lawrenceSA
New member
- Feb 7, 2012
- 1,713
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Forgive me if this write up follows a slightly different format from the usual and is a comparatively long read, but today has been the culmination of many a day dream, much blood sweat and tears, passions and other feelings I never knew I had ….. Simply a once in a lifetime experience that my words won’t be able to capture.
So here goes…
I got into detailing because I like cars. I have always like cars. Like I am sure most guys do. We start off playing with them as children, and carry on as adults. Dreams of being a racing driver or owning a Ferrari one day are common to all ages.
It’s not that I started out life to be a detailer. It just sort of happened – a natural progression from wanting to make (and keep) my own car looking its best, to wanting to do that for others and in the process I have get to spend some time doing a hobby that pays for itself, and allows me to spend time with cars, as petrol heads like to do.
So when you start detailing you naturally dream of detailing a supercar.
Having booked the detail a while back each day saw the mixed bag of emotions getting slightly fuller as D-day approached. There was the obvious excitement at getting to spend so much time with such a beautiful car. The satisfaction of knowing I would have accomplished a dream. Most only get to see them from a distance. I would get to spend hours caressing its beautiful curves. There was the privilege of knowing someone trusted me with theirs and the worry of ‘what if something goes wrong?’ The biggest worry though, was ‘will it fit?’ I had reservations about how much space there would be to get the car into my garage for a start, and secondly, once in would I have enough space to actually work on it properly. Fortunately a good friend of mine Rob, allowed me to use his work premises (he modifies VW's) to conduct the detail so a big thanks to him for giving me the space I needed to work, along with access to compressed air (which helped out a lot – gotta get me some of this!).
I have only ever detailed from home, where I am tucked away alone in the comfort of my own space with all my supplies at hand, the soft comfy couch and homemade cooking for a lunchtime break and so before I had even started I the detail, I was out of my comfort zone. Not wanting to be caught up the creek without a paddle, I packed up everything detailing I had on hand, the night before in preparation for the detail. Saturday morning I headed off to Rob's shop still with a million thoughts racing through my mind (all in Ferrari 458 Italias), but nothing I had thought about could fully prepare me for what I saw and felt when I arrived there.
The first thing that struck me was how low and wide the car actually is. See I had only ever seen one in a picture or on TV before and you just don’t get a feel for it.
The second thing that struck me, once the cover was removed, was simply how damn gorgeous this car is, from every angle. Even after a whole weekend of staring at it, I still couldn’t stop as it drove away.
What really made every fibre of my being know that all those hours spent in life dreaming of racing one, owning one, detailing one, hell in even seeing one in real life so worth it…. was the sound when it started up.
The car was moved outside and parked in the drizzling rain – time to get stuck in!
But….
Never before have so many people seemed interested in the washing of a car
Never before have I had so many eyes on me, not even from afar
Never before have I touched a Ferrari.
Oh man this is craaaazy!
A few pics of what it looked like before I started.
This pic was the of the car being dropped off on Friday afternoon
And then on Saturday before I started
07:30 to 12:00 Saturday morning
During the research I had done into this car, I knew that damaging carbon ceramic rotors was not an option, and so right off the bat I had to deal with one of the things that had been gnawing at me…..
After getting all my equipment set up I wrapped them up the in plastic bags and taped them shut to prevent any unintended contact from any harmful chemicals.
I then set about carefully cleaning the tires of any residual tire dressing and other grime using a Mothers tire brush and Meguiars All Wheel And Tire Cleaner. The wheels were then cleaned with Autofinesse Imperial wheel cleaner diluted at 10:1 using various brushes and Autofinesse Oblitarate was used to remove any tar spots. I wanted to see if there was any brake dust from other vehicles, or other ferrous compounds that had made their way onto the wheels and checked with Autofinesse Iron Out, but found nothing.
