Lexus SC430 with Time Lapse

[LegacyGT]

SC430 Detail!

The Lexus SC is a personal luxury coupé that was retailed by Lexus, and built from 1991 through 2010. It features a front engine, rear-wheel drive design and seating for up to four passengers. The first generation SC debuted as the V8-powered SC 400 in 1991, and the I6-powered SC 300 was added in 1992. Both first generation models were produced until 2000. The second generation model, the SC 430, went into production in 2001. The SC 430 features a hardtop convertible design and a V8 engine. The first generation SC was largely styled in California, and the second generation SC was mainly conceived at design studios in Europe.
In Japan, the related third-generation Toyota Soarer, with which the first generation SC originally shared body design and multiple components, featured a separate line-up of vehicle configurations and different powertrains. The fourth generation Soarer, largely identical to the SC 430, was superseded by its Lexus counterpart in Japan when the Lexus marque débuted there in 2005. The SC was the sole coupé in the Lexus lineup until the arrival of the IS C and carried a U.S. base price of US$65,455 and a UK base price of GB£54,880.

Currently, the Lexus SC430 is an end of life product, and the owner of this specific 2008 SC 430 just bought the lease out for this specific car the same weekend I was detailing it (complications noted later) expecting it to become a sought after vehicle as it is not being produced anymore.
This specific 2008 Lexus SC 430 has a 4.3 Liter V8 with 6 Speed AT producing 288HP and 317 ft-lbf @ 3400 RPM. It is in my opinion a stunning convertible with all the Lexus suck-up trimmings, and enough power to back up the looks.
Originally I detailed this vehicle exactly one year previously, and since then it has been a garage queen, though driven on a few rainy days, but treated to touchless washes. The surface condition was very good, and I quickly determined that this would be a good candidate for a one step correction with Menzerna Power Finish on an LC white Pad.

Correction Steps:
0.- Wash & strip existing LSP & Engine Cleaning
1.- Clay with Pinnacle Poly Clay and Mothers QD
2.- Test Spot: determine polisher, compound, steps, pads etc.
3.- Polish
4.- Check work in sun, re-polish areas as necessary.
5.- Apply LSP
6.- Remove LSP
7.- Clean Interior/Leather
8.- Treat Leather
9.- Clean / seal glass
10.- Shampoo / Clean Carpets
11.- Treat Engine bay
12.- Treat Tires
13.- Treat Tire wells
14.- Beer


Products used
0.- OPC 3:1
1.- APC+ 4:1
2.- Mothers Wheel Brush
3.- Daytona Speed Brushes (small/large)
4.- 1’’ Boar Hair brush
5.- Cobra Microfiber wash mitt
6.- 2x 5 gallon buckets with grit guards
7.- Dodo Supernatural shampoo
8.- Pinnacle Poly Clay
9.- Kwazar Spray Bottles
10.- Flex 3401 VRG
11.- White CCS pad 6.5’’
12.- Menzerna Power Finish
13.- Menzerna PO85RD
14.- LC Gold Jeweling Pad SIP
15.- Nylon Pad cleaning brush
16.- Fenix TK-10 Tactical LED flashlight and RCR123a rechargeable batteries
17.- Mothers Detailing Brush
18.- Wolfgang Fuzion
19.- Generic Costco microfibers
20.- Cobra flat square weave microfibers
21.- Cobra Microfiber polishing bonnet
22.- Product dispensing bottles
23.- Roller chair
24.- Crazy Creek Chair
25.- DP Gloss Tire Gel
26.- Upholstery brush
27.- Cobra foam tire gel applicator
28.- Dobie dish scrubber
29.- Nylon pad cleaning brush
30.- Red LC 5’’ wax application pad
31.- Ultima Trim and Tire Guard
32.- Yellow Cobra foam applicators
33.- Aerospace 303 (engine / wheel wells)
34.- Stoners Invisible Glass
35.- Cobra Glass Towels
36.- Blue Painters Tape
37.- Black Nitrile Gloves
38.- Stanley Chemical Grade Respirator
39.- N95 Dust Mask
40.- Ear Plugs
41.- Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant (glass)
42.- Ultima Interior Guard Plus
43.- Ultima Trim and Tire Guard
44.- Poor Boys World Trim Restorer
45.- DP Gloss and Tire Gel
46.- Metro Master Blaster Dryer
47.- AutoGeek Racing Shirt
48.- Safety Glasses
49.- Bissell carpet cleaner
50.- Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish
51.- Mothers Quick Detailer (Clay Lube)


Cameras used for documentation:
0.- Canon 20D with 10-22mm EF-S lens w/ TC80N3 Interval timer
1.- Canon 7D with 24-70mm f2.8L lens


Write up – I am doing a bit of a different format for my detail, instead of spending a lot of time taking pictures of every step I have instead decided upon making a detailed time lapse video so that you can see the entire process, and every single detail should you be so inclined. The videos are best viewed in full screen 1080P resolution.

