Cdubu52
Well-known member
As another Mustang Fan, I thought of you when I saw this. First American manufactured car to run sub 7 minutes at Nürburgring.
For the entire 7 minute lap.
For the entire 7 minute lap.
Above 1200 Sq/FT DFB's Garage
- Thread starter D.F.B
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
customh
Well-known member
Contact Us - Franchise Locations & Online Form | LINE-X Australia
Contact us today. Spray on ute liners, speciality automotive applications, 4x4 accessories, protective coatings or become a franchise owner. Get in touch.
www.linexaus.com.au
Guessing I know the answer, but let's see what @D.F.B says.
Geoff289
Well-known member
I think my 58 year old Mustang could probably do it in under seven hours.
While it's always good to see a Ford breaking barriers, I found the official hype from Ford a bit hard to take. Claiming that it was a stock production car is kind of out there on the edge of media spin when it has a carbon fibre body, a torque tube, transmission at the rear, active suspension, active aero, big **** blower etc.
It's pretty far removed from a production line Mustang, so is it actually a Mustang? I think its a similar arrangement to the Ford GT, with Multimatic manufacturing the vehicle on Ford's behalf.
Took the Mustang out for a decent run this morning. The car sits very nicely on the road at 100 kph, the lack of road noise quite pleasing.
I will say though, Ford need to address the "Keep Hands on Steering Wheel" warning. It activates in a very unpredictable manner, with or without hands on the steering wheel. If you actually had one hand off the wheel, then respond to the warning by repositioning your hands, it keeps on going for far too long. I also hate how it mutes the audio, which is annoying when listening to a podcast or have your favorite song pumping.
This is supposed to be a driver assistance feature to address inattentiveness and distraction. The irony is, the warning itself is extremely distracting. This is a case of a technical feature being implemented to account for the lowest common denominator. The same applies to autonomous braking, lane keep, radar cruise control, blind-spot indicators........................useless stuff on what is supposed to be a drivers car.
I will say though, Ford need to address the "Keep Hands on Steering Wheel" warning. It activates in a very unpredictable manner, with or without hands on the steering wheel. If you actually had one hand off the wheel, then respond to the warning by repositioning your hands, it keeps on going for far too long. I also hate how it mutes the audio, which is annoying when listening to a podcast or have your favorite song pumping.
This is supposed to be a driver assistance feature to address inattentiveness and distraction. The irony is, the warning itself is extremely distracting. This is a case of a technical feature being implemented to account for the lowest common denominator. The same applies to autonomous braking, lane keep, radar cruise control, blind-spot indicators........................useless stuff on what is supposed to be a drivers car.
SamYoung
Well-known member
Can you turn the warning off in the menu? If not, can it be done through the OBD II port on the Mustangs with a special scan tool?
I have a VW and you can remove most all infotainment/driver warning with an OBDEleven scan tool, but those coding options are only for VAG cars. Not sure if there is a similar company who does it for Fords.
I have a VW and you can remove most all infotainment/driver warning with an OBDEleven scan tool, but those coding options are only for VAG cars. Not sure if there is a similar company who does it for Fords.
Cdubu52
Well-known member
My 22 Explorer does the same. My favorite is the pull over and have some coffee message that comes up. What I was having a problem with was the lane keeping assistance. I would drift towards the line and correct at about the same time as the auto correcting and it would cause a over correction or jerkyness. You do that a couple of times and the coffee message would come up. I had to turn all of it off before everyone in the car was carsick.Took the Mustang out for a decent run this morning. The car sits very nicely on the road at 100 kph, the lack of road noise quite pleasing.
I will say though, Ford need to address the "Keep Hands on Steering Wheel" warning. It activates in a very unpredictable manner, with or without hands on the steering wheel. If you actually had one hand off the wheel, then respond to the warning by repositioning your hands, it keeps on going for far too long. I also hate how it mutes the audio, which is annoying when listening to a podcast or have your favorite song pumping.
This is supposed to be a driver assistance feature to address inattentiveness and distraction. The irony is, the warning itself is extremely distracting. This is a case of a technical feature being implemented to account for the lowest common denominator. The same applies to autonomous braking, lane keep, radar cruise control, blind-spot indicators........................useless stuff on what is supposed to be a drivers car.
Most of the ADAS systems can be altered, some can be turned off, some lowered in sensitivity. However, the steering wheel alert can not be altered or turned off.
These stunning Hydrangea's are at peak beauty.......................
These plants have had a nice ride so far, the summer heat has taken a while to arrive this year, with plenty of mild warmth to promote vigorous growth. With 44 degrees expected tomorrow, I doubt they will survive unscathed as the afternoon sun whips around and fries those delicate leaves and petals. I think the owner is going to cover them with a sheet, but if the wind whips up, that won't last long.
These plants have had a nice ride so far, the summer heat has taken a while to arrive this year, with plenty of mild warmth to promote vigorous growth. With 44 degrees expected tomorrow, I doubt they will survive unscathed as the afternoon sun whips around and fries those delicate leaves and petals. I think the owner is going to cover them with a sheet, but if the wind whips up, that won't last long.
Qualitytools
Well-known member
^ Beautiful indeed. I often see people set up umbrellas or sunbrellas to protect them from the sharp rays.
I would often get customers asking why they couldn't grow hydrangea's, like it was some sort of black art. So what's the secret? Um, just water them.............like, lots! Those large, lush green leaves mean a large surface area for transportation of moisture. That moisture needs to replaced as it's lost, so the plant draws lots of water from the surrounding soil. Don't keep that up to the plant, well the foliage wilts and burns, the flower buds go out in protest.
We would always get a large delivery of Hydrangea's in full bloom around this time every year, they make a highly attractive festive gift........................and they are easy to sell when they look that good. This poses a risk because it also signifies the arrival of hot weather. On a hot day in the nursery, Hydrangea's are the first to wilt. A small 8-inch pot can old hold so much moisture, so the pressure is on to keep the water up to them and not cause the flowers to prematurely wilt, they become a hard sell otherwise. On a hot, windy day, they would be deep soak watered probably 3 - 5 times a day. Twice a day on a milder day.
Another day, another drive to nowhere in particular.....................
