Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 7
BLACKFIRE One Step Topped with PBL Surface Coating - 2019 Chevy Impala
A repeat customer brought me his 2019 Chevrolet Impala (from Fort Myers, Florida), for a maintenance detail. I detailed this car just about a year ago using the BLACKFIRE One Step and topping with BLACKFIRE BlackIce.
This time, I broke the rules and instead of topping the BLACKFIRE One Step with a conventional wax or sealant, (BLACKFIRE BlackIce is a sealant), I chose to top the BLACKFIRE One Step, (an AIO that protects with a synthetic sealant, not a wax), with one of my favorite products, Pinnacle Black Label Surface Coating.
Why?
That's why.
Now I know some of you will say,
Hey Mike, won't the sealant in the BLACKFIRE One Step prevent the Surface Coating from bonding to the paint?
Good question. My answer is, that's not my experience. I do this to my own car. So I see the results on a daily basis. Also, I believe the carrying agent used in the PBL Surface coating is strong enough to self-etch the coating to the paint.
So everyone can do as they see right for themselves but because I've used this combo on my own car for couple of years now it works for me. So knowing the owner takes METICULOUS care of this car including washing it carefully and blowing the car dry with a leaf blower, (blowing a car dry means nothing TOUCHES the paint i.e. wears off the coating), that I chose to use my process for my own car on his car.
Here's a few pictures from this detailing job, I'll let the final results pictures do the talking...
Because the car was driven approximately 140 miles for bout 3 hours - she needed to be washed.
At my last 3-day car detailing class, my good friend Jim Lafeber, aka Dr. Beasley's - shared a brand new product in his line, Prep Wash. It's a product that sole purpose is to be used as a waterless wash to clean a dirty car BUT NOT ADD ANYTHING via the process. By this I mean, it's not going to add carnauba, SiO2, Graphene, polymers, silicones, or ANYTHING. It's JUST for cleaning. I've been looking for a product like this for years. Most of you know I normally use SONAX Glass Cleaner for a waterless wash because all it does is clean. It doesn't ADD anything. Think about it... WHY would I want to use a cleaning product that ADDS something to the exterior of the car if I'm getting ready to detail it? The answer is don't want anything on the car thus I want a product that doesn't have any extra glossing or protection ingredients - I just want clean.
Jim sent a dozen bottles of this stuff for the students in my class to use and test out and while I did demonstrate the correct technique to use this product I didn't really have a chance to clean an entire car with it. The good news is Jim in his wisdom, knowing how my classes roll, saved back one of the bottles for me to use AFTER the class. That day arrived as I used this product to waterless wash his Impala and it worked GREAT!
Apologies I wasn't smart enough to capture good before pictures showing the dead bugs on the car before I washed it... but I did get one picture showing the driver's side rear view mirror and how dirty it was from the 3-hour trip across Florida to get to Autogeek.
The entire car was as dirty as you see this mirror.
Spray, spray, spray... then wipe, wipe wipe.
Clean. That's all. Just clean. Exactly what I want. :xyxthumbs:
And of course, I washed the entire car using this product and now by bottle is almost empty.
Process
After washing the car with the Dr. Beasley's Prep Wash, here's what I did,
1: Using an ultra fine grade clay, I clayed all the paint and glass.
2: Using the FLEX Supa BEAST, six RUPES 180mm yellow CP foam pads and BLACKFIRE One Step - I machine corrected all the paint.
3: Using a small patch of an edgeless microfiber towel, I applied the PBL Surface Coating to the entire exterior of the car, paint, glass and plastic.
Here are the results...
As many of you know, the BLACKFIRE One Step offers great correction and polishing power and it wipes off super easy when you let if fully dry. This is why I like to use it. It works great and it's easy to use. Win/Win.
The PBL Surface Coating creates amazing gloss and slickness and it to is super easy to use. Win/Win/Win
Use my combo at your own discretion but it works for me.
On Autogeek.com
Products
BLACKFIRE One Step 32 oz. - $39.99 (the 32 ounce bottle is a better value than the 16 ounce bottle)
Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Surface Coating - $130.00
Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay - $20.00 (Not pictured but this is what I used and I used it with the Dr. Beasley's Prep Wash)
Tool
FLEX Supa BEAST - this is my name for this tool - here's the actual part number/name FLEX XCE 10-8 125 Corded Polisher - $436.00
I strongly recommend getting the optional 6" backing plate for your Supa BEAST so you can turn and churn larger pads. The factory backing plate is a 5" backing plate and too small in my opinion to leverage what this tool is capable of doing.
FLEX Multi-Polisher 6 inch Backing Plate - $25.00
Pads
RUPES D-A Yellow Fine Foam Pad - 7 Inch - $11.99 (these are 180mm in metric, which is how RUPES identifies them)
Towels
And you'll need lots of towels. I would recommend at least getting a dozen of both of these. I used the orange towels for the Prep Wash and to wipe off the BLACKFIRE One Step and used the green towels to apply and remove the PBL Surface Coating.
The Rag Company FTW Premium Orange Microfiber Towel - $5.99 each (There's no bundle deal for a dozen at the time I'm writing this article)
Cobra Forrest Green Edgeless Microfiber Polishing Cloths - 12 Pack - $19.99
A repeat customer brought me his 2019 Chevrolet Impala (from Fort Myers, Florida), for a maintenance detail. I detailed this car just about a year ago using the BLACKFIRE One Step and topping with BLACKFIRE BlackIce.