The brake callipers and wheels were then washed again using Cyclo CM30 APC diluted at 10:1 to remove any residue from the previous chemicals and were then thoroughly rinsed. The wheel arches were then cleaned using Cyclo CM30 APC diluted at 5:1 and a Mothers Fender Well Brush, and were then rinsed. Lastly, the door shuts and around the badges were cleaned using Cyclo CM30 APC diluted at 5:1
With the wheels safely washed and rinsed, I could happily move onto washing the car. Despite initially being upset that I couldn’t get any sun shots of the car before starting, I was still grateful for the rain, as it had done a good job of softening up the dirt on the car further reducing the chance of paint damage during the washing process. I foamed and HP rinsed the car with Chemical Guys Maxi Suds II twice in an attempt to rid the car of as much dirt as I could before having to make contact with the paint.
This was followed with a 2 bucket wash using Cyclo Car Shampoo and 3 chenille wash mitts. The process of decontaminating the paint then began using Autofinesse Oblitarate to remove the tar deposits, and Autofinesse Iron Out to remove the iron build-up. Minimal iron was found but there was a fair amount of tar splattered across the car. A thorough rinse followed to remove all traces of the Autofinesse Iron Out and lastly a final snow foam to remove any remaining dirt and residues. The car was then rinsed using the HP washer and then sheet dried using the hosepipe and pulled inside. The wheels, brakes and arches were dried using a combination of compressed air and waffle weave drying towels. The compressed air was also used to blow dry the door shuts, and to ensure no water remained behind the mirrors, badges or any other little crevice. Any remaining water on the car was dried using waffle weave drying towels.
Tar spots being removed
12:00 – 16:00
With the car dry a ‘baggie test’ was conducted to check for any remaining bonded contamination. All the painted surfaces and glass surfaces were clayed using Clay Magic Blue Clay along with Carways Mist and Wipe for lubrication. As each section was clayed it was thoroughly inspected for damage such as paint chips, RIDS, etching, thin spots in the paint (common to sharp edges and raised body lines), water-spots and places where they clear had been burned through.
A lot of water spots on the paint, glass and exhaust, a clear coat burn-through on the passenger side sill and in the engine bay, a fair amount of RIDS and a chip on both doors, the driver’s mirror and passenger side fender were all fairly obviously apparent even upon initial inspection of the car.
What only became apparent during the actual claying process itself was a very small section on the passenger side scoop/inlet next to the headlight light where the clear coat had been compromised.
I then began meticulously taping off all the areas where a) I didn’t want the polisher to run over and b) where I didn’t want polishing residue to get. This took a lot longer than I had initially anticipated but was absolutely necessary. Excuse the poor quality cellphone pic
16:00 – 22:00
Time to see what I was up against.
I tested out a few different combos of pads and polishes and eventually settled on a full 3 step correction using Menzerna FG400 /LC Orange followed by Menz SF4000/LC Tangerine followed by Chemical Guys Blacklight/LC Crimson. Whilst this did not remove all of the RIDS it did clean up around 90% of the swirls and water spots and left the paint nice and glossy.
Before calling it a night and heading home all the dust from the engine bay was blown out using compressed air and then wiped down using a damp MF towel. Chemical Guys Bare Bones was then used to dress the entire bay and Optimum Optibond undiluted used to dress the tires. These dressings were then allowed to soak in overnight.
Sunday 06:00 – 14:30
What a sight first thing in the morning
With paint correction out the way it was time to get some protection on the paint. Smartsealant was used as a base for longevity and topped with Pete’s 53 for some added glow. The glass was polished used Autoglym Fast Glass on a LC Green pad and whilst it improved the general appearance of the glass, it did little for the water spots. The exhaust tips were then polished using Mothers Mag and Aluminium Polish and a soft MF Towel. The diffuser was wiped clean using Cyclo CM30 diluted at 10:1, followed by a damp MF Towel, and then dressed using Chemical Guys Bare Bones, which was also used to dress the arches. The window rubber with cleaned with Shield Rubber and Trim Cleaner and dressed with Smartdressing. The interior was blown out with compressed air, the leather cleaned and then treated using Smartleather.
The car was then safely tucked away to allow the LSP’s to cure whilst I went home and collapsed on the couch.
Exhaust tips before
After
Monday 08:30 – 10:00
Despite so many hours staring at this car, I am still excited to see her again when I arrive. A final inspection and wipe down with quick detailer and an ultraplush MF towel and she is waiting for her owner to arrive.
I know it looks good, but I do not know if the owner will be sufficiently happy. You see, we had never met or even spoken and this detail was arranged through a mutual friend. I always like to have a discussion with the owner face to face, prior to the detail to educate him/her on what I can and can’t do, what they should and shouldn’t do and to answer and questions, and agree the best way forward. This affords both parties the opportunity to avoid disappointment and I prefer it that way. But this wasn’t the case here, so yes, I was a little anxious.
But the owner turned out to be one of the most humble down to earth guys you will ever meet. We chatted for a while around how the paint got here, how to maintain it going forward. Just prior to him leaving I sheepishly ask if he would mind taking me for a drive in it.
He starts the car up and takes it outside.
I try snap a few quick nervous pics.
Am I really going to get to get taken for a drive in a Ferrari 458…. I can hardly believe it....
10:20 – 10 :30 ‘ish
The owner hands me the keys and says lets go….
After nursing the car down the ramp in the complex (there was probably miles between the nose and the ground but it felt like millimetres) we made our way along a few everyday roads to exit ‘industria’ and find some open road. I was amazed at how comfortable the ride was. Not what I expected.
Next was how easy it was to drive. I seriously think my wife would find it easier than the polo, albeit if she were only allowed to use the first 10% left pedal travel. Gear changes were so smooth and if you were not able to see the steering or console, and if you could not feel the seats hugging you, you may think you were in an auto ‘mommy-wagon’ on the school run.
So if anyone knows the area, imagine pottering along St John’s Avenue about to join the M19 Freeway. Up ahead is a sweeping left and a climb up the hill to a flowing right left combo.
Your co-pilot (who happens to be the owner and is constantly fiddling with dials and buttons) tells you to glance at the little screen to the left of the rev counter. You see a graphic of the car with a bright green square where the engine is situated, surrounded by 4 blue squares where the tires would be. He tells you the engine is good to go, and the tires are almost up to temp.
It all feels so surreal. So simple, yet so bind blowing.
You are told you should give it beans from the corner up the hill.
Yes sir.
Half way through the corner you start rolling the power and the engine drops a few cogs. Everything lined up nice and straight (you remember coming across an article in your research into Ferrari details about a mobile detailer in the UK who happened to bin the car, writing it off in the process – ego in check, yes sir!). You bury the throttle and what happens next is difficult to put into words, so I won’t do any discredit to the experience and even try.
I can’t compare it to anything similar, but it awoke every sense I knew I had, and some I didn’t.
Feeling the full force of the 4.5l V8 (419kw and 540nm) was not something I could have prepared myself for…. I haven’t really driven anything with even a third of the power. Hearing it scream close to its 9000rpm redline like music from the automotive gods. It is just EPIC.
You take the next off-ramp and try to reflect on the previous few seconds and absorb it. You can’t. The co-driver’s voices snaps you back to reality… ‘now when we take the on-ramp to the freeway build up some speed and brake really hard and listen to the downshifts’….well, ok then….. yes sir!
Bury the loud pedal and a few seconds and many many metres later climb on the brakes…. The sound and feel through the downshifts just makes you want to accelerate and do it all over again. I spent many hours trying to find fault with its aesthetics and I couldn’t, and although I am no motoring expert…. If there was one fault… it would be that you can’t decide if you want to be accelerating or braking in this car…. Both are just such involved and priceless experiences.
I am humbled, honoured, privileged and grateful for what has been the most incredible and surreal 3 days of my life.
A sincere thanks to the owner for, not only for allowing me to breathe some new life into the car, but also for allowing the car to breathe some new life into me.
A special thanks to my wife, for putting up with the many hours away from the family that got me to this point.
A shout out to Rob for allowing me to use the shop, to Chad for setting up the detail, and to all the guys and gals that came to offer moral support throughout the weekend. Actually they were just there to indulge in the beauty of the car, but can you blame them?
Lastly, thanks to all of the amazing people on this forum who are always willing to share their knowledge - without you guys, AG would not be what it is, and without AG, I don't think any of us would be who we are.
If you made it this far through the read, thanks for sharing my experience.
It has been a once in a lifetime that I will carry with me for my lifetime.
So here goes…
I got into detailing because I like cars. I have always like cars. Like I am sure most guys do. We start off playing with them as children, and carry on as adults. Dreams of being a racing driver or owning a Ferrari one day are common to all ages.
It’s not that I started out life to be a detailer. It just sort of happened – a natural progression from wanting to make (and keep) my own car looking its best, to wanting to do that for others and in the process I have get to spend some time doing a hobby that pays for itself, and allows me to spend time with cars, as petrol heads like to do.
So when you start detailing you naturally dream of detailing a supercar.
Having booked the detail a while back each day saw the mixed bag of emotions getting slightly fuller as D-day approached. There was the obvious excitement at getting to spend so much time with such a beautiful car. The satisfaction of knowing I would have accomplished a dream. Most only get to see them from a distance. I would get to spend hours caressing its beautiful curves. There was the privilege of knowing someone trusted me with theirs and the worry of ‘what if something goes wrong?’ The biggest worry though, was ‘will it fit?’ I had reservations about how much space there would be to get the car into my garage for a start, and secondly, once in would I have enough space to actually work on it properly. Fortunately a good friend of mine Rob, allowed me to use his work premises (he modifies VW's) to conduct the detail so a big thanks to him for giving me the space I needed to work, along with access to compressed air (which helped out a lot – gotta get me some of this!).
I have only ever detailed from home, where I am tucked away alone in the comfort of my own space with all my supplies at hand, the soft comfy couch and homemade cooking for a lunchtime break and so before I had even started I the detail, I was out of my comfort zone. Not wanting to be caught up the creek without a paddle, I packed up everything detailing I had on hand, the night before in preparation for the detail. Saturday morning I headed off to Rob's shop still with a million thoughts racing through my mind (all in Ferrari 458 Italias), but nothing I had thought about could fully prepare me for what I saw and felt when I arrived there.
The first thing that struck me was how low and wide the car actually is. See I had only ever seen one in a picture or on TV before and you just don’t get a feel for it.
The second thing that struck me, once the cover was removed, was simply how damn gorgeous this car is, from every angle. Even after a whole weekend of staring at it, I still couldn’t stop as it drove away.
What really made every fibre of my being know that all those hours spent in life dreaming of racing one, owning one, detailing one, hell in even seeing one in real life so worth it…. was the sound when it started up.
The car was moved outside and parked in the drizzling rain – time to get stuck in!
But….
Never before have so many people seemed interested in the washing of a car
Never before have I had so many eyes on me, not even from afar
Never before have I touched a Ferrari.
Oh man this is craaaazy!
A few pics of what it looked like before I started.
This pic was the of the car being dropped off on Friday afternoon
And then on Saturday before I started
07:30 to 12:00 Saturday morning
During the research I had done into this car, I knew that damaging carbon ceramic rotors was not an option, and so right off the bat I had to deal with one of the things that had been gnawing at me…..
After getting all my equipment set up I wrapped them up the in plastic bags and taped them shut to prevent any unintended contact from any harmful chemicals.
I then set about carefully cleaning the tires of any residual tire dressing and other grime using a Mothers tire brush and Meguiars All Wheel And Tire Cleaner. The wheels were then cleaned with Autofinesse Imperial wheel cleaner diluted at 10:1 using various brushes and Autofinesse Oblitarate was used to remove any tar spots. I wanted to see if there was any brake dust from other vehicles, or other ferrous compounds that had made their way onto the wheels and checked with Autofinesse Iron Out, but found nothing.
The brake callipers and wheels were then washed again using Cyclo CM30 APC diluted at 10:1 to remove any residue from the previous chemicals and were then thoroughly rinsed. The wheel arches were then cleaned using Cyclo CM30 APC diluted at 5:1 and a Mothers Fender Well Brush, and were then rinsed. Lastly, the door shuts and around the badges were cleaned using Cyclo CM30 APC diluted at 5:1
With the wheels safely washed and rinsed, I could happily move onto washing the car. Despite initially being upset that I couldn’t get any sun shots of the car before starting, I was still grateful for the rain, as it had done a good job of softening up the dirt on the car further reducing the chance of paint damage during the washing process. I foamed and HP rinsed the car with Chemical Guys Maxi Suds II twice in an attempt to rid the car of as much dirt as I could before having to make contact with the paint.