I'm so glad I put the money into the brakes on this car. While they don't have that nice firm pedal feel offered by the Brembo's on the XR8 and Mustang, they now feel much smoother under foot, have nice modulation and much stouter when subjected to repeated heavy braking. It's hard to know where this all comes from, the larger performance orientated rotors, the high-performance pads, the braided stainless lines.................or incremental gains by all three.
When I had these parts installed by a mechanic, he told me that it wouldn't necessarily improve the braking performance, that I would have to change the booster or master cylinder to feel a difference. Which to me is nonsense because Ford used the same master cylinder and booster across all Falcon's, with or without Brembo's. Why would Ford have bothered to offer the 322mm front setup if it didn't deliver an improvement, or the Brembo's systems?
I think in this case, on this car, the lager rotors help dissipate heat better, with the DBA T3 rotor design offering superior cooling channels compared to the OEM stuff. The pads offer more bite, the lines more resilience to expansion. I can feel these differences. So, I don't know what the guy was on about.
I'm so glad I put the money into the brakes on this car. While they don't have that nice firm pedal feel offered by the Brembo's on the XR8 and Mustang, they now feel much smoother under foot, have nice modulation and much stouter when subjected to repeated heavy braking. It's hard to know where this all comes from, the larger performance orientated rotors, the high-performance pads, the braided stainless lines.................or incremental gains by all three.
When I had these parts installed by a mechanic, he told me that it wouldn't necessarily improve the braking performance, that I would have to change the booster or master cylinder to feel a difference. Which to me is nonsense because Ford used the same master cylinder and booster across all Falcon's, with or without Brembo's. Why would Ford have bothered to offer the 322mm front setup if it didn't deliver an improvement, or the Brembo's systems?
I think in this case, on this car, the lager rotors help dissipate heat better, with the DBA T3 rotor design offering superior cooling channels compared to the OEM stuff. The pads offer more bite, the lines more resilience to expansion. I can feel these differences. So, I don't know what the guy was on about.
^Your mechanic is likely partially correct regarding the braking performance after the upgrade. If the pads are more aggressive then you might shave some distance off braking, but heat management is where they would really shine. Also don't be afraid to bed them in correctly, that will help.
Ok, so after complaining about the stupid steering wheel warning, I got a couple of replies on Mustang7g suggesting this issue is easily bypassed.
As mentioned earlier, the triggering of the warning is random and spasmodic, it will even activate with both hands firmly on wheel. And once the warning is activated, it hangs around for far too long, audio muted for the whole time. Very annoying.
The second suggestion I found didn't stop it once activated, so still an annoyance. So, I went ahead and deactivated the Lane Assist system via the steering wheel control button.
Turning off the Lane Assist requires the button to be pressed twice, once to initiate deactivation, then a second press to confirm. I would assume this is to prevent accidental deactivation.
From here, the steering wheel warning won't chime in, and the Lane Assist light will turn from green to yellow. The catch? You need to do this after every re-start. I find it ironic that these safety features are supposed to keep you alert and focused on driving, but in fact they need to be turned off to not be a distraction.
So now on every start, I press the Drive Move to Custom (normal dampers/throttle/gearbox, track exhaust, comfort steering and crucially, deactivation of the auto-stop-start), then a double tap of the Lane Assist button. Happy days.
As mentioned earlier, the triggering of the warning is random and spasmodic, it will even activate with both hands firmly on wheel. And once the warning is activated, it hangs around for far too long, audio muted for the whole time. Very annoying.
The second suggestion I found didn't stop it once activated, so still an annoyance. So, I went ahead and deactivated the Lane Assist system via the steering wheel control button.
Turning off the Lane Assist requires the button to be pressed twice, once to initiate deactivation, then a second press to confirm. I would assume this is to prevent accidental deactivation.
From here, the steering wheel warning won't chime in, and the Lane Assist light will turn from green to yellow. The catch? You need to do this after every re-start. I find it ironic that these safety features are supposed to keep you alert and focused on driving, but in fact they need to be turned off to not be a distraction.
So now on every start, I press the Drive Move to Custom (normal dampers/throttle/gearbox, track exhaust, comfort steering and crucially, deactivation of the auto-stop-start), then a double tap of the Lane Assist button. Happy days.
My latest article went live on the Detailing Shed website today.
detailingshed.com.au
The idea here was to highlight how the range of Armour Detail Supply products could be used on a brand-new car. In other words, an end-to-end solution from the tyres up.
Obviously, it's all about selling product in these articles, but I specifically singled out those products because I wanted them on the car, they were all paid for by me.
How To Protect A Brand New Mustang GT
How To Protect A Brand New Mustang with Armour Detail Supply Adding protection to a brand-new car is a vital step in the ownership journey. Not only do you protect and enhance the look of your new car, but it also helps with future cleaning and protects the resale value further down the track...
detailingshed.com.au
The idea here was to highlight how the range of Armour Detail Supply products could be used on a brand-new car. In other words, an end-to-end solution from the tyres up.
Obviously, it's all about selling product in these articles, but I specifically singled out those products because I wanted them on the car, they were all paid for by me.
And while on the Detailing Shed topic, I squeezed in a final order before they close up for a few weeks.
I said I wouldn't be ordering GSF again due to the cost here, but here we are.
The Wide Open was ordered out of curiosity.
You know it's serious when I order a gallon of something! After first trying Amplify, I knew within seconds that this stuff was a winner. That first bottle went pretty quickly, which was replaced by another two 473ml bottles. While I could have jumped to the gallon size, I've been bitten in the past ordering a gallon of something without enough miles behind it, then being lumped with a product that didn't live up to the first impressions.
My recommendation here is to always, where possible, buy the small bottle of a product first. Actually, I broke that rule myself recently, now I have a gallon of a VERY expensive product that appears to be simply unsuited to the Australia climate.
Amplify has now proven to be my go-to drying aid of late. No doubt, something will come along in the future that will better it, but it will need to be a VERY stellar product to better Amplify.
I said I wouldn't be ordering GSF again due to the cost here, but here we are.
The Wide Open was ordered out of curiosity.
You know it's serious when I order a gallon of something! After first trying Amplify, I knew within seconds that this stuff was a winner. That first bottle went pretty quickly, which was replaced by another two 473ml bottles. While I could have jumped to the gallon size, I've been bitten in the past ordering a gallon of something without enough miles behind it, then being lumped with a product that didn't live up to the first impressions.
