Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Started helping my buddy do a few cars a couple weeks ago and now its turned into a part time job, borderline full time. Its cool though, cause he lets me do my ebay thing throughout the day if I need to (phone calls, emails, pack/ship sold items, etc).

The work isn't hard by any means and I actually really enjoy it. Rather than dragging my feet through mud all day carrying forms or getting covered in concrete, I'm just cleaning nice cars. lol

I'm going to be working on a website for him and I started keeping a photo record of his clients. He has a great set of clients with some really nice cars. Personally I'm waiting for the R8 to come in.

These are a few of the cars we've worked on the last 2 weeks. The '64 vette has been in a barn for the last 20 or so years and this was its first hand job since then. I wish I had been taking before pictures cause some of these came in pretty rough.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

Sweet cars.
Its really tedious work though, not for me.

ThatGuy85

iTrader: (4)

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

xturner

Red Vette w/ Cragar SS's. I touch myself.

pusha

iTrader: (5)

y8s

iTrader: (8)

Tell me, Vash, what does a detail shop use on the dash to prevent shiny dust collecting problems?

New cars don't shine but most aftermarket dash juices do (armor all, 303, etc).

Just clean with water?

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

We use a special foaming cleaner that he gets from his distributor.

He's against the shiny "armor all" type cleaners.

Actually we have a couple different foaming interior cleaners. One is a basic cleaner and the other is for hard to remove spots. Both work extremely well and is better than anything I've ever used myself.

I'll get the names of the cleaner and where he gets it from for you.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

awesome, thanks.

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Y8S, he recommends this stuff called "303" for the miata interior. The bottle says 303products.com on it.

It's good for rubber, vinyl, fiberglass, tires, plastic and leather.

The other stuff I've been using is called "extra foamy" made by hi-tech. The super cleaner is called "crazy clean" made by sprayway. He said you might not be able to get these ones though.

petrolmed

iTrader: (8)

Those cars look great! I've been detailing cars myself for my own small summertime business for the past 4+ years. It's rewarding seeing the before and after even when its not your own car. What is your exact role when you detail, do you do everything or just have a specific job? Is everything done by hand? I'm curious to see how a professional shop does things.

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

Vash come down to SC. Then detail my car. I am complete and utter failboat at cleaning and detailing and all that stuff.

skidude

iTrader: (3)

Are all these just cleanings, or does he do paint restorations as well? My next cleaning project on the miata is going to remove some light swirls and stuff, and make the paint actually shine. Now it is just kind of... dull.

Doppelgänger

iTrader: (12)

Anything with a silicone base will do this. For some odd reason, people think shiny = good. Avoid silicone based products.

I use a light soapy water and wipe down with a microfiber.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

303 i have tried. It's not as glossy and fugly as slimor-all but it's still too shiny for OEM look.

I will look into the foamy and crazy stuff. Most of the time just getting the scuzz out of the dash texture makes a huge improvement.

And like doppel said, microfiber FTW.

Faeflora

iTrader: (2)

This stuff. Meg's quik interior detailer.

No residue. Will leave your dash matte matt.

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_detail.do?q=4611

y8s

iTrader: (8)

since you have nothing else to do, can you do your dash in four sections:
armor all
303
meguiars interior detailer
damp rag

and show me the comparison? trans be damned.

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Thank man! I do everything so far except run the buffer, only because we haven't had time to go over it just yet. Otherwise I mainly wash, dry, clay and do the full interiors. He mostly does the polishing and waxing, along with the dressings.

Everything is done by hand except for the buffing machine. He said you just cant get the best results without it. He's got a pretty good method worked out. We could crank cars in and out of there if that's what he was looking to do, but right now I think he's just comfortable staying just busy enough.

Better idea. Send it to me and I'll send it back after a month.

Yes, mostly just detailing. We can do paint restorations depending on how bad the paint is and how much someone wants to spend. Some customers want a basic detail, while others want the works. He's pretty open to everything except pet interiors and bikes

Every single cloth we use at the shop is a microfiber one. Whether for wiping while wet or drying, we use no cloth rags at all.

Yeah man, that foamy stuff is amazing. I told you 303 only because that's what he recommended, but he himself said he doesn't even do much interior work. After doing all these interiors myself and using the foam spray I'm sold.

That Mercedes SUV pictured above came in with the two front seats dyed from dark clothing rubbing on the light colored leather. The regular foamy stuff didn't do much with it, but the crazy clean and a lot of rubbing made them like new again. I was thoroughly impressed.

Soap and water isn't doing it right. Get a good professional cleaner.

To help speed up the interior cleaning I use different brushes along with the vacuum to clean out all the little crevices before spraying them down.

astroboy

iTrader: (18)

Damnit man, no before pics!?

Doppelgänger

iTrader: (12)

What might you recommend for seude seats? I have 10AE seats and I'd like to get them nice and blue again.


Also, I'm convinced that all glass cleaners are a farse and are made knowing that the glass will attract dirt at a fast rate. I only use a detailing spray wax on windows after wiping with a damp micro (never use rain-x or similar products either). This comes from years of using multiple glass cleaners (mainly Stoners) and switching to waxing windows.

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

I'm going to start taking some before/after shots this week.

The first step was to start taking ANY pictures just to get him a portfolio started. Now I'll work on actual detail shots. Like before and after shots of the trunk lid and door jams, wheel wells, ---- stained carpets, etc.

The upholstery cleaner we use is ****. So far any stains that have come in have been removed with this stuff. Spray and toothbrush the ---- out of it. Wipe dry and vacuum up loose debris. 1 hour later looks brand new.

I'll get the name of it and the glass cleaner we use on Sunday. Yep, you heard right. Working Sunday too! lol

Here's a couple Lexus suv's we did this past week and a miataer we did yesterday. The miata sits outside all year round, only covered during the winter months. Can you tell?