2007 Porsche 997 Twin Turbo: my detailing project

Alrighty, I haven't done anything yet. I don't even have the car here. Going use this thread to show my progress on my first big detailing project.

Once I can find at least 2-3 consecutive days to DO WORK, I'll have this car to tackle from top to bottom. Fortunately, it's also my car. Body went from completely stock to what you see in the pics below: aftermarket front bumper, decklid/wing, rocker panels, rear valence. I posed a question regarding application of a PPF after a fresh paint. The new bits will get a good wash, but since they're freshly painted, I won't need to polish. Unfortunately, to allow for proper outgassing of the paint, the new parts won't get any sealant/wax and I have to wait to apply film to the front bumper (i.e. this car will live in the garage for the next month).

The rest of the bodywork is in dire need of a correction. Enter: brand new Flex 3401 and Menzerna products courtesy of Phil@DD. This will be my first foray into polishing with a DA.

Lips on the wheels are painted as well. Gonna have to use a handheld pad/polish and good ol' fashioned elbow grease for those.

Interior isn't bad. Wipe down with some Einszett Cockpit and a good vacuuming. Have some Leatherique which I haven't used yet. Think I may give it a go this time around.

Some pics (ignore the date stamp). Car is filthy. Inch layer of shop dust and handprints galore. I'll take some more detailed pics of the paintwork once I get started.













Two questions off the top of my head

1) suggestion on 'correcting' the clear bra on the hood. Horrible swirls up close, you can see holograms in the pic above. Heard mixed things on trying to polish a clear bra. Suggestions?
2) Hood emblem has some 'swirls' up close. Not deep scratches. Looks like it would be amenable to a polish. But how would I go about doing that?

Thanks for looking.

 

The hood emblem by hand with a mild polish . . . . . . may i ask what it is you do? That is one nice porsche. Wish i could drive one of those home everyday LoL.

Can't wait to see the progress pics . . . . . . you can see some swirls/hand prints or something in the last photo.

as for the clear bra i'm not sure . . . . maybe something really mild like a glaze or some Menzerna 106F or Menzerna 85rd

 

Firstly! Hot Car!! Nice rims, not feeling he wing nor front bumper.

Secondly, are the defects on the clear bra itself? As for correcting the defects on it, I had good results with a medium polish, and the hood emblem can be fixed by using some polish on a foam wax applicator.

Lastly!!! Love the car!

 

Nice car Ed!!!!

I'm going to suggest trying 106FA with a grey pad first and see if it works with the clear bra. If not, I'd go step it up with a white pad. I wouldn't try using SIP on it though. More experience detailers might chime in so let's see.

Good luck in detailing the car!!! It's so hot now and I don't know how you're going to do it!!! Hahaha!

 

Thanks for the tips. Won't the polish get stuck in the crevices (the emblem is not flat, it has raised edges)?

As far as what I do....I've never worked a day in my life. Daddy's money FTW!:headbang:....(j/k

Thanks man. Understand the wing and bumper aren't everyone's cup of tea. Appreciate the honesty.
Defects are on the bra, not the paint underneath. And again, the emblem is raised (i.e. not flat). Think polish will get stuck in the crevices.

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Hey Marc. Yeah, worst time of the year for car maintenance. 116 deg today driving home from work:campfire:

Never would have used SIP. But question is should even try to polish it at all? I've heard from some that it can destroy the film.

 

Everytime after you polishing you should back the car out and rinse/foam the car to remove and remaining oils or dust. At this time you should agitate emblems:

Sorry for the pic being a weird size, it's on my site.

 

Welcome Bonehead, I recognize you from TS... I am member Smoke over there and post my work in the detail section.

Some very good youtube vids of peopel polishing with the Flex and DA machines, those should help!

 

Well I guess I was doing it wrong :S

To polish-out scratches- Menzerna Final Polish II, LC White foam pad. Thats the best instructions. Its from Togwt.

Edit: Also It is important not to apply a lot of pressure to the film as this may lead to burning of the surface

 

Yeah man it was toasty today. For me, it's all the same as long as we got above 100F. They're all HOT hahaha!

That's why I would start with a grey pad because they're very delicate. White pad at the maximum. 106FA has very little cutting power anyway so it shouldn't really damage it. I used 106FF on my clear bra with no problems. Although I was just using a DA and not the Flex 3401.

 

Hey 02blackout,

I've always wondered about this... Doesn't the brush bristles scratch the paint finish???? I'd be scared to do that to my paint....

 

i've never had issues with the soft bristles like that scratching the paint. I guess if you had really soft paint then it might be something to worry about otherwise have at it.

Never even knew that 02blackout had a site.

 

At least the wing is big enough to the point where polishing it shouldn't be a issue.

 

This is a SV brush. SV is perfect

 

Thanks for all the input, guys. I don't have LC pads. Got a bunch of the Uber pads from Phil with my Flex. Which color codes do the white and grey correspond to?

 

So it didn't marr the paint in any way? I know it's a SV brush but it's still a brush... Brush bristles and paint don't jive together.

 

I wouldn't ordinarily use a brush on paint either. But the boar's hair on that brush is very soft. Plus, I have no other way of cleaning my painted wheels other than with a boar's hair brush.

 

When I first started detailing, I never understood why people used brushes to clean their wheels, let alone their paint (around emblems and trim). I've always used a foam to clean my wheels because I was always scared that it will scratch the wheel's finish. Now, I have an EZ detail brush that I use to clean my wheel barrels and I'm planning to buy the SV brush to clean tiny spaces in the wheel face and clean plastic pieces/trim around the car. BUT i will never use it around emblems that could hit the car body's paint no matter how soft it is. I just don't trust it enough hahaha!

 

Sorry for going off topic on your thread Ed.

I would think that it will be the green uber DD pad that will correspond to the white LC and the blue uber DD will correspond to the grey/black LC.

 

I tried just foaming/applying wheel cleaner alone then rinsing my wheels. But without some sort of agitation, they just don't get clean. I'd rather not use a brush, but the wheels just don't get clean otherwise.

 

Cool. thx