Duragloss Enviroshield on black 1999 F-350 Crew Cab, long bed.

[larry0071]

This was 2 days work. It's my father's truck. He washes it now and again, washes with a nasty sponge dries it with bath towels. It's generally a swirl machine! The paint had a dull haze of swirls prior to starting this.

Duragloss Enviroshield Ceramic Coating on my father's 15 year old 1999 SuperDuty F-350. Bed repainted in 2008. Cab/doors/fenders are original.

Process: Rinsless wash in garage, Smooth Clay, Flex 3401VRG orbital/rotary polisher with Lake Country green pads, Meguiars 105 Ultra cut compound, Meguiars 205 Ultra finishing polish, 90% isopropyl mixed at 12% solution for an IPA wipe down. 2 coats of Duragloss Enviroshield Ceramic.

I'm getting good. Real good.

I love the results, what drives me is the moments when I finish and I can step back and see the amazing transformation that I made happen.


Typical of the condition prior to starting.

Finished!

 

[Moldavite]

awesome work
that color really pop :xyxthumbs:

 

[jamesboyy]

Amazing work on that big beast

 

[larry0071]

I'm learning, and I keep getting better. I don't detail cars for profit, I own 7 and my dad has 4.... so those keep me busy enough!

This is my first serious attempt at a coating. I'm not sure yet if I did it correctly, I've not found a good tutorial on proper technique. I ordered and used CG Second Skin 6 this year, I'm not convinced it's really a coating?
So I just ordered this Duragloss Enviroshield and also the C.A.R. Bullet Proof coating and Topper. I have not touched the C.A.R. products yet.

If anyone knows of a good video tutorial for learning techniques for application, please share with me.

I may have over applied product, I was having a good deal of residual streaking that I had to go back over with my gold microfiber towels and work hard to polish out. I kept feeling like I wasn't getting enough product on, I was expecting to add an obvious layer of material to the paint.... but it doesn't seem to work like that. It's almost like I was applying a fast evaporating paint thinner, I would wipe on in tight over lapping circles and see the initial wetness flash away in seconds leaving the smeary looking steaks. Then I would go on to the next panel, get it coated and streaky.... and go back to the previous panel to buff out the steaks. I continued this around the truck.

It took about an hour to do the whole truck, then I started again going for a second coat. I used all of the product they gave in the $40 kit,but I also did the glass with it.

I'll take any advice, for sure! I'm feeling like I may not be doing it correctly.

In the end, it looks amazing and feels amazing. Feels much beget than the Second Skin 6 that gives a short of sticky/rubber feel to the paint. This feels slick, like Teflon getting pans. I hope it beads water, and it would be great if the claimed 2 year life is real. My father doesn't really care to wax this thing, so I'm the only person who has, and that's always been one a year in the fall to prepare it for Pittsburgh salty winters.

Thanks in advance for any help in correcting how I did this! I'm here to learn.

 

[campngolf]

Looks great.

For Father's Day (Thanksgiving??) may I suggest getting your dad 2 buckets, a nice MF mitt and a few nice MF towels for drying. It's the least he could do to extend your handiwork.

 

[larry0071]

Yea, I've tried to talk him into using some of the stuff I've bought for him. He also uses a silicone drying blade on my mom's new pearl while Lexus IS250C, I cringe over potentially plowing dirt across a neat $50K car. I got him a few waffle weave MF drying towels, but he prefers his stack of retired bath towels. Hey, at least he does wash them. He's 65, I don't think I can retrain him at this point

 

[campngolf]

Yeah, I guess it could be worse.

 

[larry0071]

30 years ago when he taught me too wash my car, I'm sure that his techniques were at least standard issue. He feels that is worked for him since he was a teenager, no need to change it. He also doesn't get my hated for micro scratching, aka swirls. I've noticed that "normal people" don't even know they exist. Once you show a person how nasty they look, often they will care a bit, but not so much as to act on it. We are a word bunch around here ☺

 

[fly07sti]

That's a lot of truck. Looks really good man. Keep it up. Coatings are a different animal from waxes and polymer sealants. But from the looks of it, you got it down.

