91 Detailed

IMO you shouldn't use an electric buffer on that car's paint.

 

Due to the carbon fiber or the paint used?

Chris

 

Several reasons. Older paint is delicate. A buffer can heat it up and burn it and on a valuable car if that happens it's a big deal. Carbon fiber is even trickier with paint and original F 40 paint was thin.

I also never use any wax of any kind. Wax acts as a lens and can burn paint, especially on cars left out in intense sun.

I simply clean my cars with mild soap and filtered water, and hand dry them with a chamois.

This is what Pininfarina advised for P 4/5 and Dino Competizione.

Lacquer will dull but a light wet sand every few years will bring it back.

 

I believe the paint is Glasurit. One of the best in both coating quality and their proprietary color matching system .

Carbon fiber resin is resistant to the heat a rotary produces. While urethane bumpers heat up much faster than sheet metal panels, hence risking bubbling of the coating, carbon fiber does dissapte heat on par with sheet metal. As these cars are not abused, there is an extremely limited amount of machine polishing using the mildest of abrasives necessary to get them correct.

I believe the posters concern is vanity "thinning" of the factory applied coatings. Yes, overly-excessive rotary polishing will eventually thin and possibly remove a factory applied coating. Also, a rotary in the hands of a someone with limited or no experience could be tragic to a vehicle.

While digital paint meters are excellent tools, you must be educated in the use and selection prior to committing to the results. Defelkso manufactures various models ranging in price from $400 to $3,000+US. The ONLY model someone should consider is of course one of the most expensive. This model works on both ferrous and non-ferrous substrates and has the ability to differentiate between the various sprayed coatings (primer / base / clear), which requires calibration prior to use.

The process of measuring is to take an initial reading on various areas of the panel, then polish using a "two pass" method. Meaning, make two passes of that sampled section with the machine, remove the polishing media and take a second measurement. If the second reading has removed any measurable amount of the coating, stop and use common sense. If your initial reading of the top coat is low, don’t polish.

I’m yet to see an alternate method of polishing away oxidation on single stage, multi-stage, or tinted clear that yields swirl-free results.

 

Jim,

Do you actually clean your cars yourself?
Serious Q.

 

I'll agree that wax is not a necessity on certain cars Napolis.

Paint is NEVER shinier than when it is at its thinnest and/or flattest. After its polished, its at its maximum appearance.

Wax modifies the appearance of paint slightly. Natural carnauba products generally offer a darkeneing effect. Synthetics offer a glossier look.


If your paint is in pristine shape, no additive should be introduced to make it appear "better". Thats simply masking the natural patina of the car.

 

As I said we do it by hand simply using soap, water and a chamois and having won awards at Villa d'Este, Pebble Beach, Quail, Meadow Brook as well as other places it seems to have worked for us.

Here's one of ours, with it's 40 year old original paint, that's been "Detailed" with soap, water and a chamois.
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In the sun.
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Yup.

 

BTW your car looks great.

 

Thats the beauty of concours. The object is primarily judged on its originalty, cleanliness is not a major factor.

Anyone can have a clean car. But not everyone can have a 40 year old car that looks the way it did when it left the factory.

You have to do what works for you and what you are into.

 

Regarding how it looked when it left the factory that Yellow one is the benchmark as I bought it from the factory, the factory cleaned it up and I took delivery at Villa d'Este the Day that photo was taken.

Ricky I'll be at Fairfield on Sunday with my Dino and my 8C.

 

The Alfa 8C? I see that car often.

I'll be up at Fairfiled on Sunday also.

 

The two F40 owners that I personally know always have their cars polished by hand. They do use wax, but no machinery is used when detailing other than a vacuum cleaner.

 

Nice garage, Ricky!

 

Beautiful!


And to be technical the F40 bodywork is carbon kevlar composite if I recall....

Other parts are carbon fiber.

 

The F40 looks good, but you need a new camera.

I swear you get more awesome every time I come back here.

Peter Hatch

 

Great ! Now go get her dirty

 

Jim,

Do you recommend not using wax on cars in general, or just older car's with original paint jobs?