This was followed with a 2 bucket wash using Cyclo Car Shampoo and 3 chenille wash mitts. The process of decontaminating the paint then began using Autofinesse Oblitarate to remove the tar deposits, and Autofinesse Iron Out to remove the iron build-up. Minimal iron was found but there was a fair amount of tar splattered across the car. A thorough rinse followed to remove all traces of the Autofinesse Iron Out and lastly a final snow foam to remove any remaining dirt and residues. The car was then rinsed using the HP washer and then sheet dried using the hosepipe and pulled inside. The wheels, brakes and arches were dried using a combination of compressed air and waffle weave drying towels. The compressed air was also used to blow dry the door shuts, and to ensure no water remained behind the mirrors, badges or any other little crevice. Any remaining water on the car was dried using waffle weave drying towels.
Tar spots being removed
12:00 – 16:00
With the car dry a ‘baggie test’ was conducted to check for any remaining bonded contamination. All the painted surfaces and glass surfaces were clayed using Clay Magic Blue Clay along with Carways Mist and Wipe for lubrication. As each section was clayed it was thoroughly inspected for damage such as paint chips, RIDS, etching, thin spots in the paint (common to sharp edges and raised body lines), water-spots and places where they clear had been burned through.
A lot of water spots on the paint, glass and exhaust, a clear coat burn-through on the passenger side sill and in the engine bay, a fair amount of RIDS and a chip on both doors, the driver’s mirror and passenger side fender were all fairly obviously apparent even upon initial inspection of the car.
What only became apparent during the actual claying process itself was a very small section on the passenger side scoop/inlet next to the headlight light where the clear coat had been compromised.
I then began meticulously taping off all the areas where a) I didn’t want the polisher to run over and b) where I didn’t want polishing residue to get. This took a lot longer than I had initially anticipated but was absolutely necessary. Excuse the poor quality cellphone pic
16:00 – 22:00
Time to see what I was up against.
I tested out a few different combos of pads and polishes and eventually settled on a full 3 step correction using Menzerna FG400 /LC Orange followed by Menz SF4000/LC Tangerine followed by Chemical Guys Blacklight/LC Crimson. Whilst this did not remove all of the RIDS it did clean up around 90% of the swirls and water spots and left the paint nice and glossy.
Before calling it a night and heading home all the dust from the engine bay was blown out using compressed air and then wiped down using a damp MF towel. Chemical Guys Bare Bones was then used to dress the entire bay and Optimum Optibond undiluted used to dress the tires. These dressings were then allowed to soak in overnight.
Sunday 06:00 – 14:30
What a sight first thing in the morning
With paint correction out the way it was time to get some protection on the paint. Smartsealant was used as a base for longevity and topped with Pete’s 53 for some added glow. The glass was polished used Autoglym Fast Glass on a LC Green pad and whilst it improved the general appearance of the glass, it did little for the water spots. The exhaust tips were then polished using Mothers Mag and Aluminium Polish and a soft MF Towel. The diffuser was wiped clean using Cyclo CM30 diluted at 10:1, followed by a damp MF Towel, and then dressed using Chemical Guys Bare Bones, which was also used to dress the arches. The window rubber with cleaned with Shield Rubber and Trim Cleaner and dressed with Smartdressing. The interior was blown out with compressed air, the leather cleaned and then treated using Smartleather.
The car was then safely tucked away to allow the LSP’s to cure whilst I went home and collapsed on the couch.
Exhaust tips before
After
Monday 08:30 – 10:00
Despite so many hours staring at this car, I am still excited to see her again when I arrive. A final inspection and wipe down with quick detailer and an ultraplush MF towel and she is waiting for her owner to arrive.
