Funny, I have a few boxes from my grandfathers garage after he passed and theres both dupont 7 and simonize in there. I started using the dupont 7, it came back to life with some water, stinks, don't know if its supposed to. Wet polish aluminum with it on a buffing wheel, great first pass.
I have never simonized anything. Not my own or anyone else's. I have used more then my share of DuPont over the years. For me its not in an effort to make it perfect as it is makes it better then without it.
To be fair, your original post is titled "HOW OFTEN DO YOU WAX?," and there is no obvious indication you were looking for specific product recommendations (beyond one 'hot tip' request near the end). Instead, the thread looked like the very common "chatter" threads that many of us enjoy... just telling stories. And to the titular question you asked... zero is a number. Having said that... I'd say the number of people who DO put labor, money, and time into a good paint job, who then DON'T take time caring for it is pretty low. In my current situation, I don't have any wax-worthy paint (because I don't have the energy for the labor, don't have the money... but do have the time, I suppose). In my past, I've had some pretty snazzy paint jobs (and did some pretty snazzy paint jobs as a business in the 1980's)... finish was always slow and painful... 1k/2k grit sand, then several Mirror Glaze steps. I forget the product numbers, but like @oldolds said, there was always one more step. I'm old and tired, so best I can muster is paying the extra charge for the spray-on "wax" at the full service place on my wife's 2017 Whocares.
Back in 1985, after hand stripping 7 layers of paint off her; I had an old time fglass pro shoot this with Dupont Lucite acrylic lacquer base coat/clear coat. He told me it would hold up best, if I didn’t wax it. Well here I am 33 years later, and she has faired pretty well. Nothing but hand washing with a little Dawn and warm water : IMG_3733 by bowie posted Aug 1, 2014 at 6:57 PM
I was told the same thing from the guy who painted my car, he said wax will yellow the paint, over 20 years no wax, looks perfect..
I never have waxed a car. I'm 20 years old and I can say that maybe it's becoming a lost art? I have seen a lot of cars with terrible swirls in the paint and I'm terrified to try on my car. Also, is there a rule on waxing cars that weren't cut and buffed? My car is covered in orange peel still. Would that effect the outcome of waxing it? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Never, leave them like this so I don't have to waste the time. Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I've read that MSDS on Meguiar's about 3 times and I still can't find the word "silicone" in it, can somebody tell me where it is?
Its not that complex, give it a try. Wax on wax off like karate kid. The swirls marks you see on other cars are likely from drive thru car wash.
if this had been a "how to preserve my patina?" the consensus would be WAX. wax is a cheap first defense for your paint, wether it is an older original paint that needs to be preserved or a $10k base clear paint job. some of the new waxes are so easy to use. bugs sure come off the car easier. to answer the question, i don't wax often enough, once a year. i think how often depends on how much you drive it and how good a wax you use.
How often?..every few years I suppose. I don't wax cars on a regular basis, not something I enjoy, or set time aside for. I get a kick out of the car people at shows, who have their detail kits with them, who once the lawn chairs are taken out and positioned (by the way I do carry lawn chairs..I don't want to stand around for 8+hours), the next order of business is to get the detail kit out, and go to work. To each their own, unless it adversely affects me. I knew this thread would provide an entertainment value, didn't let me down.
You car look great. The quote about "wax will yellow the paint" is a fallacy, it doesn't work like that.
Swirls in the paint can come from many sources, it's pretty hard to totally prevent them. A "fill in" glaze will make them non-visible. Use something like Meguiars Mirror Glaze 9 Swirl Remover. For best protection apply a carnuba wax over it. https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Mirror-Glaze-Remover-2-0-16/dp/B0002SQVX0 I think I would wait till the paint is cut and buffed before waxing it. The process is going to remove the top layer of paint or clear coat, so anything you apply to it now will be removed. How long before you get that done?
here is another waxing strategy, call up all your friends and family and tell them to come help wax your car on sunday evening, buy a cigar [rocky patel reserva], a favorite beverage [mcallam 15], turn the radio on your favorite channel [N.P.R "wait, wait don't tell me"] and i can almost guarantee you a relaxing, uninterrupted afternoon..............
Probably never it was a cheap, first car paint job. It's bubbling in a few places now. Some day I'll probably just repaint it. Still nice to know about waxing though, we will definitely have a few cars with real nice paint jobs over the next couple years Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Haha! Sounds like a good plan. You know, lot's of guys posted here about time spent waxing being "wasted" time. Or "I'd rather drive the car than wax it". What, you can't do both? I find the process actually very relaxing and fulfilling. You get a good workout, and a lot of satisfaction. Only the radio show on a weekend for me would be "Nuthin' But the Blues", on KJAZZ FM 88.1, Cal State Long Beach. My band was actually the featured artists during the Indie Hour last Sunday. I was listening to my band on the radio while waxing the coupe, that was pretty freakin' cool to me. But hey, for some guys it's wasting time.