The car was in relatively good shape, with minor scuffing and scratches to be removed on limited portions of the vehicle:


Since the vehicle was in good shape, I decided to go with a non-aggressive combination of LC White with Menzerna Power Finish. Power Finish is an amazing polish, it finishes so incredibly well as long as you work it in fully. When properly worked in, I found no improvement using PO85RD, which is an impressive statement!

The deepest scratches on the car where around the trunk area, although not completely removed during the detail, they were 90% removed.


Taping begins:










Now for the Time Lapse Process!
I have two versions of the time lapse, one ‘normal’ version that is pretty fast, and compresses a 2 day detail into 4 minutes, one long version, as I have frequently had requests to slow things down to really see every part of the process.

These videos are best viewed full screen in 1080 resolution, the links for the HD 720 version are included first, then the embedded version after (youtube limitations).

You will probably notice in the videos that I am using a lot of safety gear (respirator/glasses/dust mask) given the somewhat confined space I was working in, and the amount of product I was aerosolizing with spray bottles, I was trying to work as safely as possible. It only takes a little extra time, and in my mind is well worth the hassle to avoid unnecessary chemical exposure.

‘Normal’ Speed HD Link: Untitled on Vimeo
Embedded: (Not possible, Youtube is limiting me to 15 minutes).

After Polishing, before LSP: (Dang Menzerna finishes out well)














Menzerna Polishes are fantastic … but they do dust, which is why you see me wearing a N95 dust mask during the polishing


Interior Cleaning: Leather Before –


50/50 (look at how clean the left side is):


Someone had a Coffee war in this car:


Results of the carpet extraction:


Final Beauty shots (no sun L)














Photo bombed by a mosquito:






During the detail the owner was buying out the lease on the vehicle and I had to sprint to the dealership because they required an ‘on lot’ mileage reading and to turn in the old plates which put a bit of a squeeze on my detailing. I was able to get the detail finished just before the owner was headed to a wedding, and he commented to me afterwards that he had several people come up to him and comment on how incredible his vehicle looked. Although I had not planned the detail to occur on both the day of the lease buy out and the wedding, it worked out wonderfully, and he was very happy to say the least. He was really impressed by the feel of the UIGP on the leather seats and trim.

It felt great that my hard work was appreciated fully, and although I have not totaled up the hours, it was a significant detail for me, and I was very sore for the next two days afterwards. To those of you that do this professionally day after day, you have my admiration – I could not do this sort of work day in and out (although I would love to do it, my body just won’t hold up to that sort of abuse).

During this detail I also had my first experience with dropping my clay, that was a sinking feeling, but it went straight into the trash, and I used the other half that I had torn off before starting to finish out the car.

Comments / Questions / Feedback always welcome!

[embolism]

That red really looks great Bill

deep, luminous perfection

awesome job. Probably looks even better in person. I did my car this past weekend and it turned out great but my pics leave something to be desired. Maybe I need to join a photography geek forum or something... haha

[Bunky]

I commented elsewhere but I really think it gives someone a view of the entire process.

It explains things much better than someone polishing one test spot on the hood!

[LuxuryMobile]

That is awesome. Excellent camera and video skills, that match your detailing skills!

This video is also great to give new detailers an idea of how a typical paint correction would go.

Awesome, awesome work. That is perfect paint.

[kingofsorrow]

awesome work. that color is beautiful.

[Scarelane]

Beautiful! Looks great!

[Bodezafa]

Great work. I love how deep and wet that paint looks.

[LegacyGT]

Great work. I love how deep and wet that paint looks.

Thanks I think it turned out fantastic as well!

[LegacyGT]

Beautiful! Looks great!

[LegacyGT]

awesome work. that color is beautiful.

I really dig the color, the metallic flake really pops in the sun.