My recommendation here is to always, where possible, buy the small bottle of a product first. Actually, I broke that rule myself recently, now I have a gallon of a VERY expensive product that appears to be simply unsuited to the Australia climate.
Amplify has now proven to be my go-to drying aid of late. No doubt, something will come along in the future that will better it, but it will need to be a VERY stellar product to better Amplify.
Touched base with my salesman today, apparently my old Mustang was wholesaled to a company in Melbourne. I was hoping it would have stayed local, but after a quick Carsales search, I found the car in Queensland.
I know its mine because of the stainless-steel dead pedal, the coolant tank cover and the Borla exhaust. The asking price is actually $5000 more than I paid for it brand new 8-years ago.
It breaks my heart to see that it's still on the market, the car is too good to sit on a lot unwanted, unloved. I should have found a way to keep it myself. I actually wish I hadn't looked for it, as the saying goes, what you don't know can't hurt you. I know it sounds crazy, but why do I get so sentimental about inanimate objects?
I know its mine because of the stainless-steel dead pedal, the coolant tank cover and the Borla exhaust. The asking price is actually $5000 more than I paid for it brand new 8-years ago.
It breaks my heart to see that it's still on the market, the car is too good to sit on a lot unwanted, unloved. I should have found a way to keep it myself. I actually wish I hadn't looked for it, as the saying goes, what you don't know can't hurt you. I know it sounds crazy, but why do I get so sentimental about inanimate objects?
You broke the first rule buddy. You never want to see a car you loved after you sold it. Rarely does anything good come from it. The rare time it does, is usually when dealing with a more collectible vehicle.
Snuck in some sanity detailing today. I have my sister coming tomorrow, which will be her first encounter with the new Mustang, so I wanted it fresh!
It's been a while since I've used GSF, and it's as good as I remember. I had stopped buying it due to the completely absurd price the local KCx importer insists retailers use. Don't get me wrong, this soap deserves to carry a price premium, it's so ****** nice to use. But consider the following.................
GSF 1-litre - $54.95 AUD ($34.25 AUD-USD converted) / $27.99 USD
GSF 5-litre - $199.95 AUD ($124.68 AUD-USD converted) / $89.99
Either way you look at it, GSF is heavily inflated here, which to me is pure greediness. And even though I get a discount on it, GSF is still more than the same size bottle of Carpro Reset, which is just as slick, foams just as well and actually cleans better. So why did I buy it again...................well, its like any drug, hard to give up.
Up next, the Ranger. This was my first try of a new-to-me soap, P&S Off-Road Wide Open.
P&S Detail Products - Wide Open All Terrain Wash | The Rag Company
A few years ago, P&S created a new line of products that were said to be better at dealing with mud and grime accumulated from off-roading. The P&S Off-Road line includes an all-purpose cleaner, an exterior soap, an interior cleaner, an interior/exterior dressing and a quick detailer. According to P&S, the formulas are different, but I think most people see this sub-brand for what it is, a needless collection of products that do the exact same thing as the non-off road stuff.
So why did I buy Wide Open? Previous to Frost Bite, P&S soaps didn't foam at all. I know a few people like Pearl, but I hated it for its lack of foaming ability and an overall lackluster user experience. I does the job and nothing more. Radiance and Inspiration Radiance are also a low foamers, to be expected for wash-n-wax soaps. With the introduction of Wide Open, this was P&S's first soap to actually produce thick foam.
Whenever you see a soap being advertised as "pH balanced", that's the clue the formula is not 7.0 - 7.5 pH neutral. And so it proves here, Wide Open coming in at about 8.9, which compares to 10.3 for Frost Bite and 7.3 for Inspiration Radiance.
I have to say, this soap surprised me! Wide Open certainly proved to be super-foamy today, it lays down a nice thick layer of foam that holds onto the paint really well. The big surprise though was how ****** slick this soap feels. Keep in mind I was coming directly from GSF, one of the slickest soaps available, so for Wide Open to feel so slick says something. I also found it offered excellent cleaning ability (yes, the Ranger was dirty) and rinsing properties. With a 946ml bottle sitting $10 above the same size of Pearl, its money well spent as its far more concentrated, considerably slicker and will foam for days. If only it had a scent, it would be almost perfect.
It's been a while since I've used GSF, and it's as good as I remember. I had stopped buying it due to the completely absurd price the local KCx importer insists retailers use. Don't get me wrong, this soap deserves to carry a price premium, it's so ****** nice to use. But consider the following.................
GSF 1-litre - $54.95 AUD ($34.25 AUD-USD converted) / $27.99 USD
GSF 5-litre - $199.95 AUD ($124.68 AUD-USD converted) / $89.99
Either way you look at it, GSF is heavily inflated here, which to me is pure greediness. And even though I get a discount on it, GSF is still more than the same size bottle of Carpro Reset, which is just as slick, foams just as well and actually cleans better. So why did I buy it again...................well, its like any drug, hard to give up.
Up next, the Ranger. This was my first try of a new-to-me soap, P&S Off-Road Wide Open.
P&S Detail Products - Wide Open All Terrain Wash | The Rag Company
A few years ago, P&S created a new line of products that were said to be better at dealing with mud and grime accumulated from off-roading. The P&S Off-Road line includes an all-purpose cleaner, an exterior soap, an interior cleaner, an interior/exterior dressing and a quick detailer. According to P&S, the formulas are different, but I think most people see this sub-brand for what it is, a needless collection of products that do the exact same thing as the non-off road stuff.
So why did I buy Wide Open? Previous to Frost Bite, P&S soaps didn't foam at all. I know a few people like Pearl, but I hated it for its lack of foaming ability and an overall lackluster user experience. I does the job and nothing more. Radiance and Inspiration Radiance are also a low foamers, to be expected for wash-n-wax soaps. With the introduction of Wide Open, this was P&S's first soap to actually produce thick foam.
Whenever you see a soap being advertised as "pH balanced", that's the clue the formula is not 7.0 - 7.5 pH neutral. And so it proves here, Wide Open coming in at about 8.9, which compares to 10.3 for Frost Bite and 7.3 for Inspiration Radiance.
