Delorian

[6318]

I've got a customer that has been hinting he might want his done...anybody have experience with these?...anything I need to do differently?

[the newbie]

a delorean???

i tought they weren't painted,but maybe they have a clear coat on top of the stainless steel.

overhere they were only available like that,so why bother to polish,if there is no paint?

Rick

[Mike Phillips]

I for one have never detailed one of these cars. Perhaps someone who has will chime in.

That said, if it has stock wheels, they look like they will require a good wheel brush and the right wheel cleaner to get inside all of those fins.



Mike

[CHzo6]

I know they didnt come painted from the DeLorean factory, not sure if they had a clear coat on top of the stainless steel or not...did they even have clearcoat in 81, 82 or 83?

[Mike Phillips]

If it were me, I would use www.google.com to search for a DeLorean website with a Discussion Forum and post a few questions there.

Chances are good there will be a FAQ, and possibly a Care and Feeding section for the finish.

Mike

p.s.

Post back here what you find out...

[YachtDetailer]

Another forum I contribute at has had a thread of Delorean detailing.

I will look up the old thread and post any helpful information here.

Something about WD-40 and steel wool.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by YachtDetailer
Something about WD-40 and steel wool.

That sounds about right. Probably #000 grade steel wool. As long as you rub the steel wool in all the same directions and use equal and uniform pressure, it's conceivable that you could create a fairly uniform look. This would be the type of polishing that the saying, "Practice makes perfect"

Mike

[Setec Astronomy]

There shouldn't have been any need for a coating on that stainless skin (hopefully it was passivated). I remember hearing that people didn't like that it came in only one "color", and there was talk of doing some sort of tinting, but I think they went belly up before they did any like that. The stainless part will need very different techniques than paint, I think. I'd be more worried about the 20 yo trim pieces, and as Mike P. suggested, the wheels.

[6318]

thanks for your replies
I'll keep you up to date on the car...who knows when I'll get my hands on it, rumor is the resto is eating all his $$!

[George G.]

What about Stainless Steal appliance cleaner? We use it on our kitchen appliances.

There's also a Before and After pic of a Delorean on the homepage of Maguiarsonline.com. I wonder what he used.

[TOGWT]

I was booked to detail a Delorean once so I ‘bookmarked this post (the client cancelled as the car was totalled in a wreck previous to the detail)

“I contributed detailing articles to the Delorean Club magazine for a couple of years. You're not supposed to polish the stainless finish. It will ruin it! No machines... trust me.

1. Wash it with Dawn.
2. Clay.
3. Use Plexus as a light cleaner polish to get what the clay can't reach and to clean the plastic end caps.
4. Seal with a synthetic wax.
5. Give your client a can of Plexus to remove finger prints.

db” DavidB Autopia

~Hope this helps~

[6318]

thanks TOGWT
...I may skip the Dawn out of long habit...but love any excuse I can get to use Plexus!

[Larry A]

Ive seen one that was clear coated, and it looked very good. The owner said that without clear coat the stainless was imposible to keep nice looking, it shows every finger print. It was done 4 yrs ago and it looked great and much easier to keep clean.