Trophy Hunting - Detailing Your Classic

Tough Buffing
Your car's paintwork, if its not too thin to be polished, can be restored to its original shine and depth with a bit of work and care. I learned auto detailing from a pro named Percy who plied his trade behind a local car wash back in the '50s. Used car dealers in our area relied on Percy's expertise to make their inventory irresistible to buyers. Here's what he taught me.

Rub it out
Paint that is oxidized and flat can be restored to its original luster using ordinary rubbing compound. The pros use power buffers and special concoctions that can get the job done quickly. But, unless you're proficient with buffers, do your car by hand. A buffer in inexperienced hands can burn right through paint and ruin a finish that could otherwise be saved.

Other things to remember, even when polishing by hand are: Go lightly on tops, hoods and tops of fenders. Chances are the paint will be most worn in these spots, so such areas will require a light touch to avoid cutting through to primer. Never rub the sharp edges of hood, doors or other panels. The paint in these areas is thin --even when new-- and it buffs off to bare metal in a hurry. Remove any brightwork or chrome items that can be taken off easily.

If their is an automotive paint store near you, buy professional quality rubbing compound and polish from them. Otherwise, the products available at your local auto supply will do. Follow directions on the container. They usually recommend that you work a small area (2 feet by 2 feet). Use a soft cloth that is folded into a pad and slightly dampened. Work with your hand flat, and do a circular or cross-hatch pattern so your fingers won't make grooves in the finish. Take only enough paint off with the rubbing compound to restore a shine. Rubbing compound is very abrasive and will cut paint quickly, so be careful.

A natural bristle paint brush, cut down, is great for cleaning in grooves and door cracks.	A stiff brush is the best way to clean the grooves of this classic era running board.

Polish it
Touch up any nicks or small scratches with touch-up paint mixed to match your car's finish. Build up such areas by daubing paint into them with a fine brush until the finish is built up above the surrounding paint. Give touch-ups a week or so to dry, then lightly sand them with 1000 grit paper to blend with the rest of the finish.

Next, go over the car again with a fine polishing compound to remove scratches, then wax it with a non-abrasive wax like Harley's or Xymol. Alternatively, if you keep your car indoors and covered most of the time, just give it a coat of glazing compound, available at automotive paint stores.

Stainless steel items if they can be removed from the car, can be polished with a buffing wheel and jeweler's rouge. Otherwise, use one of the many products available from auto supplies to polish your chrome, then give it a coat of wax. Use a toothbrush to remove any excess wax from grooves between ornamental items and the body.

Do a rubber revitalization
Percy, my old mentor, used to go over all of the rubber items on a car with saddle soap. It helped protect them from the elements, and it cleaned them up and gave them a new-car sheen. Just rub it on, then buff it with a soft rag. I still use this trick. If you want a more contemporary answer to the problem, Armor All works pretty well.

Black silicone sealer works well to fill small cracks. Just squirt it on, let it set up, then trim it with a sharp single-edge razor blade. Before silicone sealer, the common cure for cracks in rubber seals was Henry's Roofing Cement. (Another of Percy's techniques). The stuff stinks and stays sticky for several days, but it molds into cracks easily and sets up to look remarkably like rubber.

White sidewall tires are best cleaned with detergent and water, unless they are old and stained. Products available for cleaning white walls can destroy the gum dipping that keeps the rubber new looking.

Masking tape is great for lifting smudges off convertible tops.	Vacuum, then brush wool upholstery all in one direction to make it look like new.

Spiffing the Stiching
Next to paint and chrome, your car's upholstery will do more to help (or prevent) taking home a trophy than just about anything else. Factory correct materials, straight stitching, and the right color scheme are absolute musts. Beyond that, it must be clean and in good repair. Here are some winning techniques.

Vacuum it
Use a small, hand held vacuum cleaner to gently remove dust from your car's upholstery. Dust is your interior's worst enemy. If your interior is made of leather, hold the vacuum slightly away from the surface to avoid scratching.

Wash it
Wool fabrics can be cleaned with a little Woolite and lukewarm water, but don't get the upholstery soaking wet. If you do, stains will form that are caused by dirt in the padding below the surface. Leather can be cleaned with Lexol pH, which is what the professional detailers use, or you can use a mild solution of non-detergent castile soap and water. Dry the surface quickly with soft towels. If you clean with Lexol, follow up with their leather dressing and protectant to restore your interior's original luster and suppleness.

Clean vinyl interiors with Armorall's cleaner, or use any of the many other, similar products. Saddle soap will work on vinyl too. Just wipe it on, then polish it with a soft cloth.

Fix it.
Grease or food stains can be removed from wool fabrics with Energine, which is a solvent used by dry-cleaners. Sometimes, patches can be made by using surplus fabric that is tucked up under the seats and stapled. Re-stitch leather in the original holes.

Above all, if you want to take home the gold, remember: The details are everything. Have your spouse come out and inspect your car. A new pair of eyes will see things you missed. And when you go to the showgrounds, take along a kit of brushes, Armorall, wax, rags, a container of water, and a little touch up paint to fix those stone chips that afflict our cars now and then. And don't forget the Windex, it's great for its intended purpose, and it will make your freshly waxed chrome sparkle too! Try it. You'll be amazed.

Good luck with your restoration!

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