50/50 Bug display.

[Aaryn NZ]

Hello my Autogeek family.

Here's a few pictures of a 1971 Volkswagen Beetle I was lucky enough to use as a display car just before Christmas 2014.

The car belongs to a good client of mine, he has owned it from new & his Mother has been driving it for quite some time & recently has stopped driving, therefore her Son is back in the drivers seat.

All but the right hand side rear guard is the original factory paint, "Pampas yellow" & although not perfect - the paint has survived rather well. A few stone chips, a couple of deep scratches here & there, plenty of swirls & heavily oxidized but hey - its a VW!

I used this VW to demonstrate what I can do as a bit of self promotion at a local charity car show for our business but more so because I wanted to see it shine again. The car clearly hadn't seen a polish or wax in a very long time & I thought it would make a perfect 50/50 demo. I started with a rather aggressive wash & medium nano mitt, which unfortunately scrubbed alot of oxidization off. Maybe I should have taped down the center before washing, would've been more dramatic end result.

I taped right down the center, with the intention to polish one side to show the difference. Out came Megs #7 With a generous application & left over night to do its magic. After a good workout taking off the #7 I moved on to test spot & Megs 205 brang out the shine & took out the swirls. Topped off with D156.

Enjoy the pictures -


















After the other side recieved the #7 treatment & finished polishing the other side.

















Pretty neat little project. Owner was impressed & couldn't wait to show his Mother.

Thanks for looking.

Aaryn NZ.

[lawrenceSA]

Thanks for sharing this Aaryn....

My dad owned a '74 beetle (white) and from a very young age I would be sat on his lap learning to steer whilst he operated the pedals... later I got taught to drive proper in it, and when I turned 18, it was handed down to me as my first car.... wrapped in a bow just like in this old VW ad (which still chokes me up when I see it) -

Man I loved that car and in some ways, it was the beetle that started me off on the path as a 'car guy', and it was being a 'car guy' that got me into detailing.

So to read through this thread was a nice trip down memory lane for me and I can only imagine how attached to their Pampas Yellow beetle the owner and his mom must be having owned it for so long - I am sure the love you gave their car by restoring it to its former glory will be truly heartfelt and appreciated by them.

Nice one buddy

[Paul A.]

That is cool as hell! I love those 50/50 shots, especially the one looking top down.

[Mike Phillips]

I started with a rather aggressive wash & medium nano mitt, which unfortunately scrubbed a lot of oxidization off.

Maybe I should have taped down the center before washing, would've been more dramatic end result.

I know some people will consider this bad technique BUT if you're restoring a neglected single stage finish to create a dramatic before and after then for get the washing and just go after the paint.

The reason why, and as you found out, is because washing along and especially rubbing the dull, white chalky oxidized paint down with a combination of soapy water, elbow grease and a Nanoskin pad will remove a LOT of white chalky look and this will greatly reduce the dramatic before and after appearance.

The method you used is perfect if a person wasn't going to capture the before and after with pictures for documentation of ones skills and promotion but sometimes breaking with good protocol for RARE opportunities wins over protocol.

Even stilll... good process and as your pictures show... awesome results...

I taped right down the center, with the intention to polish one side to show the difference.

Out came Megs #7 With a generous application & left over night to do its magic.

For those reading this into the future, Meguiar's #7 is a non-abrasive polish. It's what Meguiar's calls a pure polish. It's sole job is to feed SINGLE STAGE paints a very specific blend of trade secret oils.

This is a formula that Frank Meguiar Jr. created back in the early 1900's. Possibly between 1900 and 1920 but know one I've ever met including Barry, Malcolm, and the head chemist at Meguiar's seems to know for sure when the #7 formula was either created or perfected but the formula is for the most part unchanged for the last 100 years.

So here's a challenge for anyone... find a show us a product that was around 100 years ago and is till around today from an car polish and wax manufacturer.

To date... I've never met anyone that can name a single product that's been around this long.

The magic is in this trade secret blend that Frank created so many years ago and it works just as good today as it did when he created.