 

[larry0071]

So, I called Duragloss this morning and spoke to Jerry in the the chemistry dept. And explained what I was doing and the smears. He suggests that I take my Meguiars synthetic X-press spray Wax sealant and go over the entire truck this evening. I mentioned to him about the thread on this site saying not to do this, not to top with anything. He says that that is not true, and once it's cured for the 24 hours you can go over it with whatever you desire. He estimates that by going over with the X-press spray sealant, I'll see a noticeable increase in depth of gloss and it will add a sacrificial layer over the this product as I go into the horrible Pittsburgh salt season. I also asked about adding another layer of this product in the spring, and he says absolutely. Just go over the trick with Squeeky Clean in the spring and then refresh this product with a new application just like I did this weekend. That makes me feel much better, I know we love in a horrible area as far as winters go and the chemicals that completely coat our cars for a few months. While he fully expects his product to get me through this winter with ease, he agrees that our exposure to anti ice chemicals is very harsh and absolutely will take a toll on any protective product that is exposed. So even though the product will be alive and well come spring, I'll feel better adding a fresh layer on top to make the truck remain totally sealed and protected.

I'll take some pictures tonight after I hit it with the X-press spray sealant.

On a side note, he says that I could also top it with my Four Star Ultimate Paint Protection if it would make me feel better. He doesn't feel that it will add anything to the protection I already applied, but like the X-press spray, it will add a more robust sacrificial layer to fight through the winter mess.

I'll just go with the quick and easy X-press spray for now, I want to see if it will finish knocking down the high spots that remain, and that was his main reason for telling me to do this. I've got some uneven areas that darker/thicker than others.

 

[Klasse Act]

We have a thread for this, check it out. Lots of "do's and dont's" there. I do know this for sure, the DGNCC does flash fast and is temp sensitive. How long did you wait to apply the 2nd coat?

Btw I sent an email to DG and was told to NOT top it with anything, even their own product, LOL! That said, I have infact topped it with other products but after 2 monthes of doing nothing but washing the car with their rinseless kept the car looking good....until I decided to do yet another layer of DGNCC and to my surprise it DEEPENED and looked soaking wet

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[larry0071]

That was why I mentioned talking to Jerry, that other thread your talking about is where you were told not to top it (I think it was mentioned not for 3 months) where today I spoke with a chemist from DG who says absolutely you may top it how ever you like after 24 hours.

 

[Klasse Act]

Thank you very much Larry, I/we apprciate the info being passed along

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[larry0071]

I followed Jerry's instruction and did a nice thorough Meguiars synthetic X-press spray sealant on the truck. It definitely got rid of the slight dark areas and it bumped the slick feeling into the stratosphere. This thing feels so slick at this point that I'm afraid to stand to close.... I might slip and fall down! The black looks so deep, you want run at it and dive head first into it!

Bottom line? It took care of any obvious uneven areas, AKA high spots. And while it's only a 3-6 week product on top, damn does it pump the look up to a whole new level! This reminds me of last year when I did this trick with Ultimate Paint Protection and covered that in Good Class pure carnauba. The deep wet look is off the charts, just as I like it.

 

[larry0071]

If you look closer at the picture of the drivers door with the rear of the Cobra reflecting, you'll notice that the paint is cracking and splitting open. You don't notice walking by at a short distance, but the paint on this old boy is dying. I am doing the best I can with what it has.

 

[Klasse Act]

Try some Turtle Wax Jet Black Endurance tire coating on those tires now

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[larry0071]

I washed it in the garage, so I didn't touch the wheels or tires. I'll clean them in April

 

[larry0071]

Just a quick update on my Father's F-350. It still looks great after a washing, it's not picking up wash induced swirls like the black used to, and the beading is very persistent on the paint so after 7 months the product appears to be very much remaining alive and well on the truck. I also did my wife's crystal red 2013 Malibu at a similar time. Her car sets outside and she does not wash it much. The product is doing a fine job on her car as well. Still beading water and acting like it was recently sealed/waxed. For a vehicle that sees little owner provided maintenance, this is a great product from what I can tell.