It’s finally here!
The new ZR1 is a very impressive automobile. It competes with the “best of the best” in the world, at a fraction of the price. Whether you feel that it is comparable to an exotic or not (based on brand), you can’t argue with the performance specs of the car. It is a supercar in every sense of the word. Its LS9 supercharged 6.2 ltr engine produces 638 hp and 604 lb-ft of torque, making the new ZR1 the most powerful and fastest automobile ever produced by General Motors. Its 15.5” front and 15” rear carbon-ceramic brakes are squeezed by six piston calipers in the front and four pistons in the rear. Just as a point of reference, the rear brakes on the ZR1 are the same brakes that are used on the front of the Ferrari Enzo. The front brakes on the ZR1 are the same brakes that are used on the Ferrari FXX.
The client (like all ZR1 owners) was required to attend Chevy’s driving school before he could take possession of the vehicle. I think this is a very good idea. Many of the potential buyers of these cars have no experience with a car with this kind of performance, simply because there is nothing else on the road like it. Combine a high performance vehicle with an inexperienced driver and the results could be disastrous. In this particular instance, it was a moot point, as the client maintains his NHRA drag racing license and has completed the Bondurant, Panoz and other performance driving school courses.
The client opted for the “Museum Delivery”, the R8C option. There is an optional plaque that you can elect to have installed in the door jamb that represents this. The vehicle was presented to him inside of the Corvette museum and he received a tour of the factory. He then had the vehicle professionally transported to his home here in Florida . It arrived Saturday at noon, and I was able to meet up with him later that evening, after he took it around to show it off to a few friends! The car is number 0043 and is the first in the state. The car is Cyber Gray and has a blue flake in the metallic. It looks stunning in person.
Amazingly enough, the dealer (or in this case, manufacturer) inflicted damage, was very minimal. I was very pleased to discover this. The client informed me that when he was at the museum, that the guys that were wiping the car down with a QD were using what appeared to be quality microfibers.
This was just a clean and protect job. Due to time constraints, I was not able to work on the interior or engine. I was limited to what I could perform, but I wanted to get some proper protection on the vehicle to hold it over until I can spend more time with it. Schedules permitting, I will get to do a full detail on it in the very near future.
I started by hooking up my CR Spotless unit to utilize de-ionized water for the full wash and rinse procedure. I used DG 901 for the wash. Various mitts and brushes were utilized to clean the wheels and wells. The ceramic brakes completely fill up the wheels, so it was tight working quarters. Luckily, the ceramic brakes make no dust, so they weren’t very difficult to clean, just time consuming. Because of the lack of time, I couldn’t remove the wheels to do them properly. I flooded the surface with water, and then I used the leaf blower to blow dry the majority of the remaining water off. The few remaining drops of water were then blotted dry with a WW MF. The door, hood and hatch jambs were all wiped dry as well.
Next, I did a Prep All wipe down to ensure that whatever had been applied previously (by Chevy) was completely gone. Now that I had a perfectly clean surface, I inspected the paint to look for imperfections that may have been filled by the products applied by the manufacturer. With the exception of a few random small scratches, the surface was pristine. There was, what appeared to be, some water spotting on some of the carbon fiber pieces. They weren’t fresh, because they didn’t wipe off with a QD. I brought out the PB Pro Polish and worked it in on a section of the carbon fiber. This removed the spotting and was utilized on the few random areas that had the spots, to remove them completely.
Now that the surface was prepped, I started with DWG. I applied it with a Eurofoam applicator. After buffing the surface with a MF, the surface had an increased wetness from the DWG. Next, I applied 915 with a red CCS foam applicator on all of the “painted” areas. This was buffed off with a MF. The 915 was a perfect match for this paint creating good depth and sharpening the flake. In combination with the DWG, 915 made for a perfect finish on this super Vette. Chevy put out a tech bulletin with some warnings about the care for the ceramic brakes (good idea) and other assorted things. In the bulletin, they mentioned that you should only use a “dark” wax on the carbon fiber pieces.
Quote:
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Looking at the side of the car, you will notice the roof and roof halo bar are carbon fiber. These parts have a special clear coat to protect against UV fading and degradation. Customers should be advised that deep scratches cannot be repaired with regular clear coat. If a deep scratch occurs, the panel must be replaced. Replacement parts will come with the clear coat applied. Dealers should be aware that even though the carbon fiber looks smooth and glossy, there are small micro depressions where the clear coat has sunk to fill the space in the fiber weave. When waxing or polishing the carbon fiber panels, a wax or polish that is black in color is recommended. If a polish or wax dries to a white or light colored haze, the residue may fill the small depressions and it will be difficult to remove it. This is not a product concern but some owners may note that after waxing the part has small white dots. This is likely to be a wax residual in the pores of the fiber. This is especially true on the underside of the hood. Since the underside of the hood is not subjected to UV light it is not clear coated and tiny pores in the fiber are open. If customers wax or polish this surface they may note white specks in the paint. Advise them the white specks are residual wax and must be removed with a wax or polish remover.
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The owner was of course cautious about this problem arising if a wax was used on the carbon fiber pieces because of the potential staining problems. Due to it's ability to finish crystal clear, UPGP was applied on those panels. The owner was intrigued by the WOWA sealant. He was a little skeptical, but was convinced by the stunning results.
I then cleaned the glass with SC Clearly Better glass cleaner. All of the plastic, headlight and taillight covers, marker lights, etc. were treated with Plexus.
It was a pleasure and an honor to work on this incredible automobile and to meet the owner as well. He is a true car guy and actually drives his vehicles the way they were intended to be driven, instead of putting around in them. The car was brand new and not broken in yet, but as soon as it is, he knows he’s obligated to take me for a ride!
Sorry there are no before pics. Luckily the car was “clean” and didn’t need paint correction. Besides, I was pressed for time and it was 7:30 pm, so I had no sun to utilize for photos. The next time I work on the car, I will have a LOT of pics, before and after.
The owner was nice enough to let me return in the morning to inspect my work and take some photos. We were both very pleased with the results.
Enjoy!
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