking think for DAYS it was so loud. And of course after a few days with the ear/sinus thing I ended up with the flu (again). Twice in a month!

Tim, it didn't seem so much like cement as far as texture goes. But it had to be some sort of slurry, but was sticking more like an epoxy mix. I'm putting up more photos, I'll let you judge.

Backset is a new one to me, but I'll look that up for sure. :xyxthumbs:

Wow! Phenomenal work on that Laguna blue beauty Tony! What an amazing depth write up.

Thanks for taking the time to write it up and share with us here. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.

I wanted to make sure I was on my Mac pro/retina to fully get a feel for this post hence the late response.

Call me crazy but id probably eat FG400. LOL

Thanks Mike, it was a bit of a 'read' for sure.

Surprised nobody said anything about the quality control issues. :dunno: I know that spoiler ticked me off and it wasn't even my car! :bat:

So you'd just as soon eat FG400 huh? Whew... must be that jet fuel getting to ya'.

Absolutely beautiful work and great documentation. What a pleasure it must've been to work on that vette...

Thank you Caleb. I gotta' say... it wasn't as painful as a 'beater' to work on that's for sure.

Golly day Tony. What a great story and fantastic work as always. But of course you already know that. Question. What made you decide to use a GG6 on some tougher areas compared to the forced rotation of the 3401? And hey listen, I fully understand it taking 37 hours instead of 30 hours that a young guy may use. We're not rubber like we once were. I know it take me a good while just to do my daily driver. If I had to do that Vette I might have needed a month with such a low body and low panels. LOL

Why did I use the GG6 on the small areas? I already had it out with the 5½" microfiber pads and was going to do the wheels with the 4" pads. Honestly, it's easier to work with in those narrow areas, (tops of the doors, tops of the back fenders, A-Pillars, bottoms of the rockers) than the Flex is. As for what I did with the Flex... this one was to see if I actually needed to switch to a smaller pad (including the much heralded "Hybrid Pads" which I have in 4 colors), OR could I do it all with the 6½" CCS pads. The big CCS pads had absolutely no problem getting the job done.:dblthumb2:

It was in those areas I mentioned however, where a 4" pad is really the best option.

Great work

Maybe use some "FrankenDetailer" on it when it come back for a spring touch up

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

Now where would I find any of that stuff Roger?

Seems to be slick though!

 

[cardaddy]

Hi Tony...


•Sometimes we can’t escape pain; pain can act as an essential nature of our lives.
-Pain can be so severe: as to take our breath away.

•Sure...we have a couple of "painful-choices":
-give in and relent; or:
-fight and persevere.

•I'm glad you chose the latter. For, within this thread:
-You've created "detailing-moments" that take my breath away!!


Bob

Bob.... what can I say.... I think you've pretty much captured my state of mind as of late my friend. :thankyousign:

Of course this week I've ended up with a sinus and ear infection that somehow managed to go full blown flu again. Still can't drive, just feel waaaaay too loopy.

What's even more frustrating was that this week BCBS denied my surgery. (Not like I could do it while sick, but they're backing out no matter.) Case studies showing pain scores dropping across the board from 8.7 to .9 yet they claim it's "experimental/investigational". Well... unless I have a tumor, bone infection, or perhaps have been run over by a bulldozer.

Wow, what a work!, and incredible results shown.

I always enjoy your forum participations and this time you definitively set the bar very high, we are looking forward for what's next!

Thanks for sharing, and sure,

Congrats on this one.

Kind Regards.

Thank you for your support Rafael. It's great to know that in Brazil you and I still share the same passion. rops:

Great job & really enjoyed reading your write uprops:

I think you were referring to my thread. It is difficult to detail under someone else's clock.

It may have been yours, come to think of it.

Like CarMomma said, "It takes as long as it takes." She's seen me turn something that a young gun would do in a 10~12 hour day into a 3 day ordeal more times than not. :laughing: As long as I'm not working for less than $20 an hour I can live with it. Always quote what you think you need, then if it takes a bit more time, so be it. As long as you over deliver, the customer will always be happy.

Cardaddy, thanks so much for the detailed write up and photos. Absolute artistry shows in your work. You da man!

Pity those that passed up your post because it wasn't a quick read.

That is great to hear Poppa!
I've always like to read, and of course I've always been a bit of a story teller. That made me friends when I was a Scout Leader, because I'd read the stuff they didn't want to, (or couldn't) then ad-lib our projects and have fun along the way, which kept the boys interested. And if they're interested, they'll keep completing tasks, which keeps them getting more belt loops, pins, loops, etc.

