Clay bar testing on my truck with some Zaino finish

Ok I rarely come on here anymore, just bought a 2005 Pontiac GTO a few months ago so I've focused my attention and mod money on that. Luckily I managed to keep the taco as my daily. Well when I bought the car it was about the cleanest car I'd ever seen, the girl I bought it from was a car nut and Zaino user. This got me started on detailing. So I decided to learn how to use a clay bar and decided the truck was a better test subject as it had never been clayed. Then I applied zaino z-aio and z-5 to it. I did the front on one day and was forced to wait a week on the rest. Here's how the front came out.

Before:




After:




I've since learned quite a bit and have ordered just about every exterior item needed from Adam's Polishes including the Porter Cable 7424 kit cause doing that by hand is a bitch. Anyways I need to get back to searching for a replacement tailgate and rear bumper, trying to get one in SB.

 

sick! info on using a clay bar?

 

I watched a series of videos on youtube by junkman2000. He uses all Adam's which is what I am in the process of switching too. But you can watch his videos to learn a LOT about how to detail a vehicle.

Here is the start:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWlpT_QMGCU
Here is the video with him washing and using clay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc8InoK9zpE&feature=related

 

yea the clay is an awesome product..I used it the first time on my truck last year, and never regretted it. It brings back that "wet" look.

 

lol junkman!!

 

I clayed my 08 Speedway Blue DC 2 weeks ago. OMG .......

Even thought it was only 1 year old, I was amazed in the difference. The paint feels and looks like glass.

Only took me 1 hour to do the entire truck. It's very easy. Just don't skimp on the lube.

I used the Mother's Clay Bar kit. Got it at Advance Auto for about $16.

 

That thing was born ugly. No polish will take out dents.... I think there is a dent on every single body panel of that thing.

 

That is definitely a Zaino finish! I'm a HUGE fan of Zaino, and I use it on my Taco too, and my G35 before the taco. It's awesome.

Good work and nice looking detail job.

 

Your right I retract my pervious statement. I would really like to have that and I think it looks pretty cool.

 

You can polish a turd, but it will still be a turd......

 

Thanks for the comments guys. I will say, using the clay bar on a hot day in direct sunlight is a pain. My options are limited though. I need a house... maybe once in VA. The mothers kit rocks, I just toss the wax and detail spray. I'm not sure how far I wanna go in detailing the truck, part of me wants to get rid of it after I move for something else. I wish I'd gone 4x4.

 

great info....I read about using the clay bar here on TW, totally impressed.
Great job

 

i like! I like!

 

I just clayed and waxed my tacoma for the first time since i got it over a year ago. ever since i had my tacoma i only washed it and nothing else. i thought it looked fine. then when i found out about the clay bar i was hesitate to buy it. but finally did and went with the Turtle Wax ICE clay bar kit. comes with 100gram clay bar, 16oz lube spray, and 16oz liquid clay. works great. $16 for it. the paint was sooooo smooth afterwards. it even removed this white scuff mark i had on the rear bumper i had for weeks. one swipe and it was gone. oh and i'm definitely glad i clay bar before i waxed. otherwise i would have been just waxing over dirt and grime. now i swear if you run your hand over my truck it will just slide off its so smooth.

 

Great job. Great pics. I'm looking forward to claying my car and truck in a few months. How often do you knead and reform the clay while doing a vehicle? I'm sure if varies depending on the condition of the vehicle. Is there a trick to knowing when to do it?

I'm going to do my taco with 17K miles after I do my 2000 Neon with 115K miles. Neither one has ever had anything but regular washing.

Thanks

 

I reformed it a lot due to it being hot and in direct sun. The clay quickly flattened out thin as a paper towel on me after about a 1-2 foot square section so I was reforming it a lot. Do this under some kind of cover if at all possible. It worked out I think cause you don't want to do a large section without reforming it. I'd probably reform it about 10 times on the hood. Just do small sections, maybe the size of a paper towel at the most and once it starts feeling like glass and all the contaminates are gone that's a good point to reform. Just use a lot of lube and you'll find this is very easy.

 

When is a good time to clay and then wax a new truck?