Blackfire Infiniti G37 Sport Makeover: Part 2

[Nick McKees37]

A couple weeks ago I told you the story of how Blackfire revived a Japanese sports sedan (Blackfire Revives a Japanese Sports Sedan, Part 1). Part 1 covered interior cleaning and conditioning with Blackfire products. Part 2, what you're about to dive into in just a minute, is how Blackfire revived the exterior of the same Japanese sports sedan - a black on black Infiniti G37 Sport. The exterior rejuvenation actually took place several months ago and since then, this same Infiniti has been my test vehicle for various new rinsless and waterless washes (New Formula ONR vs Dirty Black Paint).

While the Infiniti G37 Sport wasn't in horrible shape, it definitely lacked the whiplash inducing shine that a black on black Japanese sports sedan should flaunt as its carving corners. With a trunk full of Blackfire products and a Sunday with nothing planned, the Infiniti G37 Sport received a much-needed Blackfire makeover.

As you can see, the G37 Sport definitely needed a good cleaning and polishing. I started off by cleaning the wheels with Muc-Off Performance Wheel Cleaner. This wheel cleaner is safe on all factory clear-coated and painted finishes. One of the reasons this wheel cleaner works so well is that it clings to the surface in a thick foam.

While the wheel cleaner was dwelling I cleaned the tires with Blackfire All-N-One APC. This is one of the most versatile all purpose cleaners available because you can safely clean virtually any surface with it.

To really give the tires a good scrubbing, I used a Cobra Flex-Foam Tire Scrubber. This is similar to the Cobra Flex-Foam Tire Dressing Applicator except it has a coarse scrubbing foam instead of a soft foam.

The wheels were cleaned using an assortment of brushes including Wheel Woolies, Montana Boar's Hair Wheel Brush and the Clean Wheel Lug Nut Brush, all three of which are essential tools to a achieving a squeaky clean wheel.

One of several reasons the Montana Boar's Hair Wheel Brush is so effective is because the tips of the bristles are feathered. This allows greater agitation without compromising the overall safety of the brush.

[Nick McKees37]

Once I was finished cleaning the wheels and the tires I proceeded to give the Infiniti a bath. I elected to use Blackfire Wet Diamond Conditioning Shampoo. This shampoo was the obvious choice because it provides excellent lubricity which means I wouldn't induce any scratches or marring into the finish. The point of this detail was to improve the finish of the car, not work backwards.

After mixing the soap solution in the bucket I gave it a strong blast of water and started washing with a Sheepskin Wash Mitt. When used in conjunction with a high-lubricity shampoo, this wash mitt glides effortlessly across the surface.

Lake Country Detailing Sticks always come in handy for cleaning grille slots and other nooks and crannies.

Once I was finished washing the car, I pulled it into the garage to dry it with a Cobra Guzzler Waffle Weave Drying Towel. Just this one towel was more than enough to dry the entire car. It guzzles water.

Remember those nasty holograms and unsightly swirls? Even with its super soft paint, the Porter Cable 7424xp paired with Blackfire SRC Finishing Polish and a Lake Country Hydro-Tech Tangerine pad made short work of polishing the Infiniti to perfection.

After polishing the entire car I cleaned the Tangerine pads with Blackfire Advanced Pad Cleaner. This particular product is low-foaming and will not break down the foam. To aid with cleaning, I used a Foam Pad Conditioning Brush. If you have a farm animal, this also makes a great tooth brush.

After cleaning any type of pad after use, it's important that you thoroughly rinse it out with warm water. Blackfire Advanced Pad Cleaner rinses freely and doesn't leave any residue in the pad.

The pad was clean in no time and ready for another day of polishing!

After the paint was polished to perfection it was time to apply a super thin coat of Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. This is one of the most talked about sealants because it has no learning curve and provides a deep, wet gloss. It can be applied by hand or machine and a little bit goes a long way. I used less than an ounce total on the entire Infiniti.

For best results, let Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection dry to a haze. This generally takes about 15-20 minutes. Perform the swipe test to see if it's ready to be removed. If the area wipes clean with your finger, grab a plush towel of your choice and start wiping it off.

How do you like your paint? Wet or wetter?

If you're dying to see what the car looked like outside in the sunlight, scroll down just a wee bit more.

So far this particular Infiniti G37 Sport has received a complete Blackfire makeover inside and out. The paint shimmers with reflections and the interior smells like new leather. What's next? I'm thinking a Porter Cable 7424xp, a soft foam finishing pad and a jar of Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax.

Stay tuned.

BLACKFIRE Car Care Products

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

That shine is intense!!!!

[Larry S]

Whew! Nice work, great shot, too!

[bigez]

NicE!!!

[mcotton]

Wow, very nice write-up. I have a few new items to purchase after reading this review. Thanks for taking the time to write it up.

[OZD 35]

Beautiful work! I used this after my first paint correction on my Z and my paint looked like liquid silver! Great stuff!

[rider9195]

Nice write up Nick!

[Shane731]

Nice writeup Nick! Did you not have a need to clay the paint? What did you use to dress the tires?

[phoenixs1234]

What pad did you use for the Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection?