BLACK A4 CAB (LOAFY'S)

[jr001]

Background
Loafy from the Forum got in touch to have his black A4 Cabriolet machined.

It had been PCd before but this got nowhere near the swirls.

Chris would be taking the car down to Telford next weekend to cover the Ultimate Dubs show for the magazine and wanted the car shot of its overall haze before making the journey.

I dropped Chris off at the local train station so that he could start the journey to Glasgow airport. From there he would be off to Holland to cover a show there. Before he left, he told me that I had my work cut out for me. Chris was not wrong and I’m sure that while he was on the plane his ears were burning!!! When I got back to the unit another guy also wished me luck with this car. It seems as though people were trying to give me some kind of warning. I wasn’t listening of course but very quickly I began to form my own opinions of this car.

Having detailed quite a few Audis over the last 10 months, this one proved to be the most challenging and back-breaking one of them all.

Chris got the car to me in a mega manky state. The before pics don’t really convey the true degree of mankiness. One of the first things that caught my eye was the dark-brown grime that had accumulated in the wheel recesses. Something in the back of my mind told me that this part of the wheels was going to be slightly different to the other parts. I never thought much of it at the time, but this gut instinct was about to come back to the fore, BIG TIME.

The car on arrival:


[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3087.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3087.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3087.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3087.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3093.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3093.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3093.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3093.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3092.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3092.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3092.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3092.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


Buffer trails from previous PCing:

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3091.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3091.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3091.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3091.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

Wash and Clay
Foamed with Chemical Guys Citrus Snow Foam then pressure rinsed. Foamed again with a mix of the snow foam and CG Maxi Suds, hand washed, pressured then dried.

Clayed with CG yellow poly clay and rinsed and dried.
Car looks not too bad in these pics, but check out the wheel recesses after all this washing.

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3096.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3096.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3096.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3096.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3097.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3097.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3097.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3097.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3100.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3100.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3100.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3100.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


Then onto the Menzerna 7.5 wheel cleaner. Did not work on the ‘grime’. Tar and glue remover and toothbrush – still no clearance.

Time to look just a little bit closer. This was not grime I’m afraid, but winter corrosion. I did not detect any protection on these wheels at all which is a shame because they go really well with the black cab IMO.

Since speaking to Chris about this when he got back, they were last multi-layered with protection almost a year ago. This is definitely a twice a year job to maintain this design of wheel. At this stage I was gutted and saw no reward in spending any more time on the wheels. The inners and spokes on the wheels were fine though after a good mitt wash.

Got the car inside under the lights to take paint readings.

Paint Inspection

The bonnet had clearly been resprayed and ranged from 164-298 microns. This is what could be termed ‘inconsistent’. The clearcoat on this panel seemed to be marking at times and was taking a fair bit of rubbing to get clear again. A bit fussy so it was.

The other panels measured 115 – 140 microns and might suggest original paint (although not exclusively). The test would be how easily the defects came out. A couple of minor touch-up spots around the car.

Some defect pics:

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3104.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3104.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3104.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3104.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3105.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3105.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3105.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3105.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3107.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3107.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3107.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3107.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3109.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3109.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3109.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3109.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

Pad and Polish Selection for Metal Panels

Menz 106FA, 3M black polishing pad: not up to defect removal.
Menz IP3.02 and Megs polishing pad: much better bite and so this was the way ahead.

Bonnet took over 2 and a half hours, and 3 hits to achieve a good degree of correction.

Every panel on the car required 2 and 3 hits with the 3.02. I knew very early on that there would not be time over the 2 days to give the car a final going over with the lovely Menz 85RD finishing polish. So, I was going to have to work the 3.02 for a good wee while to make its all-in-one 2-stage characteristics bring about the desired effectiveness.
Every panel also had remaining deeper scratches after all of this.

Rotary speeds etc for metals:

· Spread polish with machine off
· Spread slowly at 600rpm for 2 passes
· Continue above at 900rpm (all spreading at very light pressure)
· Begin to work the polish at 1500 for 2 passes medium pressure
· 1800 for 3 passes at firm pressure
· 1800 for 2 passes at light pressure
· Refine for 2 passes at 900 rpm

I stuck to this on the whole but not religiously.

Plastics

4 inch Lake Country CCS polishing pad on a 3.75 inch plate.

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3134-1.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3134-1.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3134-1.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3134-1.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

Keeping heat at bay with:
· Spread with machine off
· 2 passes at 600rpm
· 2 at 900 rpm
· 4 at 1200 rpm, medium pressure and constant monitoring of heat
· 2 at 900 to finish

Bonnet Before:

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3103.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3103.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3103.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3103.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


After:

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3145.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3145.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3145.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3145.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

Not perfect, like every panel. Several RDS proving too deep after 3 hits.
NS Rear Quarter Before:

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3128.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3128.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3128.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3128.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


After:

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3129.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3129.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3129.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3129.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


Bootlid Before:

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3114.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3114.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3114.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3114.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


50:50

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3115.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3115.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3115.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3115.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


After:

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3116.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3116.jpg"][/URL][/URL]

Rear Lenses

Before

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3123.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3123.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3123.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3123.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


During

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3120.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3120.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3120.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3120.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


After

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3126.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3126.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3126.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3126.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


Some General Afters

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3142.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3142.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3142.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3142.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3146.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3146.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3146.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3146.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3147.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3147.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3147.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3147.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3154.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3154.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3154.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3154.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3149.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3149.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3149.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3149.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3152.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3152.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3152.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3152.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3151.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3151.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3151.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3151.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

[URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3159.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3159.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3159.jpg"][URL="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q116/jr001_2007/A4CAB/100_3159.jpg"][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

LSP Stuff
Zym0l HD Cleanse, followed by Zym0l Glasur.

Total Time

20 hours

A mixed 2 days really. Anticipation – Gutted at the wheels situ – knackered and sore – Happy in the knowledge that this car has been transformed in the end.

Sorry about no wheel waxing or tyre dressing but I simply did not want to entertain the wheels any longer.

Windows HD Cleansed in and out.

Canvas top given a wee bit of Zym0l Field Glaze protection.

Exhaust Tailpipes polished for 5 mins with Megs NXT Metal Polish.

The wheel refurbisher has confirmed that this winter's road salt has taken its toll. It's very easy for most people to neglect their wheels' protection. Taking such risks can be seen here to clearly have a real impact on your wallet if you're not careful.

The wheels will be returned on Thursday. The intention is then to give them a few layers of sealant and wax protection and a general tidy up before it sets off for Telford on the Saturday. No doubt Chris will post up some pics of the car in daylight soon.

Cheers,
JOHN :thumb:

 

[JR6]

Hi John
Again very nice work,you mentioned a wheel refurbisher, is he local.
John

 

[Deleted member 21388]

Good job there ! But why the Merc center caps on the alloys ?

Richard

 

[WX51TXR]

Hard graft by the looks and sounds of it, I know the feeling of being on a detail when you know full well that the end result will be let down by poor wheels or persistent RIDS - makes it hard work. Good on you for sticking it out, next purchase should be a tripod if you will be working inside a lot. :icon_thumright:

 

[jr001]

Thanks chaps,

JR6, I'll be in touch soon with numbers for you. Not sure if the guy is local.

Aye Rich, there was a bit of jitter picked up by the zoom mode. My usual camera mounting plinth for the tripod got misplaced on the last detail, but all is well now and has been found. Some sharper images on the next detail.