Background:
This car will not be water washed (owner will not allow)
For what it's worth.... that's my personal "best practice". I don't introduce water to places you cannot see and reach to dry as it presents a potential risk for rust issues down the road.
Here's my article on this topic...
How To Wash a Classic Muscle Car
Color is correct, but base/clear
Paint in good condition
First question: Will the owner let you lightly machine polish the paint with a fine cut polish?
The reason why is over time all paint finishes lose their high gloss luster just due to aging and repeated wiping with anything, microfiber towels, California Dusters, Car Covers, etc.
A light machine polishing will remove millions of fine swirls and scratches and perfectly prepare the paint for wax plus it will go a long ways to create that deep, wet shine everyone loves.
Second question: If you cannot machine polish can you hand apply a fine cut polish? This will be the next best thing to machine applying a fine cut polish.
If this car was out in Autogeek's Show Car Garage here's what I would do,
1. Waterless wash - remove any loose dirt
2. Inspect for above surface bonded contaminants using the baggie test. Have the owner present when you do this and if you feel bumps through the plastic baggie have him do the test and do it like this.
First - Feel the paint with his clean, bare hand.
Second - Feel the paint using a clean thin sandwich baggie
The Baggie Test - How to inspect for above surface bonded contaminants
If there are contaminants and my guess is there are, then you'll see his eyes light up after he feels the paint in the above order. This will also show him you know what you're doing.
Then clay the paint using an ultra fine to fine grade clay. Clay an entire horizontal surface like the hood without kneading the clay and try not to cause the clay to flatten out a whole lot. Keep your clay patty as close to the size you form so that the majority of all the contaminant you remove are visible on a small surface and then show it to him.
Like this....
Claying.....
Show contaminants on clay....
If there are no visible contaminants then there's nothing to show and don't show him the clay. Instead, have him fell the difference between a clayed section and a non clayed section.
Then clay the rest of the car as normal.
3. If it were in our shop I'd machine polish the paint using Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish. If he won't let you machine polish it then hand apply the Pinnacle Advanced Finishing polish using a clean, soft foam or microfiber applicator pad. Only work a small section at a time, about the size of a standard microfiber towel, which is 16" by 16". Work the polish methodically over the paint and then immediately wipe off the residue and move on to a new section.
4. If it were in our shop I would machine apply Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax. I'd use the Porter Cable 7424XP with a soft 5.5" LC Blue Flat Foam Waxing pad on about speed 5.
How-to Machine Apply Wax using a DA Polisher
If he won't let you machine apply the wax then apply it by hand using a clean, soft foam applicator pad.
5. Grab a couple of the Super Soft Deluxe Green Microfiber Towels with Rolled Edges and inspect them like shown here,
The Robert DiTerlizzi Method
Make sure anyone in the area watching understands why you're doing this. My article will teach you what to say.
6. Put on some clean, microfiber gloves and grab a couple of (now inspected) Super Soft Deluxe Green Microfiber Towels with Rolled Edges and carefully wipe the coat of wax off. Wearing the gloves will separates you from all the guys that don't wear gloves, you'll look like a pro
that knows what he's doing.
Like this,
You can also let the owner try wiping the wax off without and with the gloves, once he uses the microfiber gloves to grip the soft and super fluffy deluxe green microfiber towels to wipe off Pinnacle he'll understand why that's the way you do it.
7. Then like I suggest in my how to book, give the paint a final wipe with a fresh, clean soft microfiber towel and then get a set of fresh eyes to inspect the paint with you for any missed spots.
8. In my how to book I also suggest moving the car into a different position because having light fall on the car from different positions can help you to see any missed spots of wax as will a fresh set of eyes. Even kids are good at this because of their lower elevation.
9. Then turn the car back over to the owner. Recommend a good spray detailer and teach him how to inspect his microfiber towels. Explain to him that clearcoats while they might be hard they scratch very easily and that's why it's important to inspect your microfiber towels before using them to wipe show car paint.
Clearcoats are Scratch-Sensitive
That's what I would do. Also dress appropriately and if you do this for a business, part time or full time wear a logoed shirt, be on time, work efficiently and project a professional image at all times.
I was half thinking.. BFCS
Suggestions?
When I work on cars like these I match my choice of LSP to the car AND the customer. Don't use an LSP the customer won't understand. Typically the type of guys that own cars like these understand Carnauba Paste Wax so turn them on to product that will not only make the paint on their car look fabulous, (and wet), but also is fun and easy to work with. They'll thank you later I guarantee it.
Hope that helps... and if you do everything right you'll get high gloss results that look like this....
1971 Dodge Charger R/T - 1940 Oldsmobile Streetrod shine by Pinnacle
