Vince's XM...213k and slowing....

[vince]

Lol need to clean a few more cars first! If only I was closer, Excellent Job on that van!
Would be interested to see the job you have done on the plastichrome at some point, you coming to DSM or CXM?

Hi Dave, yes ill try make it down to one of them, probably the DSM...will have to see.

Ill stick some pictures up of the plastichrome if you want but i dont have any before pictures....i could take some of the front trim...that hasnt had any attention since last year

Its easy enough Dave, get some autosol and a cloth and set to it......working small sections say about 6 inches at a time and repeating the process 2 or 3 times over that section and it will come up alot better. Bad oxidisation wont come out as its below the surface, but the milky plastic top layer cleans up very well...For added sparkle once cleaned give it a light coat of silicone with a cloth.....Carplan tyre slick or something like that.

[vince]

Well the next job is booked in for next weekend. A 1988 Lotus Excel in red The below isnt the actual car...just an example picture



I wandered down to Greggs today near work to grab a butty and there it was parked outside a unit on the estate. Ive seen it before but didnt have any cards on me so i nipped back to work typed a quick hello note and stuck my card with it in an evelope under his wiper. He popped into the shop...nice chap and we shook hands on me restoring the finish on his quite tidy Excel next weekend.....his mate he says also has one that he might want doing and also a 1950's Cadillac sedan also.....ontop of a Freelander and a Pug 307 it looks like i might be busy for a few sundays to come

Im going to be buying a new machine polisher in the next few days to allow me to work on more delicate cars.....such as the lotus which is either totally or largely fibreglass.....the rotary might eat that alive

A classic car at last

[red_dwarfers]

Don't know how you do it vince, I'd be scared witless of even touching the paintwork of someones pride and joy! Looking forward to the before and after photos as always
At some point I need to think about what I'm going to do with the red Xantia's paint as the lacquer is peeling off the spoiler and roof. Me and Dad are going to have a go with rubbing down the spoiler and respraying that to see what it looks like. The roof on the other hand I reckon I'll either leave or get someone else to do.

[addo]

If the clear is shot, you are going to have to redo the basecoat as well - when you're in the booth for that, is an easy time to slip the panel shop your nicely prepped spoiler.

Acrylic is - compared to 2K - a grossly inferior media, and spraying polyurethane at home is fraught with hazards - I have the lungs to prove it.

[DickieG]

such as the lotus which is either totally or largely fibreglass.....the rotary might eat that alive

A plastic car at last

True

[red_dwarfers]

If the clear is shot, you are going to have to redo the basecoat as well - when you're in the booth for that, is an easy time to slip the panel shop your nicely prepped spoiler.

Acrylic is - compared to 2K - a grossly inferior media, and spraying polyurethane at home is fraught with hazards - I have the lungs to prove it.

Right oh, that does make sense. Looks like I might leave the spoiler until I get around to pricing that up!

[bxzx16v]

What machine polisher are you looking at Vince ? I've got a Sim180 it's my second one as the speed control was playing up on my first , now this one is playing up too and it's not had much use . I was considering the DeWalt rotary as I think some of the cheaper rotaries are just generic Chinese c**p with whoever are selling thems stickers on . Look forward to some more pics & updates

Mark

[Deanxm]

MMMMMMM ford granada light lenses, yummy lol

D

[bxzx16v]

^^^^ ^^^^


Mark

[DickieG]

MMMMMMM ford granada light lenses, yummy lol

Don't you mean upside down Rover SD1?

[Deanxm]

Close though


1984 Ford Granada 2.8i Ghia X by Stuart Axe, on Flickr


Look like triumph tr7 door handles too dont they?

D

[DickieG]

Look like triumph tr7 door handles too dont they?

Or less exotic, Allegro, Morris Marina, a real parts bin car

[vince]

What machine polisher are you looking at Vince ? I've got a Sim180 it's my second one as the speed control was playing up on my first , now this one is playing up too and it's not had much use . I was considering the DeWalt rotary as I think some of the cheaper rotaries are just generic Chinese c**p with whoever are selling thems stickers on . Look forward to some more pics & updates

Mark

Hi Mark, i have had and used the Silverline Rotary polisher for a while now with no problems whatsoever using menzerna pads and compounds. They are good cheap machines, but i always read user reviews before i buy new stuff like this as thats the true reflection of what its going to be like.

The machine i am going to be getting next week is the DAS6 pro DA polisher. Rave reviews and from what ive been told corrects almost better than a rotary due to its uprated 850W motor. For me im looking to compliment the rotary and save a bucket load of time using the DA for final finishing work and applying glazes etc rather than hand applying.

[vince]

Don't know how you do it vince, I'd be scared witless of even touching the paintwork of someones pride and joy!

Thanks kev....i felt ok until i read your post, now youve got me nervous

I kind of had an easy start into it working on a friends cars that the only way really was upwards as they were so bad to begin with I kind of cut my teeth on these and on my own car and sure i have cocked up the finish a few times on my own car (and one of his) but always managed to reverse the problem to a fantastic finish which is/was i guess part of the learning process.

Im not a pro by any means which is why i dont charge pro money but that said, I'd never just throw myself into jobs and hope they turn out well.....for the lotus i've tracked down a scottish guy who has had a red excel for 8 years and has detailed it several times using a rotary. I picked his brains on the best machine, pad and polish combo to use and what to watch out for. Now that i know what to be mindful of on this car im not nervous anymore

I might have a traction to do later this year...the same would apply to that job too.....start of with a test patch and once i know what the paint wants then do the whole car using the same methods.

Mechanical work is alot harder Kev to me, whereas to you its no big deal

[red_dwarfers]

Sorry Vince

I guess you're right on that.

I found this. Might be an idea if cars to detail get in short supply