I have to say, this soap surprised me! Wide Open certainly proved to be super-foamy today, it lays down a nice thick layer of foam that holds onto the paint really well. The big surprise though was how ****** slick this soap feels. Keep in mind I was coming directly from GSF, one of the slickest soaps available, so for Wide Open to feel so slick says something. I also found it offered excellent cleaning ability (yes, the Ranger was dirty) and rinsing properties. With a 946ml bottle sitting $10 above the same size of Pearl, its money well spent as its far more concentrated, considerably slicker and will foam for days. If only it had a scent, it would be almost perfect.
littlebean
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2018
- Messages
- 752
Thanks for all the info and advice through the year, Merry Christmas
This post made my day! Merry Christmas to you as well.
As is tradition, my sisters Christmas present is a full detail of her car. Or was it a Christmas indulgence of my own? Either way, we both benefited.
The car certainly needed it too, the poor thing hadn't been touched since early September. Those wheels were feral, pretreated from dry with ADS Wheel Cleaner and Wise Guy.
I actually did that while the car was still in the driveway, mainly so I wouldn't stink up my garage. After rinsing, the Volvo was moved into the garage so that we could work out of the 35-degree sun. So bad was the built-up brake dust, I felt the need for another pre-treat. This time it was Bilt Hamber Touchless, which was allowed to soak while I got the buckets ready. Another rinse, I then followed with a good scrub using foamed Brake Buster and Wise Guy for the rubber. To finish, an application of Hydr02 Lite and Atom Mac for the rotors, those Volvo rotors seem to flash rust quicker than my other cars.
Onto the rest of the vehicle, it was first foamed with Touch-less, allowed to dwell, then rinsed. For the contact wash, I'd been saving my bottle of the delightful cinnamon and pine scented GFX for this car. With the heavy lifting done by Touch-less, the milder GFX easily dealt with what remained.
Koch-Chemie - Gentle Snow Foam | The Rag Company
Koch-Chemie Gfx (Gentle Snow Foam X-Mas) – Obsessed Garage
Sadly, GFX was not offered in Australia again this year. I just wish the local KCx agent was more proactive. Whoever is at the helm is running the brand into the ground with a lack of product planning and head in the sand pricing strategy.
And it's not like there is no demand for the products, be that at a pro level or the enthusiast market. The pro's simply can't justify the price from a business point of view, so they look elsewhere. The enthusiast sector is left waiting on new products that have been on sale elsewhere for years or left waiting for existing products to come back into stock. Maybe I should make a bid to take over from them.
With two of us wielding an Ego blower, we had the car mostly dry in no time. As I went around applying Reload to keep the coating fresh (Cquartz Professional), my sister did the job I hate.................vacuuming.
The rest of the interior was wiped down with Griot's Interior Cleaner, followed by cleaning the interior glass with Carpro Eraser. Out of character, my sister then insisted we clean the leather seats, which meant ColourLock Mild Leather Cleaner then another coat of ColourLock Leather Shield. For the exterior glass, I went with Opti-Coat Glass Clean & Protect, which is by far much easier to use than Carpro ClarifyPhobic, no special treatment required here.
Opti-Coat - Opti-Glass Clean & Protect | The Rag Company
Optimum Opti Glass Clean & Protect - 504ml - Glass Coating - Detailing Shed
I have also been rinsing off the engine bay each time I wash this car, no agitation or chemicals needed. An engine bay is much easier to maintain than leaving it get to the point where it becomes a major project to return to spec. Following that, it was also blown down with the Ego, then given a wipe over with ECH20. A quick top-up of the windscreen washer bottle, I called it good and closed the hood.
Notice how the hood sits when open, to the point where it's quite awkward to open and close. I know it clears the roof, but every time I open it up, I fear its going to whack the roof.
The finishing touches, the wheels were wiped with Bead Maker and the tyres dressed with Swissvax Pneu.
It's probably covered in bugs now, but at least it was clean for a few hours.
My sister also got a ride in the new Mustang for the first time, although she had to take a place in the back seat, which is not necessarily a pleasant experience owning to the lack of head and leg room back there, especially on a hot day with her head resting against the rear window. I did make up for it though by letting her drive the car. The last time I let that happen was back in 2012 when I owned the TS50, this would be only the second time she's driven a V8. So, what was the highlight for her? The noise? The power? The ultra-low seating position and view out over that long hood? None of those.....................it was the ventilated climate-controlled seats.
Hope everyone has had a great day.
The car certainly needed it too, the poor thing hadn't been touched since early September. Those wheels were feral, pretreated from dry with ADS Wheel Cleaner and Wise Guy.
I actually did that while the car was still in the driveway, mainly so I wouldn't stink up my garage. After rinsing, the Volvo was moved into the garage so that we could work out of the 35-degree sun. So bad was the built-up brake dust, I felt the need for another pre-treat. This time it was Bilt Hamber Touchless, which was allowed to soak while I got the buckets ready. Another rinse, I then followed with a good scrub using foamed Brake Buster and Wise Guy for the rubber. To finish, an application of Hydr02 Lite and Atom Mac for the rotors, those Volvo rotors seem to flash rust quicker than my other cars.
Onto the rest of the vehicle, it was first foamed with Touch-less, allowed to dwell, then rinsed. For the contact wash, I'd been saving my bottle of the delightful cinnamon and pine scented GFX for this car. With the heavy lifting done by Touch-less, the milder GFX easily dealt with what remained.
Koch-Chemie - Gentle Snow Foam | The Rag Company
Koch-Chemie Gfx (Gentle Snow Foam X-Mas) – Obsessed Garage
Sadly, GFX was not offered in Australia again this year. I just wish the local KCx agent was more proactive. Whoever is at the helm is running the brand into the ground with a lack of product planning and head in the sand pricing strategy.
And it's not like there is no demand for the products, be that at a pro level or the enthusiast market. The pro's simply can't justify the price from a business point of view, so they look elsewhere. The enthusiast sector is left waiting on new products that have been on sale elsewhere for years or left waiting for existing products to come back into stock. Maybe I should make a bid to take over from them.
With two of us wielding an Ego blower, we had the car mostly dry in no time. As I went around applying Reload to keep the coating fresh (Cquartz Professional), my sister did the job I hate.................vacuuming.
The rest of the interior was wiped down with Griot's Interior Cleaner, followed by cleaning the interior glass with Carpro Eraser. Out of character, my sister then insisted we clean the leather seats, which meant ColourLock Mild Leather Cleaner then another coat of ColourLock Leather Shield. For the exterior glass, I went with Opti-Coat Glass Clean & Protect, which is by far much easier to use than Carpro ClarifyPhobic, no special treatment required here.
