Detailing in 1998

[Bunky]

I am fairly new at detailing gnosis so I know I have missed many years of knowing how to properly maintain a car finish.

To understand what I had missed, so what was the state of detailing in 1998 for example (10 years ago).

I know micro-fiber was not available (terry cloth was it?) and what kinds of paint protection products (sealants available?). Clearcoat was being widely used at this time.

Just curious. I asked here since I know Meg's has a long history in car care and suspect many users have been around for more than 10 years -- that is, over 30 now.

[Bunky]

Re: Detailing in 1998

I guess no one was around in 1998....

[Hemin8r]

Re: Detailing in 1998

I remember using a t-shirt folded multiple times to try and avoid scratches when removing the wax. I don't think I was too careful on the washing part though.

[Tillmanator]

Re: Detailing in 1998

Wait... people washed cars in 1998? LOL... just kidding. I never washed a vehicle in my life before I bought my Mustang two years ago so I have absolutely no idea what the detailing world was like back then.

[roushstage2]

Re: Detailing in 1998

It is still like that today, people using old rags and shirts and dish soap, but this forum is around now and getting bigger and bigger! More people are learning the right way to do things!

[Joe's detailing]

Re: Detailing in 1998

Back in the day there really wasn't to much available, remember using cut up T shirts was MF towels of today..
I used (turtle wax) Ouch!!! I didn't have access to Meguiar's like we do now
and used dish soap or some zip car wash....Memories....

[Wayfarerwalk]

Re: Detailing in 1998

used dish soap or some zip car wash....Memories....

Zip car wash, that does bring back some forgotten memories. Some memories are best left in the vault though.

[Raymond]

Re: Detailing in 1998

In '98, I was 10 years old, and my extent of "detailing" was limited to using a bucket of dish soap and water to help my parents wash our minivan with an old sock or a rag towel. Drying was never done, and waxing was some magic mythical product that was only applied once a year. Any more often, and - in my moms words - "we were wasting our money."

At that time the closest thing to a name-brand product we had was Blue Coral car wash soap, which was only used for special occasions.

Now I wash the cars weekly, detail the engine bays, interiors, undercarriage, wheels, and tires. They get waxed every month or so at the very least, my Mustang more often that that.

How times change...

[Jossy92]

Re: Detailing in 1998

In the '70s I read that washing your car with kerosene would protect paint from rust. I heard there was someone dumb enough to try it..... (gulp)

(We used "tiki" torches for lighting to check for swirl marks)

[Tom Weed]

Re: Detailing in 1998

lets see, I bought my first car in 78, a 78 monte carlo, used Dawn to wash it with, Rain Dance for wax and dried and polished it with old bathroom towels. We had a meguiars distributor off of Preson Highway in Louisville and someone showed me #7 followed by #16, that was the combination I ended up using for years. Everything was done by hand and I remember thinking how much work it was, and still is!


Tom

[brianshaeffer]

Re: Detailing in 1998

In 1998, I was using either Gold Class wax or Medallion Premium Paint Protectio on everything. I was also using #9 and #7 on my single stage paint cars. I also had my Porter Cable then.

Some really great developments since then include microfiber, really good spray waxes, Quik Interior Detailer, and Ultimate Quik Detailer.

[Tom Weed]

Re: Detailing in 1998

I should expand on what has become popluar saving time and providing great results, first and foremost in my mind is detailing clay, was skeptical about it until I used it. Dual action polishers and foam pads much easier, microfiber towels, and quick detailers. I have to say, M105 is amazing stuff!

[Detail Werks]

Re: Detailing in 1998

In 98 I was using a product called Liquid Ebony for polishing and a lambs wool finish pad with a Suix buffer that was about 10 pounds, and of course Harley paste wax to seal and protect. Geeze things sure are a lot easier now.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Detailing in 1998

In 98 I was using a product called Liquid Ebony for polishing and a lambs wool finish pad with a Suix buffer that was about 10 pounds, and of course Harley paste wax to seal and protect. Geeze things sure are a lot easier now.

We remember Liquid Ebony, they've since gone out of business, it was basically mineral oil if we remember what the label on the side of the bottle stated.

[Skuz]

Re: Detailing in 1998

Hmmm, 10 years ago, I didn't know about clay, paint cleaners, polishes... and I was much less into cars than I am now.

I think I was still using the Blue Diamond wax my dad had. I remember trying to use the softest possible cloths to buff the wax. I don't think I ever used dish soap on a car but I really don't remember which soap I used back then. Could have been TW Zip Wash.

I cleaned the tires with Fantastik and dressed them with Armor All. The dash also received the occasional Armor All treatment, but not too often since it was soooo greasy. Windows cleaned with regular Windex. Engine bay never cleaned. I think that was it.

Detailing was quicker, but also produced much lower results.