Bringing a red '67 volvo back to life?

[RGP]

Re: Bringing a red '67 volvo back to life?

WOW!!!

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Bringing a red '67 volvo back to life?

Very nicely done!

To think you did this all by hand just makes the turnaround that much more impressive. But to think that the correction step was accomplished using nothing more than ScratchX 2.0 and Deep Crystal Polish, well, what an amazing testament to those two products!


ScratchX 2.0 - $10.99
DC Polish - $7.49
NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 - $17.99
Bringing a '67 Volvo back to life - Priceless (if a bit tiring!)

[zigzagg321]

Re: Bringing a red '67 volvo back to life?

wow... what a great result!! looks WORLDS better!!

[red92s]

Re: Bringing a red '67 volvo back to life?

Very nicely done!

To think you did this all by hand just makes the turnaround that much more impressive. But to think that the correction step was accomplished using nothing more than ScratchX 2.0 and Deep Crystal Polish, well, what an amazing testament to those two products!


ScratchX 2.0 - $10.99
DC Polish - $7.49
NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 - $17.99
Bringing a '67 Volvo back to life - Priceless (if a bit tiring!)

It should be more like "ScratchX 2.0 - $20" since it was a little cheaper than $10.99 at my auto parts store, but I went through TWO bottles (well, 1.5 at least). I was trying to be very through in the application. Didn't seem like I was over-applying, just had lots of real estate to cover.

I will say that I was very very impressed by the DC Polish. I was skeptical that such a "wipe on, wipe off" product would improve the paint at all. After all that claying and ScratchX'ing, it was a HUGE relief to move to a product that is nearly effortless yet provides immediate results. It really was easy to use, and added depth and dimension that just wasn't there before. GREAT product for single stage paint.

The NXT wax I'm a little mixed on. It wasn't like a knock-you-over-the-head increase in shine, but I think a lot of that may be due to the fact that the car was already pretty clean and glossy from the previous steps. It was however very easy to apply, which again was a relief to my overworked right arm. It also seemed like I had to use much less care about getting it in small gaps and cracks, and spent much less time trying to get dried white powder out of those areas on the final wipe-down. Overall it's a solid B+ product in my book, but if it holds up as well as promised it might sneak up to an A.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Bringing a red '67 volvo back to life?

It should be more like "ScratchX 2.0 - $20" since it was a little cheaper than $10.99 at my auto parts store, but I went through TWO bottles (well, 1.5 at least). I was trying to be very through in the application. Didn't seem like I was over-applying, just had lots of real estate to cover.

Well, the assumption was there that you used more than one tube of ScratchX - knowing how this process it works it would be astonishing to obtain this result with a single tube as that really isn't a lot of product.

I will say that I was very very impressed by the DC Polish. I was skeptical that such a "wipe on, wipe off" product would improve the paint at all. After all that claying and ScratchX'ing, it was a HUGE relief to move to a product that is nearly effortless yet provides immediate results. It really was easy to use, and added depth and dimension that just wasn't there before. GREAT product for single stage paint.

Earlier references were made to the gloss enhancement of a pure polish, whether DC Polish or M07, so this really was the expected outcome after removing the oxidized paint with the ScratchX. The gloss enhancement you achieved is the exact intended purpose of this product.

The NXT wax I'm a little mixed on. It wasn't like a knock-you-over-the-head increase in shine, but I think a lot of that may be due to the fact that the car was already pretty clean and glossy from the previous steps. It was however very easy to apply, which again was a relief to my overworked right arm. It also seemed like I had to use much less care about getting it in small gaps and cracks, and spent much less time trying to get dried white powder out of those areas on the final wipe-down. Overall it's a solid B+ product in my book, but if it holds up as well as promised it might sneak up to an A.

Here is where your expectations may have been a bit high. The vast majority of your gloss is going to come from the polish step - waxing is really intended as the protection of a high gloss finish. Yes, NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 is classified as a polish/wax so on a lightly neglected surface you'll see a greater improvement in gloss using it, but waxes in general are not your major source of gloss.

Since you achieved a very high gloss level with the application of a pure polish, further large gains in gloss from a wax (even a polish/wax) should not be expected. In the thread How much of importance is surface prep? the consensus is prep is the overall key to achieve a brilliant shine. Ask that question on any other detailing forum and you'll get the same kind of answers, by the way. That thread also references Just What Difference Does A Wax Make? - A Test To Find Out! which compares a wide variety of waxes applied to 7 equally (and beautifully) prepared black cars. None of these waxes, some very expensive, made a huge difference in the final outcome. It's the prep, which you did to near exhaustion over several days, that really makes the difference.

[red92s]

Re: Bringing a red '67 volvo back to life?

Earlier references were made to the gloss enhancement of a pure polish, whether DC Polish or M07, so this really was the expected outcome after removing the oxidized paint with the ScratchX. The gloss enhancement you

Yep, I think all the way back on page one it was brought up. I just think it's rare you find such a "wipe on wipe off" product that provides such dramatic results. I was expecting "meh" kinda results, but was absolutely floored by the actual outcome.

Here is where your expectations may have been a bit high. The vast majority of your gloss is going to come from the polish step - waxing is really intended as the protection of a high gloss finish.

Great information, thanks!