Thanks Steve. I'm still trying to figure out how I can do this live at the big Z gathering! ;)

How exactly can I do a flash bulb test? I know I still have flaws on the car but I was not willing to remove too much clear coat to fix minor things that i can barely see for a daily driven car.

well 6 hours into the 4 step dance.

Clayed for 3 hours. I could spin and slide the clay with no problem on the wet car once I had done the claying. But the baggie test showed some roughness. Don't think I was rubbing hard enough. Not sure if some of this stuff is just something I will never be able to get out or not.

Got 3/4 the car done the Swirl and Haze process. I only did one spot of the car with SHR and FMP just to see how hard I had to go at things. I had one scratch in the clear coat stay after doing those two steps in the area, the rest were gone. I guess I am just a bit chicken with the PC still.

I would have kept going tonight but the skeeters got too bad on me. The car is safely tucked in the garage waiting on O-Dark Thirty to get started again. I hope to finish this up tomorrow.

Definitely has been a learning experience.

I clayed my car for the 1st time two weeks ago. It about 4 hours to clay, with a few breaks in between. The baggie test is a good starting point, but you can only clay so much. In could also be imperfections in the clear coat. Try the baggie test again after using the PC polishing process.

If a scratch is going to come out, it will come out with SHR. If it doesn't, going to FMP is NOT going to yield any different result because FMP has even less cut that SHR. As for your claying, you were probably not using enough pressure. You have to work in small sections, making sure that you totally get each section perfect before moving on.

What you found out is that this is hard work. That's why once your paint is perfect, you would be insane to allow it to ever get into this condition again. You would also be insane to continue doing the things that allowed the paint to get into the shape it is presently in. Now you realize why my wash regiment is so extreme.

the PC will do nothing for the results that you are getting with the baggie test. The solution is in the clay! Add more pressure.

Whats the best way to get rid of wax residue on the rubber/plastic parts?

I have already switched to the Adams 2 bucket wash with two separate Adams wash pads.

I am just trying to find a foam gun now...

I will do the clay process again in late fall when it is a bunch cooler as the heat in the garage just about killed me yesterday.

K

Well 16 hours later it is all done...

I learned a lot. My Z has some scratches. Some may be through the clear coat, but when I do this in late fall I will work those areas with a bit more vigor as I have a much better feel for the polisher and process now.

Thinks I learned.

First off if you are getting fine dusting of either the SHR or FMP coming off the pad you are using too much product. Just keep reviving the product with detail spray until the dusting stops. Then use product much more sparingly, the Junkman was not kidding when he says a little goes a long way.

It is hard to judge when you have worked the product enough on a black car and I am still trying to figure that out.

It is much harder to judge all of the processes on a black car without having enough light in the garage, I did not have enough tubes over the car and the ones on the back wall did not cut it. More lighting will be installed in the garage before I do this again.

Then end result looks fabulous and was well worth the 16 hours invested.

Now all we need to do is get a Junkman clinic for a Z event. I found out too late to head up to PA for the corvette show...

I too didnt have enough Light in my garage. This helped me some though
Amazon.com: Room Essentials® 5-Head Floor Lamp - Blue: Home Improvement
A floor lamp with 5 adjustable snake lights.

You bring up some very valid points to be aware of. Lighting is very important and it also helps in figuring out how long to work the product. Under working the product is better than overworking it. And yes, you did miss out on some hands on info in person this weekend, although I will be there until 2:00 PM today. :driving:

Why is it so bad if a microfiber towel has a tag stiched into it? Can't i just remove the tag?

The tag is an issue, yes. But it ain't just the tag, it's the fact that the microfiber cloth that you are looking at is made in China. China made microfiber is some of the worst microfiber on the planet. You may as well be using sandpaper on your paint. If that made in China towel feels soft to you, then you have never touched a quality microfiber towel.

Use it to check your oil, not on your paint.

I bought one and used it on black cherry paint-worked like a charm. I also took some automotive tech classes which rec the porter cable-no worries! Watch Junkman videos and you will be A-OK!

Junkman, my new Z is on order and will arrive this April (04/2011). Could you tell me how best to treat the paint as soon as I get it and how long I have to wait to apply addtional finishes?? Thanks in advance for your help! Oh, I got the Pearl White if that makes a difference?

Color does not make any difference in detailing. All colors damage the same and will shine the same depending on what polish (NOT WAX), you choose to use.

Your car will probably come with no protection. If you are smart, you'll tell the dealership to perform absolutely NO prep to your car. Those yahoos will swirl up the paint and present your car to you in less than pristine condition which will create more work for you. Under no circumstances do you want them to do that. Dealerships are not in the car care business and their crappy work reflects that.

If you car does arrive in pristine condition, the only thing that you should need to do is properly wash it and apply wax. If you do have to polish the paint (which is what creates the shine), the Adam's Fine Machine polish is all you'll need. Follow that with a wax like their Americana Carnuba Paste Wax or better yet, their sealant called Machine Superwax (which protects the paint much longer). Both of these waxes must be applied a specific way so if you don't know how to use them, ask.

Remember, wax is what protects the paint. Polishing is what makes the paint shine. Don't confuse the results that you get from each and buy the wrong thing. They are both necessary but they offer two, totally different results.