Detailed: 5th Gen V6 Camaro-12hrs, Pic Heavy

[BlackPearl]

Since performance wise my GTO is pretty much done and I barely drive it anyway, I've been doing the next thing that obssesed perfectionist do....detailing. I started out detailing the goat and got really good results. Then, after a few other tests, I got together with my bro-in-law and asked if I could test my skills on his V6 Camaro. He was happy to have me go at it and I got to test some new things out. Now, the goal here was to get his car in good shape with...OTC products. This is his daily, he doesn't care about swirls or cars period, so the method here was for some TLC with minor paint correction.

Materials:
Harbor Freight DA Polisher
Harbor Freight Blue Polishing Pads
Megs Gold Class Shampoo
Megs Med Clay
Zep APC & Degreaser
Megs All Wheel & Tire Cleaner
Megs Ultimate Polish
Megs Ultimate Liquid Wax
Surf City Black Ice Tire Shine
Surf City Hotrod Detailer
Misc brushes, microfiber mitts and towels
Pressure Washer with foam cannon

So first was the interior. I don't have any pics unfortunately, but that alone took three hours to clean. Then, came the outside:
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/B55F94F6-C93F-4D6C-A54B-02249C150101-5562-00000DDB5A8CB537_zpsabb56d14.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/10F94D5D-D759-470E-9F7B-A43D60CC74B1-5562-00000DDBA5CEF98E_zps1ca9e6db.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/FEE8A7A4-6F8B-42E9-98AC-0A0709A2197D-5562-00000DDB95077D71_zpsd4a92705.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/2B332A01-116C-45F4-8C0A-234A222B95EC-5562-00000DDB898EFB9B_zpsc042b287.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/8B8A00B8-00D3-4871-87CE-BD9F5DD27B6B-5562-00000DDB80049364_zps8e384afc.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/B0DD23D7-6CF9-4647-BFA2-00A99B209842-5562-00000DDB62881A8F_zps73cb9c05.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/CC749C03-2A8D-4A2D-ACF8-B75D16208F3E-5562-00000DDB4B088E5C_zps7a99f665.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/AD505A7D-EECC-46D9-ACBE-0A9176605713-5562-00000DDB2F8BAD17_zps141bc3fe.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/F8A7CDB4-DF58-4346-8C7E-8D9AD1445277-5562-00000DDB21707AD7_zps41c969f2.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/8DEB2267-28D4-40CD-AFF8-AC7886C4F86C-5562-00000DDB0D66F652_zps2b202264.jpg

[BlackPearl]

So, on to the wheels first. Total of 1.5 hours. The brake dust was caked on it, wheel wells were all stained with dry mud and tires needed cleaning. Here, I used Megs All Wheel Cleaner, misc brushes and also Zep APC & Degreaser.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/C68FF715-E086-4EEF-8E4F-EAD2056AD435-5562-00000DDB9DF5BE69_zps0b5cac55.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/55D4203C-ADAD-4787-BCDF-EB03E22FAAE0-5562-00000DDB77EB299E_zps914a5f0e.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/4AC91DC9-E64B-4CB3-A669-BEA119E26F7C-5778-00000EAC60FF5882_zps401e662d.jpg

Then, the car itself. Total of 4 hours washing. Foam bathed it, two bucket wash with Megs Gold Class Shampoo. Then, clayed it. I freaking hate claying, but it's a vital step. The surface was decotaminated and ready for some polishing. The paint looked like this:
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/6C89E8D3-A18B-45EE-BED6-85241D7110BD-5562-00000DDAD171C10E_zps90a37a3c.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/A22C1B75-2249-4FFD-A069-731250572714-5562-00000DDB05BB6940_zps43365425.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/7EEFB086-4F62-46E9-BEF6-0FEE97A8672F-5562-00000DDAFEB7FDDD_zpsc325a783.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/CFD1D427-5104-43DC-A66E-614F90A2DEA9-5562-00000DDAE38EDE6B_zps3e857777.jpg

Swirls and scratches pretty much everywhere. Some spots had etched water spots from when he would take his car to the auto wash. Again, I could've compounded the car and I should have if I was going for a full correction. But, we were going for just some minor correction and polishing. No compound was used, only Megs Ultimate Polish on my Harbor Freight DA polisher and blue polishing pads. Here's a good example of the difference it made:
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/625ECB13-A5B4-496F-AE1A-2AB769735672-5778-00000EAC2BA788E1_zps9cd7db1f.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/FFBB4823-C3D3-4D95-A3C5-8153A420A417-5778-00000EAC456849B5_zpsf0b7ddd3.jpg

[BlackPearl]