This time, I broke the rules and instead of topping the BLACKFIRE One Step with a conventional wax or sealant, (BLACKFIRE BlackIce is a sealant), I chose to top the BLACKFIRE One Step, (an AIO that protects with a synthetic sealant, not a wax), with one of my favorite products, Pinnacle Black Label Surface Coating.
Why?
- Because the PBL Surface coating is
- Super easy to apply
- Easily lasts for a year.
- Makes the paint super slick and slippery, which people LIKE.
- Makes future washing and drying faster.
- Makes drying with a leaf blower super fast and easy.
- Imparts a super high gloss look.
- Can be used on not just the paint but also the glass windows and plastic headlights and taillights.
That's why.
Now I know some of you will say,
Hey Mike, won't the sealant in the BLACKFIRE One Step prevent the Surface Coating from bonding to the paint?
Good question. My answer is, that's not my experience. I do this to my own car. So I see the results on a daily basis. Also, I believe the carrying agent used in the PBL Surface coating is strong enough to self-etch the coating to the paint.
So everyone can do as they see right for themselves but because I've used this combo on my own car for couple of years now it works for me. So knowing the owner takes METICULOUS care of this car including washing it carefully and blowing the car dry with a leaf blower, (blowing a car dry means nothing TOUCHES the paint i.e. wears off the coating), that I chose to use my process for my own car on his car.
Here's a few pictures from this detailing job, I'll let the final results pictures do the talking...
Because the car was driven approximately 140 miles for bout 3 hours - she needed to be washed.
At my last 3-day car detailing class, my good friend Jim Lafeber, aka Dr. Beasley's - shared a brand new product in his line, Prep Wash. It's a product that sole purpose is to be used as a waterless wash to clean a dirty car BUT NOT ADD ANYTHING via the process. By this I mean, it's not going to add carnauba, SiO2, Graphene, polymers, silicones, or ANYTHING. It's JUST for cleaning. I've been looking for a product like this for years. Most of you know I normally use SONAX Glass Cleaner for a waterless wash because all it does is clean. It doesn't ADD anything. Think about it... WHY would I want to use a cleaning product that ADDS something to the exterior of the car if I'm getting ready to detail it? The answer is don't want anything on the car thus I want a product that doesn't have any extra glossing or protection ingredients - I just want clean.
Jim sent a dozen bottles of this stuff for the students in my class to use and test out and while I did demonstrate the correct technique to use this product I didn't really have a chance to clean an entire car with it. The good news is Jim in his wisdom, knowing how my classes roll, saved back one of the bottles for me to use AFTER the class. That day arrived as I used this product to waterless wash his Impala and it worked GREAT!
Apologies I wasn't smart enough to capture good before pictures showing the dead bugs on the car before I washed it... but I did get one picture showing the driver's side rear view mirror and how dirty it was from the 3-hour trip across Florida to get to Autogeek.
The entire car was as dirty as you see this mirror.
Spray, spray, spray... then wipe, wipe wipe.
Clean. That's all. Just clean. Exactly what I want. :xyxthumbs:
And of course, I washed the entire car using this product and now by bottle is almost empty.
Process
After washing the car with the Dr. Beasley's Prep Wash, here's what I did,
1: Using an ultra fine grade clay, I clayed all the paint and glass.
2: Using the FLEX Supa BEAST, six RUPES 180mm yellow CP foam pads and BLACKFIRE One Step - I machine corrected all the paint.
3: Using a small patch of an edgeless microfiber towel, I applied the PBL Surface Coating to the entire exterior of the car, paint, glass and plastic.
Here are the results...
As many of you know, the BLACKFIRE One Step offers great correction and polishing power and it wipes off super easy when you let if fully dry. This is why I like to use it. It works great and it's easy to use. Win/Win.
The PBL Surface Coating creates amazing gloss and slickness and it to is super easy to use. Win/Win/Win
Use my combo at your own discretion but it works for me.
On Autogeek.com
Products
BLACKFIRE One Step 32 oz. - $39.99 (the 32 ounce bottle is a better value than the 16 ounce bottle)
Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Surface Coating - $130.00
Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay - $20.00 (Not pictured but this is what I used and I used it with the Dr. Beasley's Prep Wash)
Tool
FLEX Supa BEAST - this is my name for this tool - here's the actual part number/name FLEX XCE 10-8 125 Corded Polisher - $436.00
I strongly recommend getting the optional 6" backing plate for your Supa BEAST so you can turn and churn larger pads. The factory backing plate is a 5" backing plate and too small in my opinion to leverage what this tool is capable of doing.
FLEX Multi-Polisher 6 inch Backing Plate - $25.00
Pads
RUPES D-A Yellow Fine Foam Pad - 7 Inch - $11.99 (these are 180mm in metric, which is how RUPES identifies them)
Towels
And you'll need lots of towels. I would recommend at least getting a dozen of both of these. I used the orange towels for the Prep Wash and to wipe off the BLACKFIRE One Step and used the green towels to apply and remove the PBL Surface Coating.
The Rag Company FTW Premium Orange Microfiber Towel - $5.99 each (There's no bundle deal for a dozen at the time I'm writing this article)
Cobra Forrest Green Edgeless Microfiber Polishing Cloths - 12 Pack - $19.99
