Pictures & Comments: Sept 2014 Detail Boot Camp Class

Mike Phillips · 10-01-2014, 12:18 PM

Rupes Bigfoot Polishers Detailing Class & Extreme Paint Restoration

To give everyone lots of hands-on time using the Rupes Bigfoot family of orbital polishers including the,

Rupes Bigfoot 21mm Orbital Polisher
Rupes Bigfoot 15mm Orbital Polisher
Rupes Bigfoot Duetto 12mm Orbital Polisher
Rupes Bigfoot Mini 12mm Orbital Polisher

Plus we used the complete Rupes "system" of pads, compounds and polishes to machine compound and polish the original paint on this classic one-owner 1967 Lincoln Continental.

Rupes Zephir Gloss Coarse Gel Compound
Blue Coarse Foam Cutting Pad
White Diamond Ultra Fine Polish
White Foam Finishing Pads

As you can see in the "before" picture below, the paint, glass, chrome and interior are all dull and lifeless. But even though this car is 48 years old using the proper products, techniques and Rupes Bigfoot Polishers the paint on this car is going to spring back to life! Plus the interior is going to be revitalized too!

Another first in the car detailing industry
The original antique single stage paint on this 1967 Lincoln Continental Convertible was hurting for certain. It's not only old but it's dried-out, oxidized and brittle.

My article on how to restore antique single stage paint is the only article like it in the world and teaching a class using the real deal, that is a real classic car with the original paint is the first time a true class has been taught showing how to properly restore antique single stage paint using the techniques I share in my article.

So this is a first in the industry and what makes it more unique is that Richard, one of the cameramen from My Classic Car with Dennis Gage was here to record this rare and unique opportunity for a future episode of My Classic Car.

Watch as the amazing transformation takes place before your very eyes.....

Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze - Been around since the time of the Model T

Each project starts with a demonstration, in this example the correct technique for applying Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze and really working it into the paint is shown.

Here you can see Richard from "My Classic Car" filming this demonstration.

Behind me you can see multiple bottle of #7 waiting in the wing....

Waterless Wash

Before we start, we go over "why" to use a waterless wash on a classic or antique car. The audience that watches My Classic Car will hopefully benefit from this but the reason why is so you don't introduce water to areas inside the car body and frame where it can cause RUST.

So a waterless wash is perfect for classics and antiques and even muscle cars and streetrods not to mention your car as long as it's not to dirty.

Hands-on with Detailer's Waterless Car Wash
After the demonstration as to how to properly use a waterless wash the class goes to work getting this 1967 Lincoln Continental surgically clean and this car was really dirty when it arrived by my request to the owner.

Heavy Saturation Application of #7
After the loose dirt was removed, next there was a demonstration on,

How much #7 to use (a lot).
How to work the #7 into the porous single stage paint.

Then I turned the class loose to rub the paint out with the #7 Show Car Glaze.

Soaking in #7
When this step is performed correctly, there should be a visible, thick layer of the #7 polishing oils covering all of the paint.

After this step we moved the car out of the studio and into the warehouse where it soaked in the #7 polishing oils till approximately 4:00pm.

This project was started before 8:00am and even before we started the Power Point Presentation so we could get the car clean, get it rubbed-down and move it out of the way till later in the day.

I have had the good fortune of helping hundreds if not thousands of people bring old, dead and dying single stage paint jobs back to life. I'm not the only one that knows about the secret of #7, I'm just the guy that wrote the article sharing it here.

Besides myself, watch the below video and you'll see and hear both Barry Meguiar and Wayne Carine say the same thing about #7, that is how it's been around since the car as "invented" and it's been saving paint for over 100 years now.... and these two guys have been using this product long before me....

Mike Phillips · 10-01-2014, 12:39 PM

*****Time Lapse*****

Now keep in mind, before we buffed out the paint we first did these projects,

1. Car Washing Techniques
For this we used a 2000 Camaro and a 2002 Chrysler Town & Country Van

We had hands-on time using,

Autogeek Foam Gun
Iron X
Nanoskin Wash Mitts

2. Show Car Detailing with entry level DA Polishers
For this hands-on training we used the Porter Cable 7424XP, Meguiar's G110v2 & Griot's Garage DA Polisher with Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover, Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish and Pinnacle Souveran Paste wax. The training car was the 1956 Dodge Royal Lancer.