Opti-Coat - Opti-Glass Clean & Protect | The Rag Company
Optimum Opti Glass Clean & Protect - 504ml - Glass Coating - Detailing Shed
I have also been rinsing off the engine bay each time I wash this car, no agitation or chemicals needed. An engine bay is much easier to maintain than leaving it get to the point where it becomes a major project to return to spec. Following that, it was also blown down with the Ego, then given a wipe over with ECH20. A quick top-up of the windscreen washer bottle, I called it good and closed the hood.
Notice how the hood sits when open, to the point where it's quite awkward to open and close. I know it clears the roof, but every time I open it up, I fear its going to whack the roof.
The finishing touches, the wheels were wiped with Bead Maker and the tyres dressed with Swissvax Pneu.
It's probably covered in bugs now, but at least it was clean for a few hours.
My sister also got a ride in the new Mustang for the first time, although she had to take a place in the back seat, which is not necessarily a pleasant experience owning to the lack of head and leg room back there, especially on a hot day with her head resting against the rear window. I did make up for it though by letting her drive the car. The last time I let that happen was back in 2012 when I owned the TS50, this would be only the second time she's driven a V8. So, what was the highlight for her? The noise? The power? The ultra-low seating position and view out over that long hood? None of those.....................it was the ventilated climate-controlled seats.
Hope everyone has had a great day.
kitdoctor
Well-known member
Hi @D.F.B Just relaxing today and reading your thread.
I see many common links between us, who we've followed (e.g. Sandro), who've we purchased from (e.g. Waxit), frustrations (lack of choice in Australia) etc. etc. so that's interesting. The detailing world is swamped with products, so your recommendations are appreciated.
By the way how have you found the Maxim cabinets in terms of their dust sealing performance? Cabinets from suppliers like MHA, Steelspan etc. are prohibitively expensive, so I've been looking at the multitude of cheaper suppliers that appear on Facebook Marketplace. I guess an option is to add aftermarket foam seals to reduce dust entry.
I see many common links between us, who we've followed (e.g. Sandro), who've we purchased from (e.g. Waxit), frustrations (lack of choice in Australia) etc. etc. so that's interesting. The detailing world is swamped with products, so your recommendations are appreciated.
By the way how have you found the Maxim cabinets in terms of their dust sealing performance? Cabinets from suppliers like MHA, Steelspan etc. are prohibitively expensive, so I've been looking at the multitude of cheaper suppliers that appear on Facebook Marketplace. I guess an option is to add aftermarket foam seals to reduce dust entry.
I'm not sure where I got this idea, but for a long time now I've been using Carpro Eraser as a post decontamination wash drying aid. The concept here being that you don't really want to go ahead and use your normal drying aid, basically putting back on what you just stripped off in preparation for polishing and coating.
So why use a drying aid at all in this situation? For couple of good reasons............
- Firstly, quite often the paint will be completely flat and unresponsive to drying via a blower or compressed air, meaning towel drying is needed. If you are polishing afterwards, then you probably don't "need" a drying aid, but naturally you don't want to add to any paint marring if you can help it.
- Carpro Eraser (and some others) are unique in having a lubrication package to help reduce the risk of marring your freshly corrected paint prior to coating. So, using Eraser here as drying aid provides that needed lubrication, just without leaving anything behind to interfere with your polishing pads and compound performance.
- The side benefit here is something you should be doing anyway prior to polishing, an IPA wipe down. The IPA step at this point removes any lingering chemical residue from the decon step, which in turn allows you to clearly inspect the condition of the paint before nailing down a pad and compound combo. My theory here is, why do something twice, why not combine the drying process with the IPA wipe down prior to inspecting the paint, you also burn through less towels...................work smarter, not harder.
- And finally, with completely flat water behavior after the decon, you are naturally going to have more moisture to mop up than usual. The IPA content within Eraser helps flash away that moisture, making your job easier.
The above topic spurred me to comment on an Obsessed Garage Black Friday livestream, with Matt decon washing their F-150 Raptor in prep for polishing. After the decontamination wash, I noted Matt mentioning not wanting to use a typical drying aid for the reasons outlined above. My comment was to recommend using Carpro Eraser as the drying aid. The comment was via the Inside The Hex platform and went largely unnoticed...................or so I thought.
In a video posted today, work continued on the Raptor, which he had been decon/polishing/coating in manageable sections. Well, my comment clearly resonated.....................................
(47min 40 sec, followed by 52min)
".........I like that idea, I'm going to steal that......"
".........I don't know why I never thought of that, it's a great idea.........."
".........I like this move..........."
I didn't get named, but it was my suggestion. Some random guy on the other side of the world influencing the influencer.
When you consider the problems he was having earlier in the video with a random iron remover he was testing reactivating during the rinse, the Eraser here helps remove any that managed to linger on the paint.
I probably wouldn't use the stronger prep sprays such as Gtechniq Panel Wipe or Rupes Reveal Strong, or an IPA/Water mix. But the very similar Gyeon Prep would be a good alternative, likewise Koch Chemie PPS and ADS Panel Prep. Otherwise, something like N-914 at the waterless dilution would work well too.
I know the above might sound pathetic, but hearing that semi-shout out made my day, I've been feeling down and very anxious over the last two days.
So why use a drying aid at all in this situation? For couple of good reasons............
- Firstly, quite often the paint will be completely flat and unresponsive to drying via a blower or compressed air, meaning towel drying is needed. If you are polishing afterwards, then you probably don't "need" a drying aid, but naturally you don't want to add to any paint marring if you can help it.
- Carpro Eraser (and some others) are unique in having a lubrication package to help reduce the risk of marring your freshly corrected paint prior to coating. So, using Eraser here as drying aid provides that needed lubrication, just without leaving anything behind to interfere with your polishing pads and compound performance.
- The side benefit here is something you should be doing anyway prior to polishing, an IPA wipe down. The IPA step at this point removes any lingering chemical residue from the decon step, which in turn allows you to clearly inspect the condition of the paint before nailing down a pad and compound combo. My theory here is, why do something twice, why not combine the drying process with the IPA wipe down prior to inspecting the paint, you also burn through less towels...................work smarter, not harder.
