Doc1647545523

I'm surprised that there's no mention of the sound system .... I always considered that to be the car's strong point

Hi, Kevin. Good luck getting into the 10's.

If I'm there Sunday, I'll stop by for the freebies you'll be passing out. BTW, are you still giving out free car detailing coupons for the first 50 people every hour?

I have 4 weekend passes with paddock, but have some other friends who've spoken for some of the other days ...... I can get at least 2 people in on Friday for no charge .... PM me if you need the comp. I'll ride the 999 there Friday, might drive the other days depending on the weather.

Yep, that was funny, watching and listening while the kids gave each other "tours" of our vehicles. Since I was parked next to Lone Wolf's Lambo, my car benefitted from some of the halo effects of his ride, which included the Lambo's price. BTW, if I could own a car like that, it would be covered with road rash, because I don't think I'd ever want to get out the car! Thanks to Doc & Mona for loaning out such a gorgeous ride.

Thanks for inviting us. I really enjoyed meeting you guys and watching the kids enjoy the cars. Your congregation were all very friendly and appreciative, and the kids were polite and respectful. The Lotus didn't have so much as a scratch, a tear or even a soiled spot despite having a hundred or so people climbing in and out of it during the event. If you need one of my cars for your next gathering, count me in.

Hey, wait a minute. I think I recognize the REAR of this car ......

I'm planning on being there all three days .... with the Ducati, provided it isn't raining.

Oh, I didn't know that was you there. I stopped by two years ago with the FJ when I was looking for a bull bar. I'm going to come by next time I'm down that way, maybe even this afternoon.

Thanks! Where's the shop? How much to dyno the RENNtech? I'd be interested in how much power I'm actually getting at the wheel.

Thanks Trey, Will, Scotty. I hope to meet you soon and check out your cars.

I'll be coming from the north and will need to go to Delaware after the motorcycle races so that I can clean the bugs off the car and make sure the inside is clean. Since most people will be coming from Columbus, they may want to meet somewhere between Columbus and Lewis Center, but I won't be able to do that, since my time will prolly be a little tight.

The kids won't hurt it .... it's no show car. And the smudges and dirt will be a small price to pay for the enjoyment of helping make a kid's day. I can't say that I can quote very many Bible verses, but Matthew 19:14 has always haunted my memory ..... I guess it's a message I need to keep reminding myself of.

I'll be coming back from Vintage at Mid-Ohio, but I'll plan to bring the Lotus there Friday around 7 or 7:30 p.m. (And the kids can sit in the car for photos if they want.)http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/July%20cars/Lotusrightfront.jpg

Nope, I should have typed "ForcedFed" .... they're in CA. Here's the kit: http://www.forcedfed.com/elise/turbokits/forcedfed.html

Hey, Eric! Well, I started by getting the factory performance exhaust upgrade and a new ECU which gave me more torque in the midrange. I was able to do this without voiding the warranty, and it made a surprising improvement in the car. I still think that ForceFed is the way to go with the turbo kit. Let me know when you think you've got the time and the desire to install it .......

Thanks, Miller !

Thanks Steve, Zach. With two weekends of motorcycle racing coming up at Mid-Ohio (Vintage, then Superbike), I'm not sure I'll be out on Fri/Sat nights for awhile, but when you next see me, please let me know who you are .... I'm anxious to meet you and learn about your rides.

Thanks, Todd. I sold 3 of my cars and one motorcycle in this last month, trying to trim things down a bit. Unfortunately, the Bentley (1996 Turbo R) left, but it went to a good home. I've kept the Ducati 999 and the FJ in the picture, although the FJ has had a bull bar, winch, and off road lighting added since this pic. http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/Ohiodailys.jpg

Thanks, Todd. Also thanks for adding to the thread about the wax problems. I was hoping that some professionals would post something. I put up the link for the Griot's manual because it covers the topics in great detail and there was no way for me to condense 95 pages of detailing advice to one simple post. Hope to see you at a meet.

Here's a link to the one I use. The photo doesn't show the grit guard across the bottom, but it has one. http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/car+washing/car+cleaning+tools/ultimate+wash+bucket.do?search=basic&keyword=wash+bucket&sortby=newArrivals&page=1 I've also seen cheaper, smaller buckets but with grit guards at Home Depot.

I agree with most of the advice that members have posted above. But in my experience, one single goof in detailing (e.g., using products that are chemically incompatible) can cancel out a lot of your efforts. A number of CR members are professional detailers who may weigh-in on this , so I would defer to their judgements if they disagree with what I'm about to say. First, I'd evaluate what is "wrong looking" with the paint after it quickly loses its shine between detailings. Swirls? Dirt? Film? Does the surface feel bumpy instead of smooth? All of these can be problems, and there isn't a single solution which fixes them all. If you're serious about maintaining a great shine without going to the detailer every week, I'd recommend the 95 page, free on-line guide to detailing from Griot's: http://www.griotsgarage.com/category/product+information/detailer%27s+handbook.do Even if you don't buy their products, they have a lot of useful information about approaches to car cleaning. Also, I've found the Autopia forum detailing primer very helpful: http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/ That forum also has thousands of product reviews and comparisons. I detail my own cars because I haven't found any pro's who could maintain them conveniently and inexpensively. I've paid as much as $500 in Columbus for a top-notch detail of my Bentley, and at one time had a regular contract with a detailer whose operation was across from my car storage. It seemed like I was either paying big bucks or else I didn't have a clean car ready when I needed it. In reality, most black cars stay clean for about 30 minutes unless they're covered. It also seemed like I could make it rain just by having a car waxed. If I had to guess, I would say that your detailer is probably doing a wash and then a wax without getting the surface of the paint properly prepared for the wax. With your car I'd evaluate the problems, then most likely would do a thorough wash, then use detailers' clay on the surface, then use a mild paint prep to remove any old wax or sealant (because those old products might not bond to the layer you're about to apply), polish out any scratches with a random orbital polisher, then apply a sealant instead of a wax. A good sealant will last about a year even if you occasionally have to take your salt-covered car through a car wash or have to let the car sit uncovered in a parking lot in the summer. Waxes don't last as long as a sealant and simply can't hold up to machine washing and harsh environments, regardless how expensive the wax is. If you wash the car with a shampoo which is compatible with the sealant you've used and if you dry it properly, a little spray wax applied as you dry the car will maintain the car finish for at least a year. Don't confuse spray wax with detailing polish--they aren't the same. Dusting the car lightly and then using detail polish can help keep the car looking sharp between washings. I'm sure others here will have different opinions on how to keep your car looking good, but I use this approach and I've found I can keep my cars looking good without having to spend much money or devoting every waking hour to car detailing. If you've got lots of time and money to spend on your car finish, you'll probably want to go the wax route, but if you use your car for a daily driver, you're talking a lot of effort to keep it looking great. I hope this helped more than it confused, and I'd welcome hearing corrections/criticisms from our detailing pro members.

Thanks, Andy. Some very sharp cars you've got there, too.

We used to say "Slip and slide with Powerglide" of course, back then drifting was considered a bad thing

If you need pics anytime around Delaware, let me know, we can get 'em out around my storage area--it's got both direct sun and shadow lighting and I've got detailing stuff there if you want to do any touch-up before the shot.