Adventures in Auto Detailing:
 

Admittedly this is nothing earth-shattering but I've been getting interested in high-end detailing ever since someone posted that link to the Ferrari 458 detail job a while back. That opened me up to the world of detailing forums and a whole new place for my OCD to wander. All of my various hobbies and occupations have been outlets for OCD, from house painting/restoration to engine building to various subjects of study, etc...

Anywhoo, what was interesting to me was not how shiny they could get a car but rather the "paint correction" or repair that is possible from a skilled detailer. Scratches removed, color-sanding, all of that. I recently acquired an old Mercedes S500 from a friend that was a bit neglected and needing some repairs. It's a good, low miles car that his (late) father bought new, just had been sitting for several years going to hell since his dad died. There is a longer story behind it but suffice it to say that it fell into my life like an unplanned pregnancy. I rarely drive it but it's now in great shape with everything mechanically perfect and only 65k original miles.

The paint was really bad with deep scratches in the clear coat and a hood that had been painted by a crook body shop after a minor accident that did not shine. When I say "did not shine", I mean that it looked like it was painted with a brush and a roller in satin finish. With absolutely nothing to lose but some thick/rough clear coat, I decided that this car was my guinea pig. I was going to dive balls-first into advanced auto detailing. I've been washing and polishing cars since I was a kid in the '60s but realised that I really knew nothing after lurking a little on the detail boards. I'd done some color-sanding on real junk paint, (with ok results), now I had a potentially more valuable car and I wanted to do it right.

First thing I did was invest in quite a bit of new tools and equipment + chemicals. The most important new tool was a Porter Cable DA polisher that seems to be favored by the pros.

Here are some "before" pictures from the day I got the car a few months ago:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311662350.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311662395.jpg

The trunk was pretty hideous, big scratches from boxes being slid on it while in storage. Poor car. Wasn't sure whether I could erase these.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311662533.jpg

Subscribing!!!

Make a roadtrip out to Phoenix in this car and we can spend a few days and cases of good beer on my 993.

I did the usual wash and clay bar, then started in with sanding the hood and trunk. I used 1200 and 1500 as needed with some soap/lube stuff that's made for sanding and special paper made by Meguires. Mercedes uses really hard paint/clear and the crap hood paint is hard as a rock, so I actually sanded it more than once to get it smooth and could do it again if I wanted to. It is still not perfect but I'm satisfied with it.

Here are some sanding pics:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311662957.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311662994.jpg

Those hood sanding pics were actually taken a while ago, I mess around with this car as time and whim allows. Today, I had some time and got motivated to attack the sides of the car. Unfortunately, I did not take "before" pics but the doors had some major scratches + scrapes from careless car doors. I was amazed, really amazed at what I could sand and polish-out of the scrapes. Shallow scratches are expected to come out but these were deep gouge-type scrapes in the clear/paint. They are still there if your know where to look but you need excellent light and perfect eyesight to see them.

I was losing light when I quit and took these pictures, I'll add some better ones tomorrow. Still, you can see the reflectivity and clarity of the paint. it is starting to look like a proper mafia staff car. :cool:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311663463.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311663513.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311663555.jpg

Also gradually detailing the interior, though it wasn't as bad as the exterior to start with:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311663648.jpg

This might be a better hood pic:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311663906.jpg

Those are bad pics now that I see them posted, I'll take better ones tomorrow. The paint is like a mirror, you can see a squirrel's balls in a tree when you're at a stop sign.

Thanks for the mental image!

Looks good so far.

Just found these:
 

Here are a couple of older pics from right after I sanded/polished the hood a couple of months ago:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311664894.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311664931.jpg

Awesome job, lots of elbow required for paint correction. Love that W140 Chassis, great cars (tanks) also much love for the Datsun 720 in the background too.
Yasin

Thanks Denis, just spit my coffee all over! :D

I like this thread, please keep it up - I think I'm going to learn a lot from you here

Nice work, Denis.

Nice work! This old S-class are built like a tank.

Nice work. I wish I could find a reputable detailer in the south OC area. My 993 has been neglected too long, and has scratches in the hood from boxes being dragged across it. :(

Nothing quite as satisfying as putting a shine on a neglected car. Great Job!

Which forums are you visiting? Do they have any tips for peeling clear coat?

What are you using for the leather? I like Leatherique, but am open to other things if they work just as well.

that is nice work.

PS that takes some serious, serious balls to wetsand applied, old clear as a rookie.

rjp

my mom has that car! i bet her car has less than 40k miles on it. it is a 400something..

it is dated looking, but i still love it. one time, i was driving my family to a steak house in the middle of nowhere. i was hauling butt, chatting..laughing. some rancher pulls out in front of me pulling a trailer. without even touching the brake, i simply moved over, passed..went back to my side. i noticed the silence, and saw my parents white as ghost..i scared the crap out of them with my manuever.

as the driver, it didnt feel scary at all. the car was flat out PLANTED!

great job speeder. it looks GREAT! i wish you were around to do the interior of my mom's car. it is hideous.

Autogeekonline Auto Detailing Forum
This is the place for detailing info, very good forums and a great selection of products.
You can also post looking for high end detailers in your area.
I use these people also...
Detailed Image - Premium Auto Detailing and Car Care Products

Fantastic job, Speeder !
Black is one of,if not the toughest colors to get right.
Randy said it.. big balls to start with black and a Mercedes!
I bet you felt really great when you saw what you accomplished

Man that's some difference..
more so in person I'm sure..

read about some detailer in London..
Young guy, charges thousands...
and he has a waiting list..
showed him doing a old race Porsche..Martini type..
original color/stripes..
a month later...
night and day difference..

D's car shows why Seahawk's 356 is what it is..
lots of effort & attention to detail..

Rika

A little art shot. The car is headed to my Dad's in the next week or so. He is in Fairfield, just west of Sacramento.

He has put good miles on the car and is happy with it.

Denis beeps at a frequency I have come to admire and respect.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1311701576.jpg