Hey B4U, I have always been a fanatic about waxing and detailing cars since I was “given” the job back before I could legally drive. My older brother had one thing over me…he had his license and a cool 51 Oldsmobile sedan. So, my mom told him that anywhere I needed to go, it was his responsibility to see to it to get me there. But, there were some things that needed to be done first, if I ever wanted a ride in his car. He showed me how to wash his car and dry it with a real chamois cloth. As he knew he had this thing over me, he took advantage of the situation. I also had to wax his car and detail everything, including using a toothbrush and cotton towel. That gold can of Vista Car Wax was my companion for many years… that was the good and the bad. But, he did instill in me, that a cool car must be clean. It was a sign of being a hot rod guy that took care of his car and that he was proud of the car. Time was something that just happened. Detailing takes about the same time for most wax applications. I became really good at waxing that 51 Olds and made a few bucks from some of his friends when they came over to visit my brother. “Hey kid, clean the chrome flipper hubcaps for a dollar… get the bird crap off of my hood and wax it…” were heard and money flowed for me. It also gave me the idea that I could be proud of being able to “work” on cool cars and hot rods. A chore became a teaching moment and an enterprising event. Jnaki When I was older and a proud owner of the pristine black 58 Impala (thanks to me for continuing the detailing up through junior high school…) that cleanliness and eye for detailing kept me going for all of these years. The daily regiment was to dust off the Impala before I shut the garage for the night. It was sparkling for the drive to high school every day. Our cars were always clean, ever since. The Impala got a Vista Wax detail at first, then as the newer waxes came on the market and car shows, we changed over to Cadillac Blue Coral Wax. Finally, the Classic Car Wax took over the detailing as it was easy to put on and take off. The Cadillac made the deep shine, but was a bear to take off. The Classic Car Wax protected the surface with its high content of Carnuba. I bought my first can in 1962 and recently opened the 10th one I had saved over the years. original 1960 original 1962 These days, they only come out when a chrome or stainless steel item in the house needs a buff or two. Also, what little chrome or stainless that is in/on the actual cars get a touch of nostalgia for the smells. 1960s chrome sphere lamps Back when Classic Car Wax first came out, we were at the LA County Fair in Pomona. There was this guy with a black hood on the display table for all to see. He poured lighter fluid on the hood and lit it on fire. After putting it out, he told us to touch the surface. He was trying to impress the teenager girls that were with us. No way… It was too hot. So, he cools the hood down with a cold wet towel. Then he threw his dry towel across the black hood and it slid all the way across and onto the table top. The surface was as deep as before the fire and he added another coat of Classic Car Wax and told us to come back in 20 minutes to check it out. When we came back, he told me to wipe it off. It came off easily and the shine was superb. I bought my first can right on the spot. The 58 black Impala paint surface never looked so good. Easy on, easy off, with the deepest shine in the whole cruising scene in Bixby Knolls. I kept all of our cars in a shiny condition using Classic Car Wax until they quit making the product in 1975. Pure Carnuba wax was the main ingredient… “Curtis L. Bruner, who is the person who created Classic Car Wax back in 1962. - It was not made by Pennzoil/Quaker State/Sopus. - MSDS ingredients did not include jet fuel light or hydro-treated petroleum distillates. - It is not manufactured any more. Curtis Bruner grew the company for 12 years to the point where it was being made/sold in 110 countries. Then, because they were growing at 100% a year, he needed money and got involved with a financial snake who ultimately squeezed him out of the company. It then took 12 years for the company to fail. - regarding whether or not contemporary offerings will yield superior results and durability....He says that he doubts it, they would not have the same ingredients. We used a high percentage of carnuba. This was back when beeswax cost 10 cents a pound, paraffin was 6 cents and carnuba was $1.89 a pound.” The 40 Ford Sedan Delivery got detailing once a month as it was exposed to the elements on a daily basis… (salt spray and high tide puddles, overnight fog and sandy wind, etc.) From those days to today, the wax products changed and the paint finishes on newer cars were so much better than before. With one good detail wax job with Collinite, staying in indoor garage and parking garages at the shopping malls, the wax stays bright and clean. Our cars usually never see the outdoors overnight and are always parked in the shade if possible, away from overhanging trees. Sometimes, a clean cloth is all that is necessary to wipe on and off. Daily bird crap is done with those popular liquid wax sprays. So, the old time, frequent wax jobs and detailing gets less and less. These days, maybe, once in a few months, a quick detailing is all that it takes to keep the car show shine going… FROM 2016 Hello, Great collection , but does paste wax in a flat can count? Blue Coral was the best...but hard to take off if you were not concentrating...That is one thing I have saved from 1960. I still have the original can and the bits of Madras Cotton Cloth , I used to wax my 58 black Impala. It had the deepest shine for a black car. I used one of those dusting rags (out of a can) every day after school and it did not scratch the finish. Recently, I use a little Blue Coral on projects here and there. But, the smell is very distinct. I also used the pink Glass Wax can and Westleys Cleaner. I always kept the Blue Coral in one of my dad's 60's wooden cigar boxes, toothbrushes and all. Thanks, Jnaki
The paint on the coupe is very old, but still shines good for a race car that gets driven and raced. I wax her ounce a year with carnuba. However I do go over her with a detail spray now and again.
I have not waxed a vehicle in 40 years. Last time i did the sun came out and I had to about chisel the frigging dried wax off car. Won some wash/wax products yesterday at car show, gave it to fellow sitting nearby who said it was a great product.
Jnaki, I used to use Collinite also. It has a lot of carnuba wax. Easy on and off. Lasted two years washing every week. Still available.
I don’t own cars with paint. And if I did I would use hand glaze or machine polish. “Wax” is one of those things marketed to the mainstream that doesn’t know any better.
Same here, so a few years back I asked the guys in the Maguire's booth at a goodguys show, and they said yes, all of their detailers definetly have silcons