OTOH CarMomma will tell ya' I talk too much. :laughing:

IF I could afford a new Stingray that is the color I would have! Awesome!

I'm with you there!:dblthumb2:

When the owner first called I told him that was my FAVORITE color! Very close to the color Vette I had years ago. (Long before Laguna Blue was a factory color I had one done with 18 coats of metallic blue lacquer.)

Great job! I too also use the CCS 5.5in pads on my 3401 and they tend to work great.

I have a Red C7 ZO6 coming in next month for a correction and PBL coating as soon as he takes delivery. Been reading every C7 thread I can to see what everyone is using on them. Thanks again for the great write up!

I'd bet the 5½" pads would work great. I just have so many 6½" units (a lot of which have never been opened) that I decided to try it. I honestly don't think I could have picked a more difficult car to use such a large pad on! But with the Flex it really didn't make a difference. I mean SURE, you need to be careful on edges, body lines, in valleys, but with the thickness of the pad it really was just a matter of finessing the machine and not digging in anywhere. I started to change to the smaller pads, or the hybrids that I bought with the Flex but I was determined to try and make these big suckers work.

Solid red or metallic?

Either way, you'll enjoy the challenge it presents. I'd say remove the top, and don't even THINK of buffing it with that top in place. I pulled it right away and put it inside the car. (This one was the transparent polycarbonate panel.) Some places getting taped off are a bit of a pain as well. Not so much the trim, (trim is trim is trim) but trying to cover all the rubber. I pulled the hatch up and got all of the weather stripping covered. Also got all of it done around the hood, which in places is a PITA, especially at the front.


Anywho....
HERE ARE SOME OF THE REST OF THE WHEEL SHOTS.























http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/90807

 

[HateSwirls]

Great work as always Tony.
You know your stuff

Hoping all goes well with your back.
Take care my friend

 

[cardaddy]

Great work as always Tony.
You know your stuff

Hoping all goes well with your back.
Take care my friend

Thanks Kevin.

Not sure you'd have put up with me taking that much time in your shop. Old man working slow, ya' know. :laughing:


Yeah... that back thing... time to try for an appeal on that one.
Did find out that the AMA has release a new pay code/classification for SI fusion that went effective January10, 2015. So many insurance companies were basing their decisions on the old 'code' (falling under experimental/investigational) CPT section even though that said nothing about the actual results, just that the "procedure" was still new and there may/may not be as much pier supported review/data as with older procedures. When the truth is they should be looking at this type of surgery as minimally invasive (as opposed to an open surgery) and extremely successful. Instead they just looked at the CPT code and left it at that.

This new CPT Code "Current Procedural Terminology" is a category 1 (rather than a cat III) as specified by the AMA, and should go a long way towards getting insurance companies in getting their collective heads out of their rear ends and actually HELPING people.

"Specifically, the MIS procedure is now recognized as an accepted standard of care for patients requiring sacroiliac joint fusion for conditions including sacroiliac joint dysfunction that is a direct result of sacroiliac joint disruptions and degenerative sacroiliitis."

Although BCBS has referenced the new before/after date(s) (1-10-2015) when applying for approval, but are still using the old CPT codes. With their biggest rationale (for denial) being from studies done as far back as 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, & 2009 with very little being relied upon from the last 2~4 years. (And those new ones show remarkable results!)

The new data however shows a far different solution than their (and others) archaic position on the procedure.

Anywho.... thanks Kev' for taking a look. rops:

 

[fly07sti]

Great work Tony! I am a fairly young man (36) and I would probably spend about the same amount of time. I have always enjoyed detailing and like to enjoy the process. I also only do it on the side, so it doesn't become "work" and take the fun/therapy out of it for me. Keep up
the great work man.

 

[cardaddy]

Great work Tony! I am a fairly young man (36) and I would probably spend about the same amount of time. I have always enjoyed detailing and like to enjoy the process. I also only do it on the side, so it doesn't become "work" and take the fun/therapy out of it for me. Keep up
the great work man.

Thanks for the compliments indeed.

Yeah... I remember 36, it was the Spring of 93, I'd been in the towing business 8 years by then. Now THAT was work.

I'm with you though on detailing, fun & therapy. :xyxthumbs: While projects like this one are more pleasant than some, if for no other reason you get to concentrate on making things the way they should have been, (rather than spending days cleaning up junk food, road grime, and filth). Yet at the end of the day if you have to pump them out all day, every day, it gets a bit old. Thankfully I have the time to spend on most of my projects that they truly deserve.