Detailing tips help please My Celica has pretty good paintwork, but a full year of competition last year was not kind, neither was me sticking loads of stickers over it. Before the new 09 season starts, 29th March, I want to strip all the stickers off the car, and get the body work as fresh as I can. its by no means as mint as it was, due to the stone chips, etc I have got from road and mostly track driving, this I can live with, but the cars paintwork feels rough now, not smooth as it used to be. I have invested in some Meguiars clay, as well as the meguuiars 3 step paintwork cleaning process and gold polish, along with microfibre cloths and aplicator pads. Any tips, advice before I start would be most welcome. also, is the following action, the best way to remove stickers. Heat area and sticker with heat gun gently, then use blade to pick of graphic?? for me the thought of going near my body panels with a blade to take of graphics is not great, how can you get the graphic started so it peels off easily. Also, does ambient air temps matter when polishing car and removing stickers?? I plan to do this work a panel at a time in the garage, so its dry, well lit, but a bit cold? Cheers in advance guys. (Kev, I am saving my pennies to get you to do a design, once I know the series sponsors, the exchange rate is scarey though lol)
1. Wash - Use 2 buckets, 1 with clean water to clean your washhand in. 2. Claybar the whole car, this removes tar as well 3. Polish, use machine to polish 4. Wax on, twice between 2 and 3 wash again maybe. Helped for me
You shouldn't need a blade for stickers, if you do, use a plastic one. The heatgun should make them peel right off pretty easily. And like Lone Wolf says, you'll want to buy a polisher, or rent one, variable speed ones are best. Your arm will be destroyed if you don't.
I also 2nd the heat gun, or atleast a hair dryer if you don't want to buy one. The plastic tool rye mentioned is called a "lil chizler" - works like a charm with a little heat. Add adhesive remover to the list also, we mainly use rapid-tac brand "rapid remover" since it's a bit safer to use with auto paint.
Cheers guys, will look to get a polisher and some tack remover plus the plastic thing!! will let you know how it goes!
Make sure you use the claybar, this really helps alot allready! And there is a special foam which you spray on the car and it gets almost all dirt off without touching it. We have a detailer as a sponsor in our club here in the Netherlands, www.prodetailing.nl his name is Steve and always willing to help out where possible. Make really sure the car is clean before polishing, otherwise you get more scratches than before
I have never used a claybar before, the pack I have gives me two bars and a liquid spray to wet the surface before I use the clay. I think I may try some small patches first. plan is to do some this week, I will post pics and prob ask further questions as I go along if you dont mind
That sounds good that package Use it after washing so no sand is on the car . If you want I can ask him what foam he uses, I believe it is DP800 Foam he uses.
yer claybars are mad helps big time with oily and greasy stains i wish i had a machine buffer/polisher when i did mine i did it all by hand 1 cut (twice on bonnet and spoiler), 1 polish ans 2 coats of wax i started at 9am and i think by the time i was done it was mid afternoon and both arms were completely dead. results were awsome but
only done a few bits of paintwork, the weather / time is just always againist me Think I may invest in a polisher, just to try and get the best results. any tips on purchasing a polisher??
Worked really really well. Some in garage shots at rockingham race track. other pics in my car thread
