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My first car was an old '66 Triumph Spitfire. I kept it clean, occasionally waxed it, and loved it. It was positive ground, so I wrapped my cassette player in duct tape before I installed it. I was lucky it didn't catch fire.
Then I got a '67 Thunderbird to drive back and forth to school. Interior was perfect, but the body was rough. I washed it.
After that was a '76 TR-7 with new paint, and that was where my detailing obsession began. Single-stage urethane, so easy to polish and wax. I didn't know what a swirl was.
Then I "upgraded" to an '82 Firebird in burgundy metallic. Two-stage. Swirls aplenty. This was pre-internet, and I lived in Montana. There weren't, to put it mildly, a lot of places where I could turn for guidance. I didn't know what to do - I washed, and waxed, and the swirls were there, no matter what I did. I didn't know about Meguire's. There were times, literally, when I was frustrated to the point of tears.
Got married, sold the Firebird, had a forgettable procession of Saab 900's, Buick Regals, and Mazda minivans parked in the driveway. I had obligations other than detailing - Heck, the cars were lucky if they got washed once a month.
Family and work slowed down enough a few years ago for me to pick up a 2001 Seville, and I was excited about jumping back in - The old obsession kicked in soon, and swirls again became the bane of my detailing existence, but this time, there was an internet, and Mike Phillips, and Meguires, and I was always able to find an answer to my questions.
A couple of years ago, I picked up a BLACK Cadillac, and it still looks great; It's awesome knowing how to tackle issues that arise, and that if a problem comes up I can't solve, that you guys are here waiting to share your wisdom.
On Saturday, I bought an '83 944 from the original owner. It's in great shape, and it's never been repainted (Guards Red single-stage) but it was loved and driven. I'm not going to repaint it, and I know I can't erase the rock chips and little spots of road rash (And I don't want to). That said, I WOULD like to polish out the scratches and small swirls, so you can expect a post from me shortly, pleading for advice.
Thanks for being here, gang!
Russell
Then I got a '67 Thunderbird to drive back and forth to school. Interior was perfect, but the body was rough. I washed it.
After that was a '76 TR-7 with new paint, and that was where my detailing obsession began. Single-stage urethane, so easy to polish and wax. I didn't know what a swirl was.
Then I "upgraded" to an '82 Firebird in burgundy metallic. Two-stage. Swirls aplenty. This was pre-internet, and I lived in Montana. There weren't, to put it mildly, a lot of places where I could turn for guidance. I didn't know what to do - I washed, and waxed, and the swirls were there, no matter what I did. I didn't know about Meguire's. There were times, literally, when I was frustrated to the point of tears.
Got married, sold the Firebird, had a forgettable procession of Saab 900's, Buick Regals, and Mazda minivans parked in the driveway. I had obligations other than detailing - Heck, the cars were lucky if they got washed once a month.
Family and work slowed down enough a few years ago for me to pick up a 2001 Seville, and I was excited about jumping back in - The old obsession kicked in soon, and swirls again became the bane of my detailing existence, but this time, there was an internet, and Mike Phillips, and Meguires, and I was always able to find an answer to my questions.
A couple of years ago, I picked up a BLACK Cadillac, and it still looks great; It's awesome knowing how to tackle issues that arise, and that if a problem comes up I can't solve, that you guys are here waiting to share your wisdom.
On Saturday, I bought an '83 944 from the original owner. It's in great shape, and it's never been repainted (Guards Red single-stage) but it was loved and driven. I'm not going to repaint it, and I know I can't erase the rock chips and little spots of road rash (And I don't want to). That said, I WOULD like to polish out the scratches and small swirls, so you can expect a post from me shortly, pleading for advice.
Thanks for being here, gang!
Russell
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