I know it looks good, but I do not know if the owner will be sufficiently happy. You see, we had never met or even spoken and this detail was arranged through a mutual friend. I always like to have a discussion with the owner face to face, prior to the detail to educate him/her on what I can and can’t do, what they should and shouldn’t do and to answer and questions, and agree the best way forward. This affords both parties the opportunity to avoid disappointment and I prefer it that way. But this wasn’t the case here, so yes, I was a little anxious.
But the owner turned out to be one of the most humble down to earth guys you will ever meet. We chatted for a while around how the paint got here, how to maintain it going forward. Just prior to him leaving I sheepishly ask if he would mind taking me for a drive in it.
He starts the car up and takes it outside.
I try snap a few quick nervous pics.
Am I really going to get to get taken for a drive in a Ferrari 458…. I can hardly believe it....
10:20 – 10 :30 ‘ish
The owner hands me the keys and says lets go….
After nursing the car down the ramp in the complex (there was probably miles between the nose and the ground but it felt like millimetres) we made our way along a few everyday roads to exit ‘industria’ and find some open road. I was amazed at how comfortable the ride was. Not what I expected.
Next was how easy it was to drive. I seriously think my wife would find it easier than the polo, albeit if she were only allowed to use the first 10% left pedal travel. Gear changes were so smooth and if you were not able to see the steering or console, and if you could not feel the seats hugging you, you may think you were in an auto ‘mommy-wagon’ on the school run.
So if anyone knows the area, imagine pottering along St John’s Avenue about to join the M19 Freeway. Up ahead is a sweeping left and a climb up the hill to a flowing right left combo.
Your co-pilot (who happens to be the owner and is constantly fiddling with dials and buttons) tells you to glance at the little screen to the left of the rev counter. You see a graphic of the car with a bright green square where the engine is situated, surrounded by 4 blue squares where the tires would be. He tells you the engine is good to go, and the tires are almost up to temp.
It all feels so surreal. So simple, yet so bind blowing.
You are told you should give it beans from the corner up the hill.
Yes sir.
Half way through the corner you start rolling the power and the engine drops a few cogs. Everything lined up nice and straight (you remember coming across an article in your research into Ferrari details about a mobile detailer in the UK who happened to bin the car, writing it off in the process – ego in check, yes sir!). You bury the throttle and what happens next is difficult to put into words, so I won’t do any discredit to the experience and even try.
I can’t compare it to anything similar, but it awoke every sense I knew I had, and some I didn’t.
Feeling the full force of the 4.5l V8 (419kw and 540nm) was not something I could have prepared myself for…. I haven’t really driven anything with even a third of the power. Hearing it scream close to its 9000rpm redline like music from the automotive gods. It is just EPIC.
You take the next off-ramp and try to reflect on the previous few seconds and absorb it. You can’t. The co-driver’s voices snaps you back to reality… ‘now when we take the on-ramp to the freeway build up some speed and brake really hard and listen to the downshifts’….well, ok then….. yes sir!
Bury the loud pedal and a few seconds and many many metres later climb on the brakes…. The sound and feel through the downshifts just makes you want to accelerate and do it all over again. I spent many hours trying to find fault with its aesthetics and I couldn’t, and although I am no motoring expert…. If there was one fault… it would be that you can’t decide if you want to be accelerating or braking in this car…. Both are just such involved and priceless experiences.
I am humbled, honoured, privileged and grateful for what has been the most incredible and surreal 3 days of my life.
A sincere thanks to the owner for, not only for allowing me to breathe some new life into the car, but also for allowing the car to breathe some new life into me.
A special thanks to my wife, for putting up with the many hours away from the family that got me to this point.
A shout out to Rob for allowing me to use the shop, to Chad for setting up the detail, and to all the guys and gals that came to offer moral support throughout the weekend. Actually they were just there to indulge in the beauty of the car, but can you blame them?
Lastly, thanks to all of the amazing people on this forum who are always willing to share their knowledge - without you guys, AG would not be what it is, and without AG, I don't think any of us would be who we are.
If you made it this far through the read, thanks for sharing my experience.
It has been a once in a lifetime that I will carry with me for my lifetime.
.
