Upkeeping Carbon Fiber

[ARizzle]

Hey Mike,
Just wanted to inform you that I have searched and looked up a few threads regarding carbon fiber...especially those 4 threads over at Meguiars.

Anyways, I am an amateur detailer who is concerned if a customer has a carbon fiber part, be it the hood, trunk, etc.

After researching through those threads over at Meguiars, I noticed that I have to do research on whether or not it has a clear coat? Correct?

Second thing, I plan on owning a C/F hood one day and do plan on purchasing one with a clear coat...My question is if you personally owned a car with a C/F hood that had a clear coat over it, how would you take care of it? (Clay, polish, wax, etc.?)

If polishing is applicable, do you mind listing the steps following the pads and products used to tackle and keep it looking brand new...or better :laughing:

I just want to say that I am a lurker on these forums, but want to thank everyone on these forums...especially you Mike for not only giving me the opportunity to ask you this question but for teaching me a numerous amount of tips and tricks and knowledge around detailing! I hope to hear back from you and hopefully see you at your Detailing Workshops within the next few years (I'm still a University student on a university budget :laughing: )

Cheers!

 

[aerogt01]

Clear coat over CF is not much different than clear coat over color paint. You can simply treat it the same as you would regular paint, although it will most likely respond differently than the paint on your car, just like a re-paint would.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Hey Mike,
Just wanted to inform you that I have searched and looked up a few threads regarding carbon fiber...especially those 4 threads over at Meguiars.

All the carbon fiber in all those threads had the same thing in common...

Wasted...

Second thing, I plan on owning a C/F hood one day and do plan on purchasing one with a clear coat...My question is if you personally owned a car with a C/F hood that had a clear coat over it, how would you take care of it? (Clay, polish, wax, etc.?)

If I owned such a component, and bought it brand new, I would keep it clean and either use Optimum Car Wax on it for the patented and ASTM proven UV protection. Or I would use the Gtechniq C1 Crystal Lacquer on it with a second application of the Gtechniq EXO for it's beauty features.

Dr. David Ghodoussi is a PhD Organic chemist that helped to create clear coat paint technology. In my mind, if Dr. G is smart enough to make the paint, he's smart enough to make the wax to protect the paint. In fact, I wrote the script for the commercial we made for Optimum Polymer Technologies as stated this same thing in the commercial. You can find the commercials "we" made here at Autogeek here,

Autogeek Commercials shot and edited by Yancy


Also, see my comments on page two of this article.

Beginning Clearcoat Failure

And it's pretty hard to beat the "beauty features" of Gtechniq EXP as well as the longevity as shown on my buddy Hink's Mustang...

Video & Pictures: 1965 Fastback Mustang - Gtechniq EXO Show Car Makeover!

Note: "Pictures" don't do justice to how any "red" color looks on a computer monitor...

If polishing is applicable, do you mind listing the steps following the pads and products used to tackle and keep it looking brand new...or better :laughing:

Already have,

Paperback

I just want to say that I am a lurker on these forums, but want to thank everyone on these forums...especially you Mike for not only giving me the opportunity to ask you this question but for teaching me a numerous amount of tips and tricks and knowledge around detailing! I hope to hear back from you and hopefully see you at your Detailing Workshops within the next few years (I'm still a University student on a university budget :laughing: )

Cheers!

Thank you for the kind words, one thing I think is really nice about the car hobby in general and the detailing world in specific is that it's made up of very nice people with professional character and the way each of us conducts ourselves both online and offline is important and sends a strong message to the hobby at large.

On some forums you will find detailing personalities that don't have a professional character and thankfully they are few in number. All you have to do to know someone's character is read through their posting history.

 

[ARizzle]

Thanks Mike for taking the time to type up that great response!