# New Beginnings-First attempt



## x-ray (Jan 8, 2010)

Hi peeps, Well after looking through a few threads on here I was dying to try it for myself. So I looked at my cars to see if there was something easy I could try and make shiney 
I thought the exhaust manifold cover was a good place to start as its not an expensive item to replace.
Having taking only three minutes to remove I set about removing the laquer coating with nitromors. Please excuse the pic quality as I used my now ancient phone to take these ...









Then I used a coarse wirewheel in my drill to take down the rust which had penetrated deeply in places (on hindsight this was a bad call as it scored the plate quite badly)



















After going as far as I dare with the rust...










...I then used P600 wet n dry (soaked in soapy water for 10 min) with an abrasive sponge as a block (it came with a toutch-up kit from Halfords)










Then it was time to go for my first use of a metal polishing tool 
I got these from a Maplin store in a kit of three buffers with three compounds. There were no instructions on use but I did the best I could with the little knowledge i picked up here. [please give your pro advice at will :thumb:]
First I used the orange buffer with a No. 6 compund. Then grey centered buffer with No5 & finally a white centered buffer with No 4. You may laugh here but not using these before & not having instructions I was baffled to how to apply the compound to the surface as it was in a stick & not a liquid. I tried rubbing it on the plate but it didn't look right so I thought if I touch the buffer with the waxy compound as it spins the friction would melt it onto the surface (please advise). Anyway that seemed to work so on I went until I was satisfied that each buffer/compound combo had given its max shine.



















Here are the 50/50 shots we all like to see...




























Then the finished job...





































I now am wondering what to use to keep the shine from rusting. At the moment I have just applied Poorboys Natty's wax paste until someone advises me.
Anyway there you have my very first go at detailing and its all down to finding this site. I will add pics of it fitted to my engine when its light tomorrow. Thanks all for your inspiration & any advice is fully appreciated. 
I can't wait to do the next item.


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## JB052 (Mar 22, 2008)

Nice one


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## dave-g (Nov 14, 2009)

wow, thats a good transformation there mate, looks far better!

Top job!


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## dionbee93 (Aug 11, 2008)

Nice one, looks good... You'll want to do all the underbonnet bits now , just wait and see!
As for keeping it from rusting... you could give it a few coats of clear lacquer?

Dion!


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## x-ray (Jan 8, 2010)

dionbee93 said:


> Nice one, looks good... You'll want to do all the underbonnet bits now , just wait and see!
> As for keeping it from rusting... you could give it a few coats of clear lacquer?
> 
> Dion!


Thanks. :thumb: I will find somewhere warm to give it a few coats but I reckon the heat from the manifold will blister the paint pretty quickly unless I can get a high temperature laquer


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## christian900se (Nov 10, 2009)

You will have a very hard time finding a clear laquer that will hold up to the 800+ degrees the manifold might reach. Then again, you also will have an almost impossible time finding a LSP that will last past the initial startup haha.

Either way, that is a great transformation... especially the 50/50 shot!


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## mouthyman (May 1, 2006)

great work.

if you cannot find any high temp lacquer, you could try a few coats of Bilt Hamber Autobalm, if i remember correctly that has anti corrosion properties


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## ChrisJD (Apr 15, 2009)

That looks so much better. Now you HAVE to do the rest of the engine bay:thumb:

Chris.


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## x-ray (Jan 8, 2010)

ChrisJD said:


> That looks so much better. Now you HAVE to do the rest of the engine bay:thumb:
> 
> Chris.


Your sooo right Chris. now its on everything else around it is bad


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## x-ray (Jan 8, 2010)

mouthyman said:


> great work.
> 
> if you cannot find any high temp lacquer, you could try a few coats of Bilt Hamber Autobalm, if i remember correctly that has anti corrosion properties


Do you know if Auto sol metal polish protects? I know bikers use it on thier engine parts


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## TurbochargedJJ (Dec 10, 2009)

looks good!, move away from the daewoo and onto the fto tho...


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## Shug (Jul 13, 2007)

This might do:
http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail....Cat=Painting&frostSubCat=Eastwood&subCatID=32


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## x-ray (Jan 8, 2010)

TurbochargedJJ said:


> looks good!, move away from the daewoo and onto the fto tho...


Ha Ha:lol: All in good time.
Anyway its funny you should say that as I have just renovated the leather seats today & took pics. Should I do it as a thread like this one?


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## x-ray (Jan 8, 2010)

Shug said:


> This might do:
> http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail....Cat=Painting&frostSubCat=Eastwood&subCatID=32


Yes!! what a result:thumb:
That looks just the job. I will have a pallet of that:lol:


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

You used to be able to get manifold paint that was good for 1000C a while back for manifolds in different colours, perhaps an old fashioned paint shop may be able to help you.


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## Navra (Jul 30, 2009)

I think Fk 1000p can be good for protection on this part.


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