2003 10th anniversary Cobra Terminator paint correction

[tuscarora dave]

Hi all,

This 2003 Ford 10thAnniversary, Cobra Terminator is something that has been in the planning stages for quite some time now. The owner of this car sent me an email or a PM on this forum (can’t remember which) back in the winter asking for some insight into glazing and polishing black paint. We bantered back and forth for quite some time about it and I encouraged him to get a polisher and do the work himself. I could tell by the way he wrote in his emails that he really wanted to give it a shot but wasn’t really in a position to spend the money on the equipment. We continued to talk about it a few times a week, sometimes a few times a day. The owner (Daren) asked if he was becoming annoying with all of the emails. I assured him that he wasn’t and that I eat, sleep, live and breathe paint correction.

After quite some time of this went by and a lot of talk about products and paint correction, I could tell that Daren was really getting frustrated about not being able to do the work himself and I could clearly see that he was concerned about damaging the paint on his car by trying. In conversation (emails) it came out that he was a master carpenter and then my father got sick with a life changing circulation problem where an amputation was imminent. Daren and I talked about the carpentry end of building wheelchair ramps and ended up in a bartering deal. I would perfect the paint on his Cobra to the best of my ability, and I would help him build a wheelchair ramp for my father when we get the funding for the project.

We tried on a few occasions to come together on a date to do the work on his Cobra but Mother Nature had other ideas. Each time we’d set a date for Daren to drive up here from Wilmington Delaware, it would end up raining the day that we’d planned to do the work. Daren’s hood has functional fresh air vents and the car has only been caught in the rain less than a handful of times in its life. Looking at the engine bay as he arrived at my shop, it’s no wonder he doesn’t want rain getting on it, plus the car is always covered when not being driven or showed, so it never even see’s a traditional wash, waterless wash only.

We finally set a date that looked good weather wise and made plans to get it to my shop. About a day after we set the date, I had a young man sent me an email. He said he had just graduated from the auto body course at a local Vo-Tech school and wanted to learn about detailing and paint correction. I suggested he come and observe while I did the paint correction on Daren’s Cobra Terminator. He did come to the shop just as Daren and I were getting started. I asked the young man (Austin) if he’d be so kind as to man my little point and shoot camera, taking one with flash and one without flash and told him the more shots I have to look through at the end of the project the better the chance I’d have of putting a decent thread together. Austin took many photos. Midway through the day Josh, my friend and sometimes helper at the shop came to hang out with us and Austin left for the day. Josh took some photos and shot a little video of my technique with the Microfiber discs on the Harbor Freight Tools DA polisher.

The car was freshly clayed, glazed and waxed so surprisingly enough, it passed the baggy test despite the trip from out of state. I stripped the wax and glaze from a few areas of the car to see what general condition I was working with using 91% IPA then did a test section to see if I was dealing with a softer clear or typical medium hard Ford clear. It’s the typical Ford hardness and has had no repaints so I ran with the process that worked in my test section. It would be M-105 on 5” MF discs using the HF DA polisher with its vented 3M 5” backing plate, then M-205 on a Pro Car Beauty 6” white foam finishing pad using the Flex 3401. Daren and Austin worked together to tape off the convertible top so it wouldn’t get all messed up with dust or worse yet, polish splatter. With exception to a couple of danger areas being taped to protect Daren’s car from the backing plate rub, the roof was the only thing taped off.

Daren ran around my shop most of the day finding stuff to do while I worked on his car. He cleaned my refrigerator and microwave ovens off, picked up rubbish from around the shop and organized a few things. One thing that I really could get used to was Daren coming up behind me and using a MF towel to wipe the sweat off of my forehead while I polished away. He asked me if it was too weird feeling after a few times and said he didn’t want to see me sweating period or dripping sweat on the work. I told him “heck no, I could get used to that.” It totally showed Daren’s gratitude for what was being done to his car. He called a few buddies throughout the day and I could hear him saying “Man, you’re not going to believe it when you see it!” “It looks incredible!” I knew he was really stoked about it. It’s become just another day at the office for me, but I still have the passion and was glad to see him so excited about his pride and joy.

As I pretty much knew would happen, we’d finish up after dark and I wouldn’t be able to see the results first hand under the sun or get the money shots and sun reflection photos. Daren says he’s going to get money shots back home after he applies a coat of Poorboy’s Black Hole, EXP sealant and Natty’s Blue Paste wax. Hopefully he’ll follow through and I’ll paste them to this thread when he sends them.



The car as it came in, Daren and Austin taped off the convertible top.



The Snake



The Snake’s Bite



Top all taped off



The test section


Moving along



Seeing a difference




Some tricky angles on this car



The scene from the road



Looking good inside the shop



Got protection?



