I want to Know your anal retentive detailing tricks!!

[PewterBird]

I have't seen any of these posts for a while, so post all you little car wash and detailing tricks.
I will start.
1. I use chamios and leaf blower to dry my car.
2. Removing the wheel lock caps and using a toothbrush to clean in the stock lugnut holes.

[Jack]

Go here...scroll to the bottom for the tips.

For the shows I attend I spend a minimum of 8 to 12 hours prepping the car, it is a lot of work but makes all the difference.
http://www.cccvette.com/carshow-inspection.htm

[silicuda]

i use a chapstick to clean the lug nut holes by wrapping the chapstick in cloth... this fits better then tootbrushes IMO

[V6Maniac]

I spend an entire day washing/waxing and cleaning/shining the enterior of the entire car. I leave it in the garage overnight with a blanket on it to keep the dust off. I get up bright and early the next morning to make sure there arent any streaks where water might have dripped down over the night. Then I drive down my dam* half mile gravel driveway and ruin all my freekin work and curse the entire way down the road.

My new strategy is to stay the night at my friends house the day before the show so I won't have to drive down my stupid road.

As for actual tips, I suggest taking tire shine with you to the show so you can shine the entire tire for the show, not just the outside of it. Yeah this makes your tires slippery as heck but a few burnouts and donuts clear that right up :D and they'll never be easier to do! [img]graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

[jhkcam]

Probably the only 'original' trick i have is getting all the black parts on your car to look brand new. ArmorAll can actually dry out the things on your car (dash, etc) and make them crack after a while. Use baby oil. The enterior, dash, weather strips, steering wheel, (anything plastic or rubber) even the black part by the headlights (93-97). I got this tip from the bodyshop my dad works at part-time. They do work for mercedes and are one of the best bodyshops in Louisville. All your black will look brand new and the plastic will shine better than when using the other stuff!! :cool:

-Justin

[ February 15, 2003: Message edited by: jhkcam ]</p>

[V6Maniac]

Also! Tire shine isn't just for tires!! You can make the weather strips on your car just as shiny as your tires if you wipe them down with some tire shine! I think the shine lasts a little longer when you use tire shine instead of one of those armor all things.

[Jack]

armor all is so 70's LOL Tireshine on the hoses and black plastic in the engine bay helps too. Keep it off the serp belt though. Clean, clean, clean everything. If they start judging at noon, get there when the gates open and start detailing. You can pick amazing amounts of crap just driving 5 miles. I have an old milk crate full of cleaning supplies I keep in the car. Use a stiff brush to get the tire treads clean.

To win a trophy, look at the possible classes your car can be in. If you are at a show with a lot of cars in your obvious class, sign up in one that doesn't have as many cars. Example, if there is a class for F-Bodies and 50 people signed up, your chances are diminished, but if there is a late model GM class with only 5 cars in it, you just improved your chances greatly.

Almost all judges I have spoken with say the same thing, they are looking for clean. My car has a few dings in it, but is always immaculate, and that is a point saver.

[Jack]

One more thing...Micro-Fiber towels. They are amazing!!!! Don't be tricked into the expensive ones in the car cleaning section, go to wal mart and head to the kitchen towel section, they are there and half the price for a bigger towel.

These things are great, they pick up and hold more dirt, and dry in minutes.

I also recently discovered the virtues of a random orbit buffer, How did I ever live w/o one of these?

[Christian]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by jhkcam:
Probably the only 'original' trick i have is getting all the black parts on your car to look brand new. ArmorAll can actually dry out the things on your car (dash, etc) and make them crack after a while. Use baby oil. The enterior, dash, weather strips, steering wheel, (anything plastic or rubber) even the black part by the headlights (93-97). I got this tip from the bodyshop my dad works at part-time. They do work for mercedes and are one of the best bodyshops in Louisville. All your black will look brand new and the plastic will shine better than when using the other stuff!! :cool:

-Justin

[ February 15, 2003: Message edited by: jhkcam ]<hr></blockquote>

Anything to try and make that balck part around the headlights look new, hell I'm willing to try. I have a crack on my dash, almost looks like a "slit". Any help on how to fix that? [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[SVD]

One of the things I do is clean, wax, and detail the door jambs, hatch channels, and the edges of the hood. You would be suprised how many people don't do these areas on their car! Believe me, some judges (Trans Am Nationals, for instance) will look at these areas for dirt.

[Tyler]

i take two small towels.. one in each hand.

i spray the car down with water.. and i clean my car ninja style. wacking the car with towels like nunchucks [img]smile.gif[/img] slaps the dirt right off

[MrCoffee]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Tyler:
i take two small towels.. one in each hand.

i spray the car down with water.. and i clean my car ninja style. wacking the car with towels like nunchucks [img]smile.gif[/img] slaps the dirt right off<hr></blockquote>

yea, lets hit our cars... thats the way to clean them:/ I've been using the stuff to clean tires on the wheel wells. then I spray the black magic tire shine up there too. I stuff towles under the spoiler when its drying, cuz I HATE it when water drips off there and leaves spots!

[Tyler]

dont tell me you cant sense SARCASM in my post :rolleyes: