Christmas Detail -2019 Corvette Stingray

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Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.

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Christmas Detail -2019 Corvette Stingray

Brand new Stingray with only 1,400 miles. We’ve already washed her, chemically and mechanically decontaminated her and now we’re machine polishing her to prep for a ceramic paint coating.

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:)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
haha...I was expecting Christmas lights, or something, on the car. Something more festive :)
 
***Update***


Here's what we've done so far,

  1. Wash wheels and tires first using SONAX & Tuf Shine Tire Cleaner
  2. Brushes were Speedmaster and Wheel Woollies
  3. Chemically decontaminate the paint
  4. Foam gun wash using BLACFIRE Foam Soap
  5. Rinse car
  6. Re-foam car to use the foam as a lubricant for the mechanical decontamination step.
  7. Mechanically decontaminate using the BLACKFIRE Clay Mitt
  8. Dry with Guzzler Waffle Weave drying towels
  9. Blow out cracks, crevices plus wheels and tires with the FLEX Car Blower
  10. Tape-off and cover up the black canvas top
  11. Perform a Test Spot
  12. Machine polish with Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover
  13. Pads are Buff & Shine Uro-Tec yellow foam polishing pads
  14. Tools = Griot's Garage 6" ROP and 3" mini polisher
  15. Griot's 2" Backing plate and BOSS pads conversion kit



Here's a Facebook Live video I just took showing the gloss level for the paint after machine polishing.


>>Click on Picture to watch the video<<<

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=281175372588105




Next up we're going to chemically strip the paint and the apply a ceramic paint coating.


We'll also be sealing the top with RaggTopp Canvas Protectant. It's always good when you have a BRAND NEW canvas top to start FIRST THING and start protecting. This is especially true because this Corvette is a daily driver and it rains a lot here in Florida. (it's warm rain so don't worry about us)


Stay tuned...


:)
 
A brand new car like that already needed to be polished with a swirl remover?

:-(
 
You aren't kidding. The gloss looks great in the video.

The 2" conversion kit for the peanut looks like something I could use. Eventually
 
The owner must not have given instructions to not detail it. My last two cars came to me defect free because I told the dealer I wouldn’t buy the car if it swirls.
 
It's rare to see white look THAT glossy!

What will you use to clean it further before coating, Mike?
 
Bill D said:
The owner must not have given instructions to not detail it. My last two cars came to me defect free because I told the dealer I wouldn’t buy the car if it swirls.
Click to expand...

Yes, if you order the car and it comes sold to you already it's not hard to get the dealer to skip their "detailing" and you get it mostly defect free. But if you buy a car that has been on the lot for days or weeks it's has been washed several times already, and using terrible technique which will add swirls. They often skip drying too which leads to water spots.
 
The thing is my last car did come off the lot. I insisted no washing. Who knows how long it was sitting there on the lot. I guess I got lucky. No swirls or water marks.
 
Bill D said:
A brand new car like that already needed to be polished with a swirl remover?

:-(
Click to expand...


Just curious.... did you watch the video? In it, I explained "why" we polished it. Both to remove any minor swirls or other paint defects but also to perfectly clean/remove anything off the paint to prep it for a coating.

For me, standard protocol to install a coating is a minimum of at least one machine polishing step if for no other reason to ensure the paint is clean down to the surface so the ONLY thing exposed is urethane.


:)
 
I didn’t watch it, no. You polish every new vehicle regardless, huh?
 
Bill D said:
I didn’t watch it, no. You polish every new vehicle regardless, huh?
Click to expand...

Pay attention in class Bill..he did say in prep for a coating. No telling what the dealer put on and it will interfere with the bonding of the coating.
 
I didn’t know I was “in class” but I’ll try to set aside some more time from my busy holiday schedule to review Mike’s videos
 
Bill D said:
I didn’t know I was “in class” but I’ll try to set aside some more time from my busy holiday schedule to review Mike’s videos
Click to expand...


It's all good. One of the guys I work with, a few years ago said,


No one reads anymore


And in the context of when he said it and what he was talking about he meant everyone watches videos. So I made a video and in the video I explained in detail, kind of like I explain in detail when I type, (except no one reads anymore), why I feel the need to machine polish even a brand new car.


Watch the video - don't watch the video it's all good. :xyxthumbs: But moving into 2019 you'll see me making a LOT more videos and a lot less typing.


But "yes" my personal practice is to do at least one machine polishing process to paint before using any kind of non cleaning method of sealing. This would include a carnauba wax, a synthetic sealant or a ceramic paint coating.

The only time I believe a person does not have to do at least one machine polishing process before using a non-cleaning method of sealing paint is if one is using a one-step cleaner/wax or AIO. In this case, the cleaner/wax or in the case of some products, the cleaner/sealant or cleaner/coating, is doing the cleaning or in other words the polishing.


Everyone can figure out a way that works for them but for me my practice is to machine polish before coating. If the paint is really bad then machine compound followed by machine polishing and then coating.


Also - as mentioned in the steps performed to the paint on this car in the #3 post of this thread I listed,

7. Mechanically decontaminate using the BLACKFIRE Clay Mitt


Any one that's read any number of my write-ups, answers to questions on this forum, or how-to articles would also know that my personal practice and recommendation to everyone including myself is that if I'm going to MECHANICALLY decontaminate paint then I'm already planning on and have built into my schedule at least one machine polishing process to remove any MARRING caused by the mechanical decontamination process.

Mechanical decontamination can include any of these procedures,


  1. Using detailing clay
  2. Using a Nanoskin Mitt or any other version of a Nanoskin mitt (I used the BLACKFIRE Clay Mitt)
  3. Using a Nanoskin Towel or any other version of the Nanoskin towel (I like the Optimum version of the Nanoskin towel)
  4. Using a Nanoskin pad on an orbital polisher


All 4 methods listed above are called mechanical decontamination and in my opinion and experience introduce the possibility of marring to the paint. Once the possibility exists, whether I can see it or not, I'm assuming it's taking place and thus the personal practice of doing at least one machine polishing step to remove any potential marring.


Make sense?


:cheers:
 
Bill D said:
I didn’t watch it, no. You polish every new vehicle regardless, huh?
Click to expand...

For most of us here we want to start off on the right foot, this means we take matters into our own hands, not a minimum wage porter who's either run it through their carwash or washed it with one bucket. If your doing a coating, prep is EVERYTHING, clean is clean is clean and with the coating being permanent, well, you want it flawless as hell under the coating.
 
I fully understand the prep process including the fact that the paint needs to be clean before a coating

Mike you’ll have to forgive me but I tend to skim your articles I do read what’s important. Maybe your upcoming videos will be something to look forward to next year.
 
Mike Phillips said:
Just curious.... did you watch the video? In it, I explained "why" we polished it. Both to remove any minor swirls or other paint defects but also to perfectly clean/remove anything off the paint to prep it for a coating.

For me, standard protocol to install a coating is a minimum of at least one machine polishing step if for no other reason to ensure the paint is clean down to the surface so the ONLY thing exposed is urethane.


:)
Click to expand...

Mike,

I read everything and watched the video, and I had the same question, "a new car needs to be polished with swirl remover?" However, I wasn't questioning the need for polishing, I was curious about the need for swirl remover. I've had two new cars in the past three years, one black and one white. I detailed both as soon as I took delivery and I polished them with Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish and a white LC thin pro pad. I sealed with WG High Gloss Paint Sealant.

So did you use swirl remover because you were coating rather than sealing, or was the finished marred enough that a little more aggressive polish was needed? I'm wondering if I should step up to swirl remover for my next detail?
 
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