So after about 3.5 hours, here's the finished product:
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/64F98C71-5327-4288-B791-B2CD8C4EDA56-5778-00000EAC69B645DD_zpse3960554.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/09b00d08e386467d5d190d1897cb9c97_zpscff01864.jpg
Stripe on the left dirty, stripe on the right cleaned:
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/E7859500-6458-473A-AC63-97362ECB3643-113-000000014B2EBB3E_zps7ffa9a62.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/8CE89F53-6841-4F37-A0F4-0FDE983F7748-113-0000000102714917_zps71938d35.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/DA608EFA-3FC6-4AE1-94E9-2E65077770D6-113-000000011E82358D_zps46ab0bc4.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/A85E6EF7-0B1A-4446-85F1-E83665FF54C9-113-00000001268CE121_zps06f98e26.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/49291C17-5355-4BF1-B4FE-ABBEC6592BF9-113-00000000F75A1578_zpsaeb7a4ee.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/367CC41F-FD05-43D0-81C2-BE5089886014-113-00000000CF763D29_zps9a77830e.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/E5A72530-1C70-4B8D-8A80-7038F9E50EB6-113-00000000C5796E0E_zps93021f12.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/4750C7A5-DC35-40C5-9BBF-A796BAC74433-5778-00000EAC57D7DACA_zps09042eb8.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/4C6911A0-E45B-4374-B673-B075898F2CA0-113-00000000E6E640F4_zpsb00be4be.jpg

[BlackPearl]

More pics:
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/47340D52-6CD4-417F-9E67-CC05D0B92C51-113-00000000DCCF17B3_zps7fe1e3bc.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/048b1104a05fefeaf5b2f103365c9292_zps6d06979c.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/78471A97-4508-4B93-A458-B2A9E56A1A3B-113-0000000115CCCBEC_zpsf52d10c8.jpg

And the GTO...look at that reflection:
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/kbottini/AF4B8938-74A3-4682-8F9B-759AB44E99E6-113-0000000130D4857B_zpse203bccc.jpg

[Fishincricket]

Nice work, man!!

But who's he kiddin' wit dat "STINGRAY" badging? lol

[dorkiedoode]

very nice work. must be really exhausting huh? btw you miss a spot in side the trunk lol.

[BlackPearl]

Nice work, man!!

But who's he kiddin' wit dat "STINGRAY" badging? lol

That's a dealer badge. He likes it....


very nice work. must be really exhausting huh? btw you miss a spot in side the trunk lol.

Lol, I need more tools, and time. I had so many spots I couldn't hit very well because the harbor freight pads are 6". And by end My wife was starting to get really mad.

[ihaveacamaro]

Stingray by Tampa?

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

I could tell he doesn't care for his paint. Maybe you could change that.

Car looks much better now after a bit of TLC.

[BlackPearl]

Stingray by Tampa?

Yes, we live in Tallahassee but he bought it in Tampa.

[Anthony@zerboautoworks]

Nice job!

Stingray Chevrolet right off Interstate 4, i hear there advertising on the radio all the time pretty catchy jingle. (At stingray Chevrolet relax and enjoy the difference) pretty tired of hearing it honestly.lol

[theblob640]

nice work, did you add anything on top of the decals, like a wax, uv protectant?

[BlackPearl]

nice work, did you add anything on top of the decals, like a wax, uv protectant?

Vinyl was matte, so wax is a no no. I used this product called Lucas Slick Mist Tire & Trim Shine. It's water based and has UV protectant. Safe for vinyl so I applied a small amount with microfiber after I wiped the stripes with alcohol. I've been using it on my GTO's carbon fiber roof vinyl for quite some time and it's done quite well.

[theblob640]

Vinyl was matte, so wax is a no no. I used this product called Lucas Slick Mist Tire & Trim Shine. It's water based and has UV protectant. Safe for vinyl so I applied a small amount with microfiber after I wiped the stripes with alcohol. I've been using it on my GTO's carbon fiber roof vinyl for quite some time and it's done quite well.

How do you like the looks Lucas Slick Mist Tire & Trim Shine give it? Is it shiny or does the decals keep its matte finish look? Reason I ask is I also have matte decals on my Bee and I am currently using CG Metticulous Matte Detailer and I am starting to question whether that product is even doing anything.

[BlackPearl]

How do you like the looks Lucas Slick Mist Tire & Trim Shine give it? Is it shiny or does the decals keep its matte finish look? Reason I ask is I also have matte decals on my Bee and I am currently using CG Metticulous Matte Detailer and I am starting to question whether that product is even doing anything.

I like it because you can choose your shine based on how much product you use. On matte, I didn't want a shiny look. Just a clean even coat that enhanced the color. The part that amazed me was that as I built the coats up to the shine I wanted, the small scratches and blemishes were filled in slightly. Don't spray it directly to the vinyl. Spray on the towel and build the coats until your desired shine. Make sure you wipe them clean prior to doing so with some alcohol.