Bigpower

I've been looking forward to working on Ben's car. In many ways, it was like meeting a hero (the car not the owner ) I've personally owned a couple of Impreza's and been around loads of them over the near twenty years they have been sold...........for me, the two door has always been special. I blame it on Gran Turismo!!

Anyway, Ben and I had planned this job a while back but eventually diaries synchronised again and today was the day to get up close and personal. As I saw the car a few months back when Ben bought it, I kind of knew what to expect.

Inspection snaps
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297257573/" title="IMAG0354 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5540/1029 ... 555a_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0354"></a>
No protection at all
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297245683/" title="IMAG0356 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/1029 ... 34df_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0356"></a>
Grubby alloys but I have seen far worse
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297126135/" title="IMAG0357 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5345/1029 ... 86f8_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0357"></a>
Carbon deposits on the exhaust
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297239693/" title="IMAG0358 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7433/1029 ... af3e_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0358"></a>
Time to get started and shift some of this crap!!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297116485/" title="IMAG0359 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7329/1029 ... e0a5_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0359"></a>

The bodywork was soaked in Anglewax Fastfoam and this was allowed to dwell for about ten minutes. All the door shuts, window surrounds, grilles......everywhere that crud can hide was brushed to remove hidden gunk!!

Alloys were next and this next photo shows the brake dust being removed
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297020154/" title="IMAG0360 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3827/1029 ... 8b99_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0360"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297012366/" title="IMAG0361 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5546/1029 ... 824e_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="IMAG0361"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297102535/" title="IMAG0365 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7324/1029 ... fe4a_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0365"></a>
The front nearside needed two hits with the stronger cleaners
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297009046/" title="IMAG0367 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2836/1029 ... 0d72_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="IMAG0367"></a>
With the alloys as clean as possible (without compromising the paint) they were rinsed again and then I tackled the tar on the car
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297227233/" title="IMAG0362 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5546/1029 ... 08df_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0362"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297108705/" title="IMAG0363 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/1029 ... 5af1_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0363"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297007114/" title="IMAG0366 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5502/1029 ... 5aae_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0366"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297096425/" title="IMAG0368 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2852/1029 ... da90_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0368"></a>
So with the arches, alloys, tyres and paintwork fundamentally clean, it was time to check for any other contaminants and deal with them accordingly
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297093705/" title="IMAG0369 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3729/1029 ... 88fb_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0369"></a>

I will say, Stuart has done an awesome job, the outside is now white!, as opposed to tar patches, stains, scratches, marks - now gleaming white and the interior !! .. shiieet, it's like new!.

Noice job! shiny.com

For me the cartoon sticker would go, new deeper dish wheels in anthracite and some WRC carbon mirrors and it would be perfect!

One quick inspection showed that the front wings and bonnet were rough to touch with plenty of bonded contaminants that careful washing and chemicals couldn't shift so these areas were clayed, then rinsed, dried and re-inspected
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297088985/" title="IMAG0370 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2888/1029 ... 5a81_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0370"></a>
Time for polishing
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297204153/" title="IMAG0371 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7400/1029 ... 25bd_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0371"></a>
All the paint would be hand polished to enrich the gloss and remove the faded paint where necessary (and staining)
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10296986844/" title="IMAG0372 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3792/1029 ... 8cc3_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0372"></a>
Polishing completed
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297195043/" title="IMAG0373 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7397/1029 ... 024c_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="IMAG0373"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297077906/" title="IMAG0374 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3822/1029 ... dc6c_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0374"></a>
A nice reflection shot (hard to get on white) showing the range of cars at APT these days
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10296977244/" title="IMAG0375 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2823/1029 ... 20f8_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0375"></a>
Sooty
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297070006/" title="IMAG0376 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3788/1029 ... f955_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0376"></a>
and Sweep. Hand polished using Car-Chem metal polish and hard graft
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297066726/" title="IMAG0377 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2852/1029 ... cd96_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0377"></a>
Engine bay tidied
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297123333/" title="IMAG0379 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7339/1029 ... e68f_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0379"></a>
Interior cleaned and the steering wheel had a mild facelift too
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297051455/" title="IMAG0380 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5523/1029 ... 3b11_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0380"></a>
The suede in this centre section was looking very smooth and worn, almost like leather
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297049856/" title="IMAG0381 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5547/1029 ... 6b91_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0381"></a>

The car needed some durable protection for the coming winter months, so I chose SP1000p to go on, as it's great on lighter cars and so tough too.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297044766/" title="IMAG0382 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/1029 ... cdc1_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0382"></a>
I also sealed the glass with Angelwax H2Go, as this should give the glass a hydrophobic characteristic over the next 6-8 weeks allowing water to just bead off.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10296935144/" title="IMAG0385 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2823/1029 ... 458d_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="IMAG0385"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297022355/" title="IMAG0386 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/1029 ... 35b2_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="IMAG0386"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10297016405/" title="IMAG0387 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3799/1029 ... 1fd8_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0387"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/10296904984/" title="IMAG0388 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2850/1029 ... 564b_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="IMAG0388"></a>
Excuse the photo quality, the weather was all over the place which meant that the car had to be dried twice, and played havoc with the pics

Thanks to Ben for trusting me with pride and joy. I do love a classic Impreza and a two door did turn out to be a bit special

If you guys are interested in any detail of this work, whether it's products used or processes, please give me a shout.

That does look good but I have to agree with Logan about the sticker on the back...

I'm used to it now,did plan on removing it, but don't know, just feel it fits the jdm look. I remember when I first saw the STI's back in the day they all had them, even in Gran Turismo .. so it's stays until the repaint.

So so much better now !
Everybody comments on that sticker don't they Ben

Great work Stu !

Perhaps if it wasn't pink it might look better.......only an opinion mate its your car so you choose. .....