- And finally, with completely flat water behavior after the decon, you are naturally going to have more moisture to mop up than usual. The IPA content within Eraser helps flash away that moisture, making your job easier.
The above topic spurred me to comment on an Obsessed Garage Black Friday livestream, with Matt decon washing their F-150 Raptor in prep for polishing. After the decontamination wash, I noted Matt mentioning not wanting to use a typical drying aid for the reasons outlined above. My comment was to recommend using Carpro Eraser as the drying aid. The comment was via the Inside The Hex platform and went largely unnoticed...................or so I thought.
In a video posted today, work continued on the Raptor, which he had been decon/polishing/coating in manageable sections. Well, my comment clearly resonated.....................................
(47min 40 sec, followed by 52min)
".........I like that idea, I'm going to steal that......"
".........I don't know why I never thought of that, it's a great idea.........."
".........I like this move..........."
I didn't get named, but it was my suggestion. Some random guy on the other side of the world influencing the influencer.
When you consider the problems he was having earlier in the video with a random iron remover he was testing reactivating during the rinse, the Eraser here helps remove any that managed to linger on the paint.
I probably wouldn't use the stronger prep sprays such as Gtechniq Panel Wipe or Rupes Reveal Strong, or an IPA/Water mix. But the very similar Gyeon Prep would be a good alternative, likewise Koch Chemie PPS and ADS Panel Prep. Otherwise, something like N-914 at the waterless dilution would work well too.
I know the above might sound pathetic, but hearing that semi-shout out made my day, I've been feeling down and very anxious over the last two days.
kitdoctor
Well-known member
Congratulations champ!
I really like the Maxim cabinets.
Point blank, they aren't the best cabinets ever made, but then the price reflects that. A basic high-end cabinet would buy several Maxim cabinets for the same spend. Despite appearances, I don't have a money tree in the backyard, so I need to make my money go as far as possible. I think what the Maxim cabinets provide in terms of style, agreeable quality and overall price is very attractive.
In terms of dust sealing, they aren't impervious to dust entering. However, my garage is not totally sealed from the outdoors, but dust entry is minimal in those conditions. In a sealed garage, I wouldn't worry at all. Looking at them today, the way to doors are set within the frame means you wouldn't be able to add seals effectively.
The only drawback I've found with the multiple Maxim's I've put together, the doors on those Mega 60 cabinets are quite flimsy and noisy when opening and closing. But considering how each door is made of two separate pieces and secured with bolts, that was always going to happen. I'm not saying this dissuade you from buying them, just something to be aware of.
My favorites from the range are the roll cabinets, considering the price compared to higher end stuff, the quality of these cabinets is very impressive. I have assembled two of the HD 6-drawer Timber Top, one for my detailing brushes, and one I bought for my father to house all of his road bike tools, with a bike work platform and small vice mounted to the timber bench. I also love the HD 48-inch 8 Drawer Roll Cabinet, which I use for hand tools.
Tried distracting myself by washing the XR6 today.
Sadly, it only takes so long to wash a car, or walk the dog, or go for a drive.......................then the racing heart and tight chest returns, brought on by a significant amount of anxiety I have at the moment. I'm hoping by this time tomorrow I will be more settled.
Sadly, it only takes so long to wash a car, or walk the dog, or go for a drive.......................then the racing heart and tight chest returns, brought on by a significant amount of anxiety I have at the moment. I'm hoping by this time tomorrow I will be more settled.
Geoff289
Well-known member
I also have some of that garage storage gear from JustProTools, including Maxim cabinets. When I was looking around for stuff like this, I found that we aren't well served in this country compared to the range and quality of stuff you can get in the US. This gear seemed like the best thing available locally. They seem a bit overpriced for what they are to me, but then as a gold medal standard cheapskate I think that about everything. I'm quite happy with it overall.
In terms of dust ingress, they are far from hermetically sealed and I agree with DFB that it wouldn't be straightforward to add foam or rubber seals to the doors. That said, with a lot of native garden outside and a very large nature strip eucalypt that drops a LOT of leaves in the hot and dry conditions, I get a lot of "garden" blowing in to the garage whenever the doors get opened and I usually have them open when I'm working in the garage. I do a lot of sweeping and vacuuming. Despite this, I haven't found dust getting into the cabinets to be a particular problem.
In terms of dust ingress, they are far from hermetically sealed and I agree with DFB that it wouldn't be straightforward to add foam or rubber seals to the doors. That said, with a lot of native garden outside and a very large nature strip eucalypt that drops a LOT of leaves in the hot and dry conditions, I get a lot of "garden" blowing in to the garage whenever the doors get opened and I usually have them open when I'm working in the garage. I do a lot of sweeping and vacuuming. Despite this, I haven't found dust getting into the cabinets to be a particular problem.
kitdoctor
Well-known member
@D.F.B and @Geoff289. Thanks for the responses.
I've spent lots of time looking at tool storage, shelving, cabinets etc. and for sure Australians don't have a huge range to choose from.
Harbor Freight's budget US General brand represents great value for money. They look the same if not better than say what you can get here from Sidchrome, Kincrome, etc.
A budget brand for tool boxes that does interest me is Jimy Tools. I might test the water in 2025 with a service cart purchase.
I've spent lots of time looking at tool storage, shelving, cabinets etc. and for sure Australians don't have a huge range to choose from.
Harbor Freight's budget US General brand represents great value for money. They look the same if not better than say what you can get here from Sidchrome, Kincrome, etc.
A budget brand for tool boxes that does interest me is Jimy Tools. I might test the water in 2025 with a service cart purchase.
I know its not for everyone, but have you considered putting Swisstrax down?I also have some of that garage storage gear from JustProTools, including Maxim cabinets. When I was looking around for stuff like this, I found that we aren't well served in this country compared to the range and quality of stuff you can get in the US. This gear seemed like the best thing available locally. They seem a bit overpriced for what they are to me, but then as a gold medal standard cheapskate I think that about everything. I'm quite happy with it overall.
In terms of dust ingress, they are far from hermetically sealed and I agree with DFB that it wouldn't be straightforward to add foam or rubber seals to the doors. That said, with a lot of native garden outside and a very large nature strip eucalypt that drops a LOT of leaves in the hot and dry conditions, I get a lot of "garden" blowing in to the garage whenever the doors get opened and I usually have them open when I'm working in the garage. I do a lot of sweeping and vacuuming. Despite this, I haven't found dust getting into the cabinets to be a particular problem.
