My new (to me) project car

[mattmann]

Well I finally took the plunge a couple weeks ago and bought a project car. I’ve been wanting one for a LONG time and have come so close to pulling the trigger and backed out for several reasons. Well I blinked and I’m 31 with three kids and happily married but I’m not getting any younger and I’d always said I want to enjoy my project car with my kids and enjoy going fast in my younger days so I did it. Long story short my brother bought a 2003 Nissan 350z loaded brand new in 04. He spent about $16,000 on go fast items and then met his now wife. When they got engaged she said “the car goes.....and the Yamaha R6!” So he complied. He sold it to an employee of mine wit 36,000 miles on it for.......$12,000!!!! I couldn’t believe it. That was about 4 years ago. Last year I made the comment to my employee I would buy it for $8,500. He actually agreed to it but with my 3rd baby on the way I chickened out and waited. Well this year I jokingly said, “I’ll give you $6500 cash today for it” and he says, okay just bring me cash and get it! It has set up for 4 years and has the typical issues. Needs to be dyno tuned, new programmer, electrical drainage issue, etc but I’m taking it to Z1 motor sports in Georgia. They are Z specialist and will be tuning and getting all the small issues resolved. I will be working on this one piece at a time getting it as close to perfect as I can. I am a complete newby. Never used a polisher. Never did the correct wash method, etc. I have recently done a LOT of reading and bought a ton of supplies from a GG6 to LED work lights and a huge order from AG for all my supplies from wash, compound, buckets, wax, glass coatings, etc. this will be a first in all departments with me so I will Be updating as I go along! Stay tuned for pics and sorry for the long write up!!


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[mattmann]

These pictures are from the day I got her home. Garage was still cluttered up and the interior was honestly trashed. It’s missing a dash panel and carpet trim. Was talking to my brother the other day and he told me he has both in his garage. I couldn’t believe it as I had already had both pieces picked out on eBay and that would cost me an extra $300.


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[mattmann]

Body is in really good shape and it’s been garaged kept. It was never washed properly and the day I picked it up the then owner was washing it with a deck brush
I told him I would handle it but he insisted it needed the dirt knocked off from sitting up lol. I’ll be working on interior first.


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[mattmann]

Seats are as done as they can be in my opinion. Super happy how they came out. Took about 3-4 hours and a LOT of elbow grease but it paid off. I honestly thought I was going to have to have these recovered and it looks ALMOST as good as new now. I’m going to take some interior pics after my trim is here and Installed from my brothers and post them but it looks great! I would rate it at 90/100.


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[mattmann]

This was the water from cleaning the seats. The method I used was a highly diluted degreaser in a spray bottle, a bucket of warm water and an auto grade magic eraser. I soaked the seats with degreaser and used the eraser to scrub and a clean terry cloth to wipe afterwards. Went through two erasers and honestly needed three and went through 6 cloths. As long as I kept the seats wet, the eraser worked great!


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[mattmann]

This weekend I did a full wash and dry. I focused on the engine compartment and the wheels/tires/fenders.

This was the before of the engine and hood. My OCD kicked in and I couldn’t stand the black on the bottom of the hood so I regretfully went to work.

This is the during shot. Covered the engine and started spraying a 4:1 degreaser on the hood and started scrubbing. Terry cloths and tooth brushes were my only tools and a LOT of muscle. When I was done with that I degreaser and scrubbed the engine bay, rinsing it out and blow drying before cranking. I then detailed that area also! Here is the after shot

I was pleased with the end results!


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[mattmann]

Then the wheels, tires and fenders. These were in decent shape. The lip on the wheel is an odd brushed chrome finish. I may try to polish some at some point but for now I cleaned the wheels and then used a tire shine and waxed the rims. I ordered the speed brush set from AG and am waiting on those so I clean the backside of the rim. I am thinking of buying a floor jack for my tiny 3rd car garage/man cave so I can remove each one and thoroughly detail like I see people on here do. I hate having a dirty wheel on the inside.

I will also be getting some new performance rubbers hopefully in a month or two!! I don’t trust these that have been sitting up.


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[mattmann]

Next thing I did clay the entire car. That was no fun but definitely needed to happen. I used a standard mother’s clay kit but wish I would have bought a nanoskin mit. Would have been way easier I feel. After that I decided to start polishing. Having never done this but watching several videos and reading a lot of mikes work I got started. I used a one step from a detailer local to me that I bought a month ago. Seems to work pretty well with a orange pad but I ordered some HD speed also. Learning to work in the lights and with the lights was all new to me. I got the drivers side, roof and hood done. I ran out of pads but have ordered more and some 3D towelkleen to clean all my stuff and will finish the passenger side and back of the car when I get that. It took way longer than I expected but again, I’ve never done any of this. Here are the results.

