2nd April Entry - Satin Red Astra

[Dave KG]

From this...

http://img319.imageshack.us/img319/7158/aa1aabeforefullcar8yf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

to this...

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/7582/aa2sacompletedh8mx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

This is my dad's ten year old Astra estate... He's had it for a few years now, never machine polished it, and only ever washed it with a sponge or in the car wash so the paint was in pretty poor shape... Also, the fact the car is driven down farm tracks put some pretty deeps scratches in the paint to! So, to detail this car was going to be more effort than my own Astra where regular TLC is always the order of the day, but I thought it'd be a fun challenge for me and the new Menzerna products I got! :)

Here's the before pics...

Covered in a "protective coating" of mud...
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/3817/ba1acbeforemud9yl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Badly swirled, uncared for paint thats been battered by a car wash...
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/8440/ba2adswirls8uq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/4205/ba3aeswirls1iz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/342/ba4afswirls4cz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The tramlines in the roof were robbing the paint of any gloss...
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/6982/ba5agrooftramlines3jp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

First off, the wheels and araches were cleaned with Autoglym Engine and Machine Cleaner, using an old paintbrush to agitate the ingrained mud off of the surfaces and rinising with plenty of water. The plastic trim and bumpers was then cleaned with AG Engine and Machine cleaner also. They will be dressed at the end of the detail.

Next, the bodywork was washed (twice) with Meguiars Gold Class shampoo - here's a pick of the car during the second wash (don't worry, the second bucket is out of shot!)...
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/2816/ca1babeingwashed9lg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

And now a picture of the car rinsed, and although it looks better than it did caked in mud, the paint is sadly flat and dead looking...
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/7561/cb1bbafterwash6xj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

So, to revive the paint - the following process. Menzerna Intensive Polish on an orange power pad was first up - this was applied straight onto paint and smeared across a small area with the PC switched off. Then the PC on at speed 3 for a quick pass to spread the polish, then up to speed 5 for a second slow pass with more pressure, and then onto speed 6 for several passes until the polish was dusting. IP is quite dusty, but I found I was able to keep this down by spritzing the pad with water and this gave me more passes until the polish cured. The Menzerna IP process was then repeated a second, and on bad panels, a third time to remove the vast majority of the swirl marks (deeper scratches from gorse bushes that caught the nail remained as expected). The swirls really were bad enough to require this amount of polishing!! :rolleyes: Next up, this was followed with Menzerna Final Polish 2 applied using a LakeCountry orange light cutting pad - again applied straight to paint, spread with machine off, spread with a single quick pass at speed 3, then one slow pass at speed 5, and final slow passes at speed 6 with increased pressure at speeds 5 and 6. This added to the gloss of the paint. This was followed with Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze, applied usin a LakeCountry black finishing pad, applied straight on to paint, spread with machine off, then one slow pass at speed 3 followed by a couple of slow passes at speed 5 (light pressure) to work the glaze into the paint. This left a lovely glossy finish, these three products really do work well together. Then we topped off with Menzera Full Molecular Jacket, applied by hand, left a few minutes to dry and buffed off to a clear shine and very slick paint.

So, the during photos, in stages:

Roof

Menzerna IP applied to the roof...
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/7561/cb1bbafterwash6xj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

A pic of the roof after all stages, swirl free but with a wee stone chip...
http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/1691/db1ebafterroofnoswirl7vc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Another pic of the roof showing clear reflections...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/9743/db2ecafterroof27bt.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Clouds in the roof...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/1113/db3efroofafter5oi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Lovely tenament building in roof...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/8610/db4ehroofafter7xf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

More sun and clouds (shortly before rain set in...)
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/4333/db5eiroofafter6ml.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

And the "Famous Four" - or I think they should be famous! :)
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/4510/db6eeemenzfour7fl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Bonnet

Swirl marks in the bonnet...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/3351/dc1dbbonnetswirls28yu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The bonnet, swirl marks reduced by the three polshing and glazing stages...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/3272/dc2ddbonnetnoswirls7ej.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Reflective bonnet after three stages...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/6074/dc3dfbonnetafter8bh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Another shot to show the reduced swirls in the bonnet...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/8954/dc4embonnetafter3ru.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

A pic of FMJ curing on the bonnet...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/1255/dc5debonnetwithfmj8yl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