After a good workout taking off the #7

Sounds about right. #7 is very oily. as in very oily. The best way to remove it for a project like this is to use 100% cotton towels as the nap, that is the fiber loop of cotton will slice into the oily film s you push it over the paint and break up this oily film so you can wipe it off.

Removing compounds and removing #7 are to procedures where terry cloth still trumps microfiber.

I moved on to test spot & Megs 205 brang out the shine & took out the swirls. Topped off with D156.

Enjoy the pictures -

These are my favoite... Love the overhead shot!













[/QUOTE]



Simply amazing work their Aaryn. I could tell from your posts and of course after meeting and working with you here at Autogeek's Detailing Boot Camp Class that you're just like me in that you have a true passion for this craft.


I'm also very proud to say that Aaryn is an alumni member of our detailing boot camp classes. He made the trip from New Zealand to Stuart, Florida (with his family), to attend our January 15 Detailing Boot Camp Class. That's over 8000 miles one way.


Pictures & Comments: January 2015 Detailing Boot Camp Class!



Incredible work Aaryn and I really appreciate your being a member of this form and always sharing your work as well as helping others.

[Mike Phillips]

Here's a video of the Velocity Discussion Panel we taped at last year's Detail Fest.

Both Barry Meguiar and Wayne Carini, (as well as myself), discuss the magic of #7 to restore and maintain single stage paint starting around the 6 minute mark.

You're in good company when you have guys like Barry Meguiar and Wayne Carini backing you up.

If you ever have a chance to restore the antique single stage paint on something cool like this old bug... be sure to read my how-to article on this topic. It's actually the only article on this topic anywhere.

The Secret to Removing Oxidation and Restoring a Show Car Finish to Antique Single Stage Paints


And because I know people like pictures, check these out from the above article...



Bringing the dead back to life...
Besides being used as described above, #7 is also famous for its ability to revive dead, oxidized single stage paints. This has to do with the unique feeder-oil formula created by Frank Meguiar’s Jr. back in the early days of Meguiar’s which was also the early days of the Automobile. Meguiar’s was founded in 1901 and for perspective, only a few years earlier in 1886, Karl Benz was awarded a patent for a gas-fueled car and it wasn’t until 1908 that Henry Ford introduced the Model T.

I don’t know exactly when #7 was introduced but I think sometime in the early 1920’s, like 1923 or 1924. While #7 may have been introduced in the 1920’s, the formula that became #7 was around even earlier, possibly back to 1901. Here's a collection of 4 very old Mirror Bright polishes; it is my opinion that the formulas used in these products were pre-cursors to what became #7 Sealer and Reseal Glaze.

Photos Courtesy of MeguiarsOnline.com





The Secret of Number Seven
There is a way to restore single stage paints that is non-abrasive and as gentle as you can get using a product that’s been around since early paints were formulated. That product is called Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #7 Show Car Glaze.

#7 Sealer Reseal Glaze = Show Car Glaze
Here’s a photo of a few bottles of #7 from my car wax collection. I have some older bottles from before WWII, but this picture shows the transition from when the name changed from Sealer and Reseal Glaze to Show Car Glaze.





Sorry to hijack your thread Aaryn but I know this thread will be it thousands of times into the future.

And if anyone has a paint restoration project coming up in the future Autogeek carries #7

#7 Show Car Glaze

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Very cool Aaryn! I would have done the exact same thing. 50/50 the entire vehicle to really show a dramatic transformation as well as to show off your abilities.

Nicely done.

[BillE]

Be still my heart!

As I've said MANY times...I really miss those Bugs.

The 50/50 shots are a great example of what #7 can do.

Great job Aaryn.

If I may...For Mike, #7 is also an excellent polish for LACQUERED wood furniture also.

Bill

[fly07sti]

Great job Aaryn! Also brings back memories for me as my first car was a 71 super beetle.

[AZ Mike]

Love that bug. A friend of mine in high school had a Karmann Ghia. Great job Aaryn! And keep the posts coming. I always enjoy your write ups.

[flatstick]

great work ! thanks for the pics of a classic. #7 is an oldie but still a goodie, when you need it.