So i did a one step correction with orange pads then a silica wax with red pads and buffed out with new edgeless microfibers. I think it turned out amazing especially for my first time. Paint looks wet!
I was able to do a 50/50 shot kind of.....

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[mattmann]

So what’s left for me is the passenger side and rear of the car. Also I didn’t polish the front or rear bumpers or the bottom trim and mirrors on the car. Is there any special tips on doing these? I will be replacing the front bumper with a new OEM one when it goes to Georgia. It looks like it is cracked in the middle and has been replaced at one time. My brother told me a friend put a ball hitch through his bumper and he replaced it for him. Painting is way cheaper quality then the factory but I’ve got a great body shop close to the house. I’ll be having him match factory paint and paint it for me. On the mirrors and small trim on the sides of the car, how do you polish this? I’m using a 5” polisher and that’s all I own. I plan on buying a 3” one day but for now all I have is this. Should I use a pad by hand?? After polishing is done, I’m replacing the hatch struts, they won’t stay open ($60) and detailing that. The rear window tint is kind of bad so I will have my 3M guy replace it soon! I may tint the windshield also!


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[SWETM]

Nice work and write up! You really got it to shine again! Fun to read and look at the progress you make. The 50/50 shot you see you got a great cut with your setup. Thanks for shareing your work.

 

[mattmann]

Thanks for the kind words. I am a COMPLETE new guy at this. I’ve always kept my rides clean and what not but it was with dish soap and a mop bucket with rags . Now that I know more about the proper steps and the art that is detailing, I don’t know how I survived lol. I have a LONG way to go but I am pleased so far. I look forward to trying HD speed soon.


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[xtina]

That parking brake looked pretty happy to see you.

 

[mattmann]

That parking brake looked pretty happy to see you.

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[pilotpip]

Nice job! With all the effort you're putting in, it will be worth taking the wheels off to clean the backside. I don't know how similar the Z paint is to my wife's previous car, a white rogue, but it really needed a chemical decontamination too. I'm sure with how poorly the previous owner maintained this one, you'll need something like iron-x. Add a couple pads here and there as you go, and you'll soon have enough to do the whole car without stopping and a clean pad every panel will give you the best results possible.

 

[mattmann]

Nice job! With all the effort you're putting in, it will be worth taking the wheels off to clean the backside. I don't know how similar the Z paint is to my wife's previous car, a white rogue, but it really needed a chemical decontamination too. I'm sure with how poorly the previous owner maintained this one, you'll need something like iron-x. Add a couple pads here and there as you go, and you'll soon have enough to do the whole car without stopping and a clean pad every panel will give you the best results possible.

Thanks man! Yeah I ALMOST bought some iron-x but didn’t. I will order some up along with pads. I never knew it takes as many pads as I used though! What’s not going to be fun is my expedition xl platinum!!!


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[LEDetailing]

Wow, great buy on a cool car!

Nice work, I’m most impressed with those seats and underside of the hood. Obviously the last owner isn’t a member on AGO

 

[mattmann]

Wow, great buy on a cool car!

Nice work, I’m most impressed with those seats and underside of the hood. Obviously the last owner isn’t a member on AGO

No he definitely wasn’t. I sent him before and after on the seats and he wants me to do his work truck


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[JeffsPureBrilliance]

Wow! Very impressive even if you are a newbie. I'd love to find a project car like this, especially one from the 80's or 90's.

 

[pilotpip]

Thanks man! Yeah I ALMOST bought some iron-x but didn’t. I will order some up along with pads. I never knew it takes as many pads as I used though! What’s not going to be fun is my expedition xl platinum!!!


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I have an F-150 crew cab and explorer. Buy. More. Pads. Over the course of the last couple years, I've waited for good sales and buy a 6-pack every time. I'm up to about 30 and it's so nice to just pull one off the plate, toss it in a bucket of pad cleaner, and let it soak while I work, then go clean them really good when I finish up. It also makes doing test spots with multiple combos easier. After friends and family see how nice your rides are, you're going be in demand. I do my in-law's cars every year too, but that's a good trade for child care!

I use McKee's 360 and it works great for me. Use that in the spring, then in the fall I'll hit both with a good sealant (I really like McKee's Hi-Def because it's affordable, and a little goes a very long way). The explorer was pretty swirled out when I bought it and it's going to need something more aggressive this spring, but once it's done right it's not hard to keep it up with the proper goods and technique. Once you get it down, and outlay the initial expense, it will only gets easier and less expensive. Oh wait, what am I saying... after you get the paint looking good, you'll want the trim to look good, and you'll want the interior looking better, and...

Take the time to tape around the plastic trim on the ford. Cleaning product off of it is a PITA.

 

[mattmann]

Will do man. Thank you so much for all the advice!


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