3. Show Car Detailing with the Flex XC 3401 Forced Rotation/Oscillation DA Polisher
For this we used the 1965 Plymouth Belvedere II Muscle Car along with Blackfire SRC Compound, Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish and Blackfire Black Wax plus Lake Country 6.5" and 5" Hybrid Foam Pads.

Soaking Time
It wasn't till after we finished all of the above products did we bring the 1967 Lincoln Continental BACK to the studio to buff it out. That was to allow the oils in the #7 to migrate into the paint like you see them migrating into this piece of paper.

I explain how this works and why it's important when restoring antique paint in this article which can also be found on AutoTraderClassic.com

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

Mike Phillips · 10-01-2014, 01:07 PM

Fast forward to 4:00 O'clock PM!

At approximately 4:00pm, after working on 4 other cars we moved the 1967 Lincoln Continental back into the studio to wipe off the #7 that has been soaking into the paint for approximately 8 hours.

Removing the #7 Show Car Glaze
Wiping off #7 that's been soaking in and also semi-drying isn't like wiping off a coat of Souveran Liquid Wax, (very easy to wipe off, you have to put some passion into it or as some would say... a little elbow grease....

The below picture is actually cropped out of the above picture showing the time via the clock on the wall... that's Bob Eichelberg talking to my buddy Jason who owns the 2000 Camaro.

Teamwork
Not only does it cut down on some of the grunt labor but it's also a lot of fun, especially since all these people saw the "before condition" of the paint and as they are wiping the #7 off they are seeing a dramatic transformation in color and overall condition.

Here's Axel looking like he's at peace with himself and with the car...

HUGE CARS!
Cars from the 1940's, 1950's, 1960's and 1970's are often times HUGE! In order to remove the #7 pure polish out of the center of the hood Justin is really having to reach and use some arm muscles too...

Another reason besides the "cool factor" I bring in classics, muscle cars and streetrods is because they do tend to be very large it provides PLENTY of room for everyone to get plenty of hands-on time for whatever the tool or process is that we're going over.

Come on Justin... r-e-a-c-h a little futher... you just about have it....

Tape-off Time
After we wiped off 97% of the oily #7 Show Car Glaze we then went over techniques for how to tape-off a car.

Classic cars with original paint will tend to have thinner paint on all the edges, corners and raised body lines so to prevent a whoops! we carefully taped all these areas off.

In my class you get hands-on experience on the techniques needed to correctly tape-off a car. If you can't get to my class here's my article on this technique....

How to tape-off a car before machine polishing

Next up.... time to break out the Bigfoots!

Mike Phillips · 10-01-2014, 02:35 PM

How to use the Rupes Bigfoot Orbital Dual Action Polishers

First a demonstration showing the correct technique when using Rupes polishers. This starts with teaching everyone to forget everything they know and do when using other dual action polishers like pushing down firmly on the head of the units.

Instead you use light pressure as the cutting action comes from the long orbit stroke of the drive unit moving the abrasives over the surface.

Full Attention
Even though the class has been going full speed since 7:30am this morning just look at how attentive they are as we head towards 6:00pm!

This is funny... look at Chris in the yellow shirt behind me intently watching...

Test Spot
Here's the section where I did the Test Spot using the Rupes Bigfoot 21 with the Rupes Blue Foam Cutting Pad and the Rupes Zephir Gloss Coarse Gel Compound.

The paint where I buffed looks brand new....

Hands-on Training Time
We have enough of the various models of Rupes Bigfoot polishers in the classroom that everyone can use them all as they cycle through them on this really big training car.

A Flex guy using the Rupes!
Here's Chris working the Rupes Bigfoot 21 to remove years of swirls, scratches, water spots and oxidation.

