lax01

I finally accumulated all the products I needed to attempt a full detail with a Porter Cable for the very first time. I tested the PC on my dad's 93 Legend and learned the basics. Now its game-time.

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2890.jpg">

So I started Friday night by washing the car with Dawn soap and Poorboy's Bug and Tar Remover on the Lowers and the bumpers. I used a Microfiber wash mit and cleaned the exterior. I then used some ClayMagic clay bar and clayed the entire car (starting from the top of course). I used Poorboy's Spray and White as lubricant (as well as water). The car was already looking better but as I was running short on day-time, I wasn't taking any pictures. After claying, I washed one more time and dried with a waffle-weave microfiber towel and then pulled into the garage. The sun had just set so I timed it perfect. I had bought the Craftsman 2-light work-light earlier on Friday so I set that up and start doing more fine drying (door jams, trunk, hood, etc). At this point, this is how the car looked:

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2838.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2840.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2841.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2843.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2846.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2847.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2849.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2854.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2855.jpg">

So as you can see, the car was very barely marred and swirled. This is most likely due to my stupidity and not doing proper washing during the winter. Using quickly detailer with salt on the car (stupid stupid :wallbang. Anyways, I was set out to fix all of that. So I pull out the Porter Cable and my orange Lake Country pad. I pull out the Menzerna Intensive Polish and got the pad lubed up and ready to go. I set it to 3 and smear it onto the trunk. Before I go on, I should remind everyone that I had some really bad hard-water spots on my trunk.

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Autopiablocked/DSC_2833.jpg">

I definitely wanted to make sure I removed these. So I went to work with the PC and the Orange Pad....I did only the trunk and the roof on Friday night but it took me awhile because I was going back and forth between the orange and the white LC pads. After doing both trunk with the orange LC pad and IP combo, I went to it with the white LC pad and Menzerna Final Polish II. After finishing this and was happy with the results, I took some pictures:

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2858.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2861.jpg">

I also did the roof with the same process but I didn't get any worthy pictures of it until the next morning:

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2863.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2864.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2865.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2867.jpg">

So at this point, it was Saturday morning so I started working the rest of the car. Mostly with the same process. Orange LC Pad with Menzerna Intensive Polish all around and then the White LC Pad with the Final Polish II. I took breaks to get some pictures:

First some of the swirls on the hood (pre-polish)

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2870.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2871.jpg">

I also did a test on the driver's side door with just the White LC pad and FPII, as you can see, it took out some of the swirls, but I figured the Orange LC Pad and IP would be worth it to remove all of the imperfections. Here are the pics:

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2874.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2875.jpg">

And here is an after-polishing on the hood:

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2877.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2878.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2879.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2880.jpg">

There's still some minor scratches, but the IP just wasn't strong enough (or I didn't work it enough) get them out...I was satisfied with the result though.

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2882.jpg">

So here are the post-wax pictures. I used the Porter Cable and a black Lake Country Pad and Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket. I applied on a speed of 3.5.

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2922.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2923.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2927.jpg">

I applied another coat of FMJ with the Black Pad and then cleaned the windows with Stoner window cleaner and dressed the tires with Mequairs Tire Shine.

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2930.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2932.jpg">

<img src="http://lax.war3.com/Car/M3/Detail-April-07-JPEG/DSC_2938.jpg">

So, after many many hours of work, I'm very satisfied with the results. But as you can see in the last picture, it has been raining all weekend, so I didn't want to take the car out of the garage to get pictures. I'm sure I'll do a nice photo-shoot sometime soon and I'll make sure to post those pics up when I take them.

Also, all pictures were taken with a Nikon D50 with an 18-70mm lens; most on a tripod.

Let me know what you think!

detailersdomain

very nice for your first attempt!

Dubs

I've found that the PC does a great job and if really safe too. Don't be afraid to really go at a spot being that its almost fool proof. For more corrective work I'm not sure the PC will cut it, so im looking at getting a roatary.

MB The Body

looks awesome!

SLVR6

Its good that you broke it down into 2 days or else you would have been shot doing all that in 1 day and not being used to it. Now make sure to wash properly and the swirls should stay away.

DoucheyMcDoucherson

Does that light collapse? If so, to what size? I need something portable and bright.

WECoyote-SuperGenius

Woondaba! Great Job!

lax01

Great buy for $30....its at Sears

lax01

but the bulk of the work was done on Friday night and Saturday day

DoucheyMcDoucherson

Thx. Will pick one up this week.