OH God, please don’t let me hit the plastic



A better image of the actual before condition



The amount of product I use to prime a new 5” MF pad



Initial prime complete, look no dots



More protection



Back to work



Spinning the MF pad clean with compressed air, this is a must in a production setting as it cools the pad down as well as cleans and fluffs it



Adding a few drops of M-105



I spread it around like butter on toast

Ford Cobra Terminator Paint correction technique - YouTube


A video of my technique for those of you having problems with too much product, product remaining like concrete (there shouldn’t be any) and disks delaminating. You see no product trailing behind the pad in the video. Rest assured that there are plenty of good abrasives working against the paint and the cutting is at its most efficient there. All the “run it just until it flashes” recommendations are the reason people have so much trouble with M-105. Dare to go outside of the box on this.

[tuscarora dave]

More tricky angles




Rounding 3rd base. Finish polishing with M-205 and Flex with Pro Car Beauty 6” white foam finishing pad



Seeing some clarity



Human eyes can’t see what the camera flash is showing here, I think it’s the polishing oils from the M-205



Daren really approved of the finish.




A few shots from the top of the steps



I’m not too sure how I feel about this, Daren uses Black Hole and Natty’s Blue paste wax about twice a week so I don’t really think it’s much of a big deal as the car usually only gets a little dusty and is QD’d a lot. This car never gets water washed and doesn’t see rain either.



Daren walking around the car tripping out about how fine the finish looks. I was really glad to see him so happy.





The reflections are pretty crisp. The car took 12 hours total to cut and finish polish. We had only one day to get the work done here at my shop and Daren wanted the time spent on correction so he was driving it home, getting it covered for the night then waxing it today after his usual coat of Black Hole followed by a coat of EXP.

Being dark when we finished up for the day as I already stated, I really couldn’t get the money shot or the sun reflection photos so once Daren shoots them I’ll post the photos he sends me when I get them.

Here’s the review Daren wrote on Facebook, I’d say he’s happy.
Thanks for looking, TD

Huge thanks to Dave David Reigle of Tuscarora Dave's Mobile Auto Detailing , Tuscarora Dave's Mobile Auto Detailing I left here at 5 am for my 2+ hour ride to Harrisburg PA yesterday . Dave is amazing and so very talented with a Machine Not only did he treat my car like is was a Million dollar Benz , he made the experience so much fun , as it should be but we all know when someone else is working on your Car , they rarely care as much as you do , He honestly does . My 11 year old Black Paint was in good condition before he started. actually 2 new Customers came in to inquire and thought he had just finished , when in fact he didn't touch it yet. My point is he had his work cut out for him, not only did he meet my overly high expectations he exceeded them by miles and miles. It now has not ONE swirl, marring or spider web . What he accomplished in 12 hours is nothing short of incredible .It has zero Wax /Polish on it at the moment yet it look like a deep wet puddle of Black .. Pictures to come soon. Thank You so much Dave . Many people will tell you "I'll treat it likes it's mine " fewer actually follow through , anyone who knows me even a little knows the standards I set for my paint , too high and virtually unobtainable , that is until I met Dave and he invited me up . I'm extremely lucky that Dave needs some minor things built, that he was willing to barter. Otherwise I wouldn't have had what would no doubt be 600+ $ Paint Correction. Again, thanks Dave, thanks for the compliments, thanks for the new friendship , thanks for showing my Cobra's paint the love that I do. I’m looking forward to returning the favor, hopefully sooner than later.

[Flash Gordon]

You perform so many good deeds for others. I am happy to call you my friend

Very nice job Dave !!!

[Vegas Transplant]

Great thread buddy
Excellent results as always.
Interesting to see your use of the HF DA over the Flex for cutting.
Smart move with the vented bp on the DA.

I love it when the customer gets geeked up before the end of the project

[tuscarora dave]

Thanks guys!! It really was a great car to work on. He offered to let me drive it but I declined. I would have wanted to really get on it and that's one thing I won't do to a customer's car, not to mention I don't need to be losing my license or worse yet crash the thing. I like horse power a lot!!

[Flash Gordon]

I like the part about getting the sweat wiped off your forehead

[Eric M.]

Simply amazing, the write up as much as the work.

[bcwang]

Looks really good! I've got an 04 Redfire one so seeing all the customizations and cleanliness of the engine compartment you can tell he cares about the car.

I'm surprised he's going to drive it home without protection though. I don't know how unprotected paint is with removing bug guts mar free.

[Vegas Transplant]

...I don't know how unprotected paint is with removing bug guts mar free.

Poorboys Black Hole Show Glaze can be applied any time to hide minor imperfections and to enhance gloss on black, red, and all dark vehicles. fits the bill.

...after he applies a coat of Poorboy’s Black Hole, EXP sealant and Natty’s Blue Paste wax.

[tuscarora dave]

Looks really good! I've got an 04 Redfire one so seeing all the customizations and cleanliness of the engine compartment you can tell he cares about the car.

I'm surprised he's going to drive it home without protection though. I don't know how unprotected paint is with removing bug guts mar free.

That's why we left all the polishing oils from the M-205 on the paint instead of doing an IPA wipedown, in hopes of any bugs releasing in the morning. He said he got it waxed and it's perfect looking. Going right now to check out his photos and try to load them up to this thread.