While they don't stop debris from blowing in, they do change the way you go about cleaning that stuff out. You will find most of the larger stuff like leaves will get trapped within the first few rows instead of blowing all the way to the front and under your cabinets.
With the dust, what does blow in is still there but its trapped below your standing surface, so the dust is suppressed. I've also found it stops dust from blowing from the garage entrance right up to the back.
Cleaning wise, I just vacuum as needed, mostly near the entrance due to what I described above. I've had mine for three years, I removed the entrance half in two large sections to clean underneath. I also foamed the tile sections down with Touch-less to give them a refresh. What was down there was to be expected, but nothing crazy. I just vacuumed, pressure rinsed, then re-installed.
Important to note that this debris/dust trapping only works on the Ribtrax style with the rounded ribs, not the Ribtrax Smooth or Diamond Trax. I got mine from Flexico, but since I put them down, there have been several of similar tiles come to market. Even Bunning's have the DGA versions...............
Ribtrax
Transform your garage with Ribtrax garage flooring from Flexico. Durable and stylish, our ribtrax garage flooring is the perfect solution. Buy now!
www.flexico.com.au
Australia’s Best Garage Floor Tiles | Easy DIY Install
Shop the best garage floor tiles. Our heavy-duty DIY flooring is built to last. Discover why more Aussie’s are choosing garage tiles over epoxy coating.
flexspec.com.au
OMG Garage Flooring Tiles: Strength Meets Style | Shop Now
Strong enough for your car, stylish enough for you! Easy to install, built to last. Get a showroom-worthy garage floor in no time! Shop Now
omggarage.com.au
FlexSpec GridFlex Pro Floor Tile 400x400x18mm (*)
Notes: Please be aware that this item is located in a different warehouse. There will be a 4-5 day processing period before dispatch (including Click & Collect). Standard delivery periods apply. Flexspec tiles are versatile and compatible with most equivalent models from different brands...
www.detailstore.com.au
Garage Tile - BLACK - Interlocking PP Flooring - High End Polypropylene | 100% Recyclable | DECKO DURANTE (400x400x18 mm tile)
Buy Ramp Edges Buy Corners Download Tile Counting Grid Templates Order Your Customised Sample Pack SQM Price: $58.17 - $93.44/m² Specs Sizing: One Tile - 400/400/18mm, covers 0.16 sqm. There are 30 tiles in a 420/420/560mm box, but we open boxes for you, the tiles are sold individually. Weight...
decko.com.au
Geoff289
Well-known member
i did give some thought to Swisstrak but to be honest after spending three years just about full time planning, designing, getting our new house built we were pretty much decisioned out and parked a few issues for revisiting later on. The garage floor was one of them. I just got it epoxied so that spills wouldn't soak into the concrete and could be easily wiped up. Now we've been in the place for five years now and only some of those parked issues have been revisited so far.I know its not for everyone, but have you considered putting Swisstrax down?
While they don't stop debris from blowing in, they do change the way you go about cleaning that stuff out. You will find most of the larger stuff like leaves will get trapped within the first few rows instead of blowing all the way to the front and under your cabinets.
With the dust, what does blow in is still there but its trapped below your standing surface, so the dust is suppressed. I've also found it stops dust from blowing from the garage entrance right up to the back.
Cleaning wise, I just vacuum as needed, mostly near the entrance due to what I described above. I've had mine for three years, I removed the entrance half in two large sections to clean underneath. I also foamed the tile sections down with Touch-less to give them a refresh. What was down there was to be expected, but nothing crazy. I just vacuumed, pressure rinsed, then re-installed.
Important to note that this debris/dust trapping only works on the Ribtrax style with the rounded ribs, not the Ribtrax Smooth or Diamond Trax. I got mine from Flexico, but since I put them down, there have been several of similar tiles come to market. Even Bunning's have the DGA versions...............
Ribtrax
Transform your garage with Ribtrax garage flooring from Flexico. Durable and stylish, our ribtrax garage flooring is the perfect solution. Buy now!
Australia’s Best Garage Floor Tiles | Easy DIY Install
Shop the best garage floor tiles. Our heavy-duty DIY flooring is built to last. Discover why more Aussie’s are choosing garage tiles over epoxy coating.OMG Garage Flooring Tiles: Strength Meets Style | Shop Now
Strong enough for your car, stylish enough for you! Easy to install, built to last. Get a showroom-worthy garage floor in no time! Shop NowFlexSpec GridFlex Pro Floor Tile 400x400x18mm (*)
Notes: Please be aware that this item is located in a different warehouse. There will be a 4-5 day processing period before dispatch (including Click & Collect). Standard delivery periods apply. Flexspec tiles are versatile and compatible with most equivalent models from different brands...Garage Tile - BLACK - Interlocking PP Flooring - High End Polypropylene | 100% Recyclable | DECKO DURANTE (400x400x18 mm tile)
Buy Ramp Edges Buy Corners Download Tile Counting Grid Templates Order Your Customised Sample Pack SQM Price: $58.17 - $93.44/m² Specs Sizing: One Tile - 400/400/18mm, covers 0.16 sqm. There are 30 tiles in a 420/420/560mm box, but we open boxes for you, the tiles are sold individually. Weight...
I do take your point about something like Swisstrak mitigating the garden migrating into the garage issue and may go down that track one day. It's actually not that much of a problem, I just sweep and/or vacuum any bay that doesn't have a vehicle in it any time I go out there. I was really just making the point that while I get **** blowing into the garage, it doesn't seem to result in stuff in the cabinets getting dusty.
Well, I've began my 38th trip around the sun.
For Christmas and my birthday, I was given some new tools to flesh out my collection. Which meant tinkering with my toolbox to fit things in.
For Christmas, I got this file set sold by Wera, although made by PFERD and housed within Wera foam.
9783 Foam insert PFERD file set 1, 6 pieces - Wera Product finder
For my birthday, I got this Kincrome Striking and Prying set, which suits my Evolution toolbox. Being such an organizational type of guy, I like foam because everything has its place.
EVOLUTION 19 Piece Striking & Prying EVA Tray - Kincrome Tools - Kincrome
Those two additions meant rearranging both toolboxes.
