F-150(Complete Turn-around)

[DARK HORSE]

This is a 1998 Ford F-150. I hate to admit it, but this is one of my trucks. It has been very much neglected for the last 12 years. It is outside 24/7 (never seen the inside of a garage) and has never been polished. It is a truck that is treated like a truck. It is used as a work truck (hauling supplies and debris, going to the dump, and has even been known to pull a horse trailer). It is also used as a hunting, fishing, and true going off road truck. It has been through sage brush numerous times, and across many lava fields. I thought it would be fun to try to correct the paint, do a complete interior/exterior, engine bay, wheel well, and undercarriage detail. Anyway here we go:

First Wash: The first wash was nothing special, as the paint finish was so trashed that there was really no need to observe proper washing techniques. I washed the paint with DP auto bath (one bucket) and a Plush Cobra MF. I then dried with a Cobra WW MF. (The next wash after polishing I observed proper wash techniques, as I will show later).

Clay: I then clayed the truck with DP universal detailing clay, using ONR mixed a 1:32 with distilled water for clay lube.

Paint Correction:
Step 1 = m105 and several cyan hydrotech pads (91% IPA wipe down).
Step 2 = m205 and several tangerine hydrotech pads (91% IPA wipe down).
Step 3 = Menz 85rd and a few LC CCS blue pads.
(I used PakShak microfiber “Ultra edgeless white towels” for polish removal and PakShak ultra plush towels for IPA wipe downs).

Here are some shots before, during, and after the polishing stages:


















































Headlight Restoration: Headlights were corrected using 3M’s headlight restoration kit. This kit comes with a 3” backing plate and orange foam light cutting pad (both are reusable). It also comes with (6) P500 grit yellow sanding discs, (4) P800 grit white sanding discs, and a P3000 Trizact™ foam disc (which can also be re-used). There should be enough consumables (sanding disks) to do 2 sets of headlights. This kit is great, easy to use, quick and efficient, and for $18.00 w/ a $3.00 mail in rebate (making total cost $15.00) at Wal-Mart, it is a good value. (After correction and cleaning them, I sealed them w/ Klasse HGSG).

Here are a couple of shots:







Second wash: After completing the correction stages I washed again. This time I used the follow technique: I cleaned the engine compartment with Meguiars APC+ and various brushes. Normally I would clean the tires, wheels and wheel wells next, but in this case the wheels were in such bad condition (pitting and clear coat failure) that I decided to replace them. Therefore I only cleaned the tires at this time. I will clean the wheel wells and under carriage when we take the wheels off. I washed the paint using 2 buckets w/grit guards, Pinnacle shampoo and gel conditioner soap w/ 1oz ONR (mixed together w/ 4 gallons de-ionized water), GS-50 Sheepskin wash mitt, rinsed with CR spotless (including the engine bay), crevices blown out with B&D leaf blower, some areas blotted dry with FK-425 and PakShak WW MFs.

[DARK HORSE]

LSP = (Being that this is a working truck) I chose to use Collinite 845 for the LSP. (Removed wax and buffed with PakShak Ultra Plush MF’s).

Here are a few shots after LSP:

Beads, beads, gotta love those beads!!








Engine Bay: Previously cleaned with APC+ (second wash). Wiped down with DP waterless auto wash and dressed with Meguiars trim detailer.

Here are a couple of shots:







Interior: Door jams, Carpet, upholstery, and floor mats were all cleaned with APC+. (Carpet and upholstery protected w/ 303 fabric guard). Dash board, door panels, and trim were all cleaned with DP total interior cleaner and protected with DP interior surface protectant. Instrument panel and stereo face were cleaned and protected with Plexus.

Here are a few of shots:



























Exterior trim, chrome, and Glass: All exterior trim was first treated with Black Again and allowed to cure for 48 hours, then protected with 303 protectant. Chrome nerf bars were polished with Optimum metal polish and 0000 steel wool. (No need to polish exhaust tip, as it is factory and not stainless). All glass was polished with Stoners Invisible Glass.

Here are a few of shots:

50/50

[DARK HORSE]

New shoes arrived today (Hurray!): Cleaned new shoes with DP waterless auto wash and sealed the backs with Colinite 845 (will seal the fronts with Poorboys world wheel sealant, waiting on its arrival). Removed tires/wheels, and cleaned tires, wheel wells and undercarriage with APC+. Shot the undercarriage with some rubberized spray coating, dressed the wheel wells with a cheap spray on tire shine, and dressed the tires with Optimum tire bond tire dressing.

Here are a couple of shots:















Here are a few more shots of the final project:
















Thanks for looking…
Tad

[Birdhunter]

WOW!!! Great work

[07 z-oh-6]

You've got skills. Very nice.

[killrflake]

Boy thats one fantastic job you did on that paint. I can't imagine how long a truck of that size took to complete. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

Great job Tad. From the detail to the write-up, excellent show and shine.

[agpatel]

Great turn around on the truck! Took it from eh to wowzers!

[Superdutytd]

This just shows that no matter how trashed a vehicle is they can usually be brought back to life! What an awesome turn around!

[jpegs13]

One word. WOW