Just to note, I love having Reps from any of the companies carried by Autogeek take part in our classes and this means getting to use their competitors tools and products.

Equal Opportunity at Autogeek's Detailing Boot Camp Classes
Both Marco D'Inca and Andreas Valentini, son of Guido Valentin, Presidente of Rupes and an engineer for Rupes, both attended my May Detailing Boot Camp Class in 2013 and both of these guys, also my friends had a chance to use the Flex Tools on a 1940 Chevy Sedan Streetrod.

VIP Guest Marco D'Inca from Rupes at Autogeek's Detailing Boot Camp Class

Here's Jeff using the Rupes Mini...

Pigmented Single Stage Paint
Pretty easy to see that we're working on single stage paint. This is perfectly normal to see in case you've never buffed on an old school single stage lacquer or enamel.

Machine Polishing
After the compounding step everyone switched over to the white foam finishing pads and the Ultra Fine Cut White Diamond Polish.

Here's Willy polishing the paint to a super high gloss finish....

Mike Phillips · 10-01-2014, 03:03 PM

Machine Waxing

After compounding and polishing the next thing we did was machine apply Pinnacle Liquid Souveran Carnauba Wax. To apply this we switched over to the simple Porter Cable 7424XP with 5.5" Lake Country Blue Waxing pads.

After compounding and polishing with the Rupes system the paint on this car was 99.9% perfect as could be achieved without risking damage so all that's left to do is seal the surface with a coat of wax. When working on paint this clean, smooth and defect-free you don't need any aggressive action from your polisher, all you need to do is spread out a thin coat of wax so that's why had everyone use the PC to apply the wax instead of the Rupes.

Plus I already had about 6 LC 5.5" Blue Wax pads primed with wax from a previous car project and ready to go...

Here's Willy, Craig and Justin machine waxing or machine sealing the paint....

Here's Arnold getting the vertical panels....

Here's Kevin, Jeff, Dave and Rick tackling the front clip.

NOTICE how clear and wet looking the paint is in this picture BEFORE the wax is applied and removed. The #7 followed by the Rupes Paint Polishing System totally knocked this project out of the park!

Thanks Rick for your attention to detail...

Here's Tyler machine waxing the huge back fenders...

Here you can see the MASSIVE trunk lid coated with wax. I don't think anyone that attend this class will ever work by hand again... they've become one with the machine...

Wiping off the wax
After we let the wax dry to a haze, everyone used the skills and techniques they learned earlier that day on the 1956 Dodge Royal Lancer to,

Inspect their microfiber towels
Wear Microfiber gloves
Fold their towels 4-ways
Gently break-open the wax and then gently wipe off the dried wax residue...

You can see Axel folding his towel in this shot while in the back Craig, Sam and Willy have their Microfiber Gloves on as they work....

Finishing up....

Next up...

The big reveal!

Mike Phillips · 10-01-2014, 03:33 PM

First... here's the before pictures.....

Here's the after pictures....

The below picture is the same picture as above only flipped vertically

I won't post the after shots of the interior till I get to the process pictures showing the interior being machine scrubbed and steam cleaned....

Mike Phillips · 10-01-2014, 03:34 PM

Going through all the pictures to create a thread like this takes a lot of time so comments and questions are both encouraged and appreciated....

Don't be shy...

**Bettachris** · 10-01-2014, 04:40 PM

This was not only an amazing class but overall experience. I learned so much and met some amazing people that came from all different professions and skill levels. Mike, Nick, and Jessie were great teachers. You can tell that they not only have a passion for detailing, but also educating others. I definitely feel that the class was worth it and I highly recommend that anyone looking to become a better detailer or even if you have an interest in learning how to work on your own car, take the class.

You spend a lot of time hands on working with the newest equipment, learning proper techniques, and learning to be more confident when it comes to detailing cars. The class covers both interior as well as exterior detailing and is great for guys and gals that are in the industry and those hobbyist who are looking to learn more. I had a great time and again would highly recommend it to anyone lucky enough to sign up for the next session.

Thanks again Mike & Nick!