This is my favorite drawer, I've fallen hard for Wera stuff, both in design and functionality. I love how their sockets and wrenches are mostly all satin finished so that they don't show greasy fingerprints. The green and black handles on the screw drivers, Zyklop ratchets and torque wrenches do get grotty, but are easy to clean.
For Christmas and my birthday, I was given some new tools to flesh out my collection. Which meant tinkering with my toolbox to fit things in.
For Christmas, I got this file set sold by Wera, although made by PFERD and housed within Wera foam.
9783 Foam insert PFERD file set 1, 6 pieces - Wera Product finder
For my birthday, I got this Kincrome Striking and Prying set, which suits my Evolution toolbox. Being such an organizational type of guy, I like foam because everything has its place.
EVOLUTION 19 Piece Striking & Prying EVA Tray - Kincrome Tools - Kincrome
Those two additions meant rearranging both toolboxes.
This is my favorite drawer, I've fallen hard for Wera stuff, both in design and functionality. I love how their sockets and wrenches are mostly all satin finished so that they don't show greasy fingerprints. The green and black handles on the screw drivers, Zyklop ratchets and torque wrenches do get grotty, but are easy to clean.
Qualitytools
Well-known member
Happy Birthday!
This unit has been loaned out for quite a while, so apart from an oil change in September, I haven't touched it since getting it back on Friday.
Why can't modern Briggs engines idle down like this? It makes it so much easier to empty the catcher. I've only owned one other Quantum, but it didn't idle like this either. Perhaps the burn rate isn't as efficient at low revs like this, in turn increasing emissions? That's the only thing I can think of why all Briggs engines from the late 90's have been like that.
I fixed the choke on it yesterday, which wasn't engaging when the throttle was pulled all the way home. I also checked the plug, it was quite carboned up and actually quite loose. While it doesn't smoke, you can smell the slightest tinge of oil when its running, all Quantum's are like that though. So, I will give the thing a head job (sorry, couldn't pass that opportunity) to remove carbon from the combustion chamber and valves. I've ordered a head gasket, new filters and a spark plug. Then it will be added to my rotation.
The more and more I mess with these things, the more I realize the older stuff was made better.
Why can't modern Briggs engines idle down like this? It makes it so much easier to empty the catcher. I've only owned one other Quantum, but it didn't idle like this either. Perhaps the burn rate isn't as efficient at low revs like this, in turn increasing emissions? That's the only thing I can think of why all Briggs engines from the late 90's have been like that.
I fixed the choke on it yesterday, which wasn't engaging when the throttle was pulled all the way home. I also checked the plug, it was quite carboned up and actually quite loose. While it doesn't smoke, you can smell the slightest tinge of oil when its running, all Quantum's are like that though. So, I will give the thing a head job (sorry, couldn't pass that opportunity) to remove carbon from the combustion chamber and valves. I've ordered a head gasket, new filters and a spark plug. Then it will be added to my rotation.
The more and more I mess with these things, the more I realize the older stuff was made better.
kitdoctor
Well-known member
The last drive of 2024................................
I can't say I'll be sad to see 2024 end. Even though it brought joy a few months ago, there was too much trauma that went on before and after the Mustang arrived. I guess you can't have pleasure without some pain along the way.
Two weeks prior to going on leave, I was subjected to some pretty rough treatment at work, and not for the first time. I nearly then and there threw in the towel, but all I wanted to do was get through those remaining weeks, pick up my new car and forget about the world for a while. Leading up to my last day, I was crippled with neck and back pain. It took two visits to the chiropractor and nearly two weeks for it to settle, just in time for the car to arrive.
I've spent the last couple of months fretting, especially the last week. I came to the conclusion that there were far more reasons why I didn't want to go back then there was to stay. Something needed to change. After more than 20 years working for the same company, on Friday last week, I handed in my notice.
I'm not going to detail the specifics as to where it all went wrong, it was a death of 1000 cuts spread over far too many years. I want to say that both parties are to blame, I know my idiosyncrasies and how that is projected. But I also know that I am reactive to what happens around me.
I put my heart and soul into that business, my signatures still present all over the place. I had no financial stake in the business, but I treated it like my own. I also leave behind some great customers and couple of co-workers, so even though this was the right decision, I still fell apart once I got back into my car and had been shaking in terror the whole time I was there.
Going forward, I'd like to rebuild some of my gardening work, explore more detailing, and ideally continue writing for Detailing Shed in some form. Apart from that, I'm not rushing into anything other than thinking about my next move(s). I haven't been to the chiropractor in months, where previously I needed an adjustment every 6-weeks. I'm also sleeping better since Friday's bombshell. That has to be a positive.
So, I finally did it. Eyes forward. New beginnings. New opportunities.
I can't say I'll be sad to see 2024 end. Even though it brought joy a few months ago, there was too much trauma that went on before and after the Mustang arrived. I guess you can't have pleasure without some pain along the way.
Two weeks prior to going on leave, I was subjected to some pretty rough treatment at work, and not for the first time. I nearly then and there threw in the towel, but all I wanted to do was get through those remaining weeks, pick up my new car and forget about the world for a while. Leading up to my last day, I was crippled with neck and back pain. It took two visits to the chiropractor and nearly two weeks for it to settle, just in time for the car to arrive.
I've spent the last couple of months fretting, especially the last week. I came to the conclusion that there were far more reasons why I didn't want to go back then there was to stay. Something needed to change. After more than 20 years working for the same company, on Friday last week, I handed in my notice.
I'm not going to detail the specifics as to where it all went wrong, it was a death of 1000 cuts spread over far too many years. I want to say that both parties are to blame, I know my idiosyncrasies and how that is projected. But I also know that I am reactive to what happens around me.
I put my heart and soul into that business, my signatures still present all over the place. I had no financial stake in the business, but I treated it like my own. I also leave behind some great customers and couple of co-workers, so even though this was the right decision, I still fell apart once I got back into my car and had been shaking in terror the whole time I was there.
Going forward, I'd like to rebuild some of my gardening work, explore more detailing, and ideally continue writing for Detailing Shed in some form. Apart from that, I'm not rushing into anything other than thinking about my next move(s). I haven't been to the chiropractor in months, where previously I needed an adjustment every 6-weeks. I'm also sleeping better since Friday's bombshell. That has to be a positive.
So, I finally did it. Eyes forward. New beginnings. New opportunities.
ajohno
Well-known member
Happy NEW YEAR DFB.