# 1970 1/2 Camaro - Show Car Finish by Pinnacle - Modeled by Amy



## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

*1970 1/2 Camaro - Show Car Finish by Pinnacle - Modeled by Amy*

When the Camaro arrived I took this picture and most people just by looking at the picture or even the car from a few feet away would die to have a custom paint job this nice....










But the Brinkmann Swirl Finder Light reveals the true condition of the paint and that is a surface filled with,


*Swirls*
*Scratches*
*Pig Tails*
*RIDS*
*Tracers*
*Micro-marring also called DA Haze*
*Check it out...*

*Pig Tails*
If you look closely you can see a scratch that looks like the letter e in cursive writing running horizontally across the paint, this is called a Pig Tail and it generally comes from an abrasive particle that gets trapped between the paint and a sanding disc when machine sanding. The entire finish had Pig Tails plus Tracers randomly dispersed...










*Micro-marring also called Tick Marks or DA Haze*
The millions of tiny, small scratches highlighted by the Brinkmann Swirl Finder Light are caused by improperly worked abrasives when using a DA Polisher like the Porter Cable 7424XP, Meguiar's G110v2, Griot's Garage 6" ROP or Shurhold DA Polisher. These types of scratches are through out the entire car but you can really only see them on the black stripes not the metallic green paint. The point is that even though your eyes can't see them on the lighter colors they still cloud and dull the finish and keep you from seeing the beautiful color and/or metallic finish under the clear. *These have to go!*









*RIDS - Random, Isolated Deeper Scratches*
These types of scratches come from normal wear and tear and don't have any pattern to them thus the use of the word random in the description.










*Swirls and Scratches*
What I see here is a combination of RIDS, swirls, DA Haze and Arc Scratches probably caused by wiping but they are also caused by improper use of a rotary buffer.










And just for the record, the nickname for the Brinkmann Swirl Finder Light is the Cruel Master because it's hard to please...



















For my e-book I needed to create a list of categories that would describe the condition of a car's paint AFTER you first wash and dry the car.

That list can be found starting on page 30 of the e-book. After evaluating the condition of the paint on this Camaro I would place it into the category *3 Good Condition* as it has way too many below surface defects to fall into category *1 Show Car Quality* or category *2 Excellent Condition*

So next up is..... the *Test Spot*


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

We tested out a number of pads and machine and ended up using a combination of rotary buffers, Flex 3401 and DA Polishers together with Hydro-Tech pads, Pinnacle polishes and to remove some of the deeper Pig Tails we used M105 with a wool pad on a rotary buffer.

Here's Adam testing out Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover with a Tangerine Hydro-Tech Polishing pad on a Porter Cable 7424XP, this combination of pad, product and tool easily removed all the swirls, scratches, micro-marring etc but wasn't aggressive enough to remove the deeper Pig Tails.



















Here's Adam doing some surgical rotary buffer work using the Flex PE 14 with some brand new prototype 3" foam buffing pads.










*Prototype 3" Foam Buffing Pads*
When using small diameter foam pads on a rotary buffer you have to be VERY careful as the foam will *collapse inward not outward* and this can expose the edges of the backing plate to the paint if you're not like Adam and that's _*focusing on the task at hand...*_










*I'm using the 3" pads on the A-Pillars, the small diameter really helps for thin panels...*










*Rotary Buffer for removing serious paint defects*
Todd breaks out a wool pad with a Makita Rotary Buffer to remove some of the Pig Tails on the roof. Just to note, this car is actually a great candidate for dampsanding to level the paint and in the process remove all the deeper Pig Tails, Tracers and Orange Peel in the paint but that's another project and another day...










*This is correct technique, that is focusing on the paint you're working on with intensity...*









Focusing on the task at hand especially when using a rotary buffer for isolated defects as you have to be careful you don't get the paint too hot...









While we were dialing-in our process Nicole and Thomas were lollygagging... I put an end to that...










Thomas uses the Kreepstool while buffing out the lower portions of the rear fenders...









Being new to machine polishing Thomas and his daughter Nicole learned very quickly and were both buffing like pros after just a panel or two...


















*Here's Nicole priming her pad...*

*How to prime a foam pad when using a DA Polisher*










A little hands-on training to get a feel for how hard to push down, how fast or _*s-l-o-w-l-y*_ to move the DA Polisher and the pattern to use for consistent, repeatable results...










*Having fun at Autogeek's Garage!*









*Focusing on the task at hand... perfect!*


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## Auto Finesse (Jan 10, 2007)

Hitting refresh like a mad man  i need to see the finished result :doublesho:thumb:


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## Boomer (Jul 2, 2011)

great looking car, but where's amy?


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

I think the pictures of machine waxing ended up on someone else's camera? If I get them I'll post them, until then after machine applied the Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax it was time to remove it...

*No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*









When you have paint polished to the level of a gemstone it's time to put on the Microfiber Gloves!

*Increase Your Grip Strength with Microfiber Gloves*










Then carefully using good technique... gently remove the wax residue...

Here's a few of the tips and technique we used to remove the wax...

*How to correctly fold and use a Microfiber Towel*

*How to break open a coating of wax and remove it by creeping out...*




























*Hey hey hey! No talking, focus on the task at hand... look at what you're doing...*




























The *Final Wipe Technique* after 99.7% of the wax has been removed...

*The Final Wipe - Tips for creating a streak-free, show car finish*










*After we removed the wax Adam gave all the glass a final wipe too...*









*Time for some beauty shots!*

:thumb:


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## Black Magic Detail (Aug 17, 2010)

nice car


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

Classic Camaro with a glassy wet-looking finish created entirely by machine and finished off using Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax...



























































































:thumb:


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## Auto Finesse (Jan 10, 2007)

Tidy :thumb:


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

*More pictures...*

The owner has installed a high performance 468 Cubic Inch Big Block Chevy mated to a Turbo 400 with a BM Shift Kit




























Amy giving the paint a final wipe using our plush Super Soft Deluxe Green Microfiber Towels with Rolled Edges while wearing soft Microfiber Gloves. 









*This is a 1970 RS SS Split Bumper Camaro *


















*It's the split front chrome bumper that makes this year for the Camaro incredibly rare and sought after... check it out!*


















*The second generation Camaro's have a wicked stance...*









*We used Wolfgang Aluminum Concours Polish to restore brilliance to the aluminum wheels...*



















*Thomas installed a Corvette interior and next on his list has to have it all redone in black leather with green piping, that's going to look sweeeeet..... *









By removing all the swirls and scratches we restored total clarity to the clear coat finish and that allows the beautiful metallic green paint to shine through!

That's all, if you like this project car then please feel free to chime in... I know both Thomas and Amy would love to hear your comments...

:thumb:


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

*Note:* This was the first time that Thomas and Nicole ever used a DA Polisher and all the techniques they used to create the show car finish are shared in this e-book

*Mike Phillips' The Art of Detailing E-book*









:thumb:


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## ae82mad (May 7, 2009)

Just awesome dude :thumb:


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