I'm in love with my car ...

[Ken]

Spent the day claying the thing - first time in a year or more, and I ain't gonna let it go that long ever again!

After I finished with the first go-round of clay, I decided that I have to do it again. It still had a very slight roughness when I dragged my fingers over it with a piece of plastic. Oh well, it ain't hard - it's my baby.

Oh man, is it ever looking good!

The machine of a dream
Such a clean machine
With the pistons a pumpin'
And the hub caps all gleam

When I'm holdin' your wheel
All I hear is your gear
When my hand's on your grease gun
Oh it's like a disease son

I'm in love with my car
Gotta feel for my automobile
Get a grip on my boy racer rollbar
Such a thrill when your radials squeal

Told my girl I'll have to forget her
Rather buy me a new carburetor
So she made tracks sayin'
This is the end now
Cars don't talk back
They're just four wheeled friends now

When I'm holdin your wheel
All I hear is your gear
When I'm cruisin' in overdrive
Don't have to listen to no run of the mill talk jive

I'm in love with my car
Gotta feel for my automobile
I'm in love with my car
String back gloves in my automolove

Words and music by Roger Taylor​

​

By the way, in none of the tips sections of anyone's web sites, is there mention of the fact that sometimes you'll see the clay sticking to the paint and no matter how much lube you spray on it, it still adheres. When that happens, your clay is too dirty - knead it and fold it over until you have a clean area to work with again.

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

Ken it’s good to see you enjoying the beast again. It is times like these that make the pleasure worth all the pain!

 

[Ken]

Thanks Spanish! It sure does feel good when I push on that skinny little pedal down there by the hump. We're gettin' there!

 

[Aurora40]

By the way, in none of the tips sections of anyone's web sites, is there mention of the fact that sometimes you'll see the clay sticking to the paint and no matter how much lube you spray on it, it still adheres. When that happens, your clay is too dirty - knead it and fold it over until you have a clean area to work with again.

What kind of clay are you using? I used to have that happen, especially with Meguiar's Quik Clay, but with more claying experience and different clays I practically never streak the clay. You can also leave a bit of a clay hologram if you let it sit for a second on the paint. Best to keep it always moving and always very wet.

 

[Ken]

Your right in that different "clays" each possess different properties, and some are just plain awful to work with. The clay from Griot's Garage for instance, sticks to my fingers like glue, no matter how much lube I use. The new "plasticized" clays are much better.

And yes, you're right as well when you say experience teaches the best methods.

 

[Rain]

Glad you posted this. My 96 has never been clay bar'd and it needs it bad!
Alas, with a 9 month old daughter its tough to find that amount of time.
Anyone want to do mine for me? (haha) just kidding.

I do need to find a "primer" on the how-to of Clay Baring.
Also, do you go all the way down to the lower panels under the doors and such?
How fast does this task really move along?

Thanks
Rain

 

[Ken]

You're as bad as our very own Patrick, Rain. He asked me the same question basically, and I had to chide him about not reading our man, The Detailing Dude's primer on ** How To Use A Clay Bar (New Info) **

It doesn't matter where you clay it first, or last, just that you keep the clay wet at all times.

By the way, it doesn't take a long time at all, nor is it hard to do.

 

[Rain]

You Rock! Thanks for the link.. I have searched the forum for "Clay Bar" and of course it gave me thousand of hits.. after the first few pages you give up.. .

Might give it a try this Fall (or if I find an airconditioned shop area)

Thanks again
Rain

 

[Patrick]

You're as bad as our very own Patrick, Rain. He asked me the same question basically, and I had to chide him about not reading our man, The Detailing Dude's primer on ** How To Use A Clay Bar (New Info) **

Oh, thank you, Ken. I thought we were going to keep that secret. Now everyone knows that I've never clay bar'd my Vette, either.

Sheesh, color me embarassed now.

 

[Ken]

:L I hope you're not serious Patrick! :L

 

[Ken]

... after the first few pages you give up.

Okay Patrick, now I can embarrass Rain by telling him that the clay detailing tips is "stuck" to the top of the forum, marked as "Important". How could one miss it? :L

Now, you're not going to be offended too, are ya Rain?

 

[Rain]

Nah, no sense in crying over spilt milk - hard to get embarrased in my industry.. LOL!

(no offense)-->
Funny point about Stickies.... People pretty much ignore them since they are almost always suggestions from the Admins telling the newbies what is expected of them or how to post a picture in their signatures or something..

Am certain I looked right over those IMPORTANT parts of the CARE n Detailing forum and went straight to SEARCH.. LOL!

Go figure - too big for my own britches sometimes -
Thanks again, Ken

Rain

 

[Patrick]

Yes, Ken, I was kidding... although I have to admit to my eyebrows going up a bit when I read my name in your post. :L

Seriously, I've read Detailing Dude's 'Sticky" posts at the top of this forum, and they provide a whole lot of information about how to use a clay bar. But from my zero-based experience with clay bars, I had no idea what they were, and nothing in those posts explained what is, where you can find clay bars, and why their use is important. From that, all I could assume was that apparently, clay bars are a widely known bit of information. So my remedial education on the subject is stalled.

Rain, perhaps we should just play cards while Ken clay bars our Vettes. How does that sound?

-Patrick

 

[Ken]

I told you, it ain't hard. I'd be happy to do it for you guys, but you all will still have to do the waxin'. :L

Oh yeah, by the way, pay attention to those tips and do use the clay on your glass, and just about everything else. You'll love what it does to the glass.

Be sure to use something like Stoner Invisible Glass cleaner on the inside of your glass. You'll probably have to do several applications before it's completely clean, but man-o-man, what a difference! I can see again!! :J

 

[Rain]

Rain, perhaps we should just play cards while Ken clay bars our Vettes. How does that sound?

-Patrick

Banner Idea, Patrick! Of course none of us are located anywhere near one another..
You have the ski slopes, I have the gulf of mexico and a dozen casinos (and new orleans is an hour away)....

I'd gladly let someone with some experience in this Clay Bar stuff do mine.. I can wax ON, wax OFF all day long.. That I have experience with and feel confident that Im not screwing something up!

The clay bar will intimidate me until I try it at least once.

 

[corvettecrazy]

After completely detailing 5 cars with my friend I think I can give some decent advice.

Firstly, take you time the frist time you clay. Its not hard but the first time you use it will take significantly longer than the following times. I know, I've been there. The first time I clayed my dad's vette it took a good 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Now I can do a car in well under an hour.

Definately do the glass, I always clean it with Stoners afterwards just to remove any quick detail residue but wow, what a difference the clay makes.

I have always used the Meguiar's Quik Clay, I've never had a problem and would reccomend it to everyone.

Where I clay, while I do end up dong the whole car I start with the upper pannels and work downwards. So by the time I get to the really mess section under the doors all the pannels that are very visiable are clean. I do this figuring that I would rather have cleaner clay for the top, and use clay that may be slightly dirtier for the bottom.

Follow, with a paint cleaner, polish, and wax and you be amazed how wonderful your paint really is.

You will also be supprised how much easier it is to put on the paint cleaner, polish and wax after you've clayed the car. Makes doing the rest a breeze.