My favourite sealent - FMJ...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/267/dc6dhfmjonbonnet8sz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Bonnet after all four stages...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/3055/dc7eobonnetafter2mj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Again, the bonnet after all four stages...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/3055/dc7eobonnetafter2mj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Sides

Badly swirled door (with deep straight scratches, apparently from gorse bushes! :rolleyes: )...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/9477/dd1djdoorwithswirls3wx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The door with swirls significantly reduced after the four stages...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/9120/dd2dkdoorwithnoswirls0sg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Reasonable degree of flake here, and Menz products do everything to bring it out...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/1771/dd3elrearpanelafter4gt.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

And me reflected in the side door...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/5738/dd4eumereflectedinside0gx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


While I was working away with the Porter Cable, my dad came out to watch so I got him to do the glass areas with Clearkote Vanilla Moosewax Hand Glaze...
http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/764/de1fadadglass4im.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


The plastics were treated to Autoglym Bumper Care (and there's a lot of plastic - bumpers, styling lines, windscreen base, roof lines and also all rubber window surrounds). The tyres were treated to Meguiars Endurance Gel.

Here are the final pics of the car (appologies for the fading light, it was 8pm by the time I'd finished...)

http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/8521/df1sbcompetedh7nz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img448.imageshack.us/img448/2816/df2sdcompletedr3rg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img448.imageshack.us/img448/6615/df3shcompletedr5ob.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img448.imageshack.us/img448/456/df5sjcompletedr7rp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

This car will also get a layer of Nattys wax in a couple of weeks when I do mine, but my dad is happy to enjoy the slick and clear finish of FMJ for the time being! :)

One of the more challenging cars I've done, this one! But very rewarding in the end. Hope you like the detail! :thumb:

[A2D]

Excellent work mate, real transformation! have to try that menz gear!


Chris

[Alex L]

If you ever get bored of Physics you can always fall back on detailing:thumb:

And going by your dads white hair, i've got a feeling you might look like this when your older:lol:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y152/alex7938/1985_doc_f.jpg

[Dave KG]

If you ever get bored of Physics you can always fall back on detailing:thumb:

And going by your dads white hair, i've got a feeling you might look like this when your older:lol:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y152/alex7938/1985_doc_f.jpg

I'm sure I'll end up looking like that, only my lab coat will porbably have more burn marks on it!! :lol:

[PuntoGT]

Ok, ok, ok close the competition just now n give dave his prize lol. top work mate

[MickCTR]

Why can i never see dav KG's photo's :( sad really because i'm sure that astra looks great lol!

[andburg]

it does!! sort of results i can only dream of atm :(

andy

[scragend]

FMJ = ******* magnificent job ;)

Top work Dave.

[Dave KG]

Why can i never see dav KG's photo's :( sad really because i'm sure that astra looks great lol!

They're hosted by imageshack, does this cause a problem for anyone else? Its strange...

[MickCTR]

They're hosted by imageshack, does this cause a problem for anyone else? Its strange...


I seem to be fine with PhotoBucket but can't display imageshack photo's. Any techy's got any idea's!!!!

[Thomas-182]

Very nice work there, well done. Looks great.

[nick_182]

Superb effort, that really looks excellent. Menzerna is next on my shopping list I think!

[PootleFlump]

Good job, I think it is difficult for an old car and especially a run of the mill Astra to have the same impact as say a Porsche or something a little special. I also think that some some colour photograph better than others. I think you've done a cracking job turning around a real car.

[Neil_S]

Great work Dave! Not heard of Vanilla Moosewax being used on windows before, was that just the side and rear windows?

[Dave KG]

Great work Dave! Not heard of Vanilla Moosewax being used on windows before, was that just the side and rear windows?

Used it on the windscreen as well, it did quite a good job of removing fine wee scratches left by the windscreen wipers...

[PuntoGT]

dammm i nvr got any o that before it was discontinued

[Dave KG]

I beleive Alex at Serious Peformance still sells it, Chris. :thumb:

[corksta]

Really nice work mate. I like the last 2 pics, looks like a brochure shoot!

[dubbers]

Excellent detail & superb photo's:thumb:

[Dave KG]

bump: just moving this entry up with the other April entries so it doesn't get lost! :)

[Root Ginger]

Really nice work mate. I like the last 2 pics, looks like a brochure shoot!

I was going to say exactly the same thing.