Techart Magnum!!!!

[Stuart]

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808136954/" title="2013-09-18 18.16.59 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3823/9808 ... 155a_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 18.16.59"></a>

More to follow

[john B]

I so wanted to hate that when you told me about it on Monday but its actually rather nice....

[Daniel]

Gumpert Apollo meets R35GTR with a dash of Porsche on a Nissan Duke body. No doubt it's fast, but wow a face only a mother could love.

p.s. It does look nice and shiny though.

[Stuart]

Reminded me of the Predator........with 600hp and 600lb ft

[maff]

I cant get over the fact it looks like they parked a Panamera on top of something.

It just dosnt fit. Basking Porsche.

[RX7]

As said before mate it is an ugly duckling despite having that much horsepower but am sure it will be good work as always. That bumper looks fun to clean and polish !!

[Stuart]

OK, back in the land of broadband now, so a proper update on this and some other jobs

This was booked in for a proper polish to correct flat spots and swirls but the time allowed meant that it was only possible to do the work by hand using two stage Autosmart compounds, followed by a hand glaze that really works well on black followed by a hard wearing sealant that should make winter maintenance a doddle.

Inspection photos first
From ten foot it looked pretty clean with only one bird poo visible and even the alloys looked quite clean
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808274954/" title="2013-09-18 09.28.01 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2880/9808 ... 367c_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 09.28.01"></a>
The exhausts were finished in a black powdercoat so no polishing required but there was certainly a large surface area of bodywork to work on!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808337653/" title="2013-09-18 09.28.13 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3780/9808 ... 69e3_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 09.28.13"></a>
Metallic black is such a cruel colour to maintain
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808135616/" title="2013-09-18 09.28.31 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3791/9808 ... 6a5c_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 09.28.31"></a>
Flat spots on the offside wing top section and buffer trails all over it
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808275496/" title="2013-09-18 09.29.05 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3730/9808 ... 6f5c_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 09.29.05"></a>
The heart of the beast needed a damned good clean up
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808241215/" title="2013-09-18 09.29.21 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/9808 ... 2cbe_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 09.29.21"></a>
Styling is always a point of personal preference, but I thought this Techart was absolutely spot on
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808243854/" title="2013-09-18 09.30.10 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/9808 ... f096_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 09.30.10"></a>
Onto the interior and it was in gorgeous condition but needed a good clean and the leather also needed reconditioning
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808238754/" title="2013-09-18 09.30.43 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3770/9808 ... dac3_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="2013-09-18 09.30.43"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808228085/" title="2013-09-18 09.30.51 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5501/9808 ... 4e0e_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 09.30.51"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808103955/" title="2013-09-18 09.31.10 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7348/9808 ... d02b_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="2013-09-18 09.31.10"></a>

Next up, the cleaning begins.

[Stuart]

Cleaning the engine bay is always an enjoyable part of the job, and especially when it is something as rare as this. I always make a point of checking the bay carefully before I start spraying chemicals and water around, and follow a 'less is more' approach to save having any problems later on. The underside of the alloy bonnet needed cleaning too, so it was the inner wing liners, bonnet underside, rocker covers and anything else I could safely rinse and clean
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808228464/" title="2013-09-18 09.38.35 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5491/9808 ... e19b_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 09.38.35"></a>

Alloys were next, and these 22" monsters were beautiful to clean as they allowed easy access to the rears and the calipers too!
Before
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808292153/" title="2013-09-18 09.41.39 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7452/9808 ... 64d9_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="2013-09-18 09.41.39"></a>
After
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808218714/" title="2013-09-18 10.04.32 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3792/9808 ... b4ab_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 10.04.32"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808235896/" title="2013-09-18 10.04.40 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3745/9808 ... 70a8_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="2013-09-18 10.04.40"></a>
Rears were next with the same process applied
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808209285/" title="2013-09-18 10.04.50 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7350/9808 ... a122_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 10.04.50"></a>
My wheel and arch armoury!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808125616/" title="2013-09-18 10.08.38 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7318/9808 ... 92c7_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 10.08.38"></a>
A soft brush for the face of the alloys, a long reach brush for the arches, two long reach brushes for the alloys themselves and another different brush for the tyres with a separate wash mitt for the rear of the alloy spokes..........and a bucket that is only ever used on alloys!
A close up of a 8 pot caliper after cleaning
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808226386/" title="2013-09-18 10.24.55 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7299/9808 ... 2fd1_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 10.24.55"></a>
With the alloys, tyres and arches cleaned it was time to loosen the dirt that was on the car before the two bucket was method started.....on with my mix of snowfoam and all purpose cleaner
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808200195/" title="2013-09-18 10.54.43 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7362/9808 ... 01bc_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 10.54.43"></a>
This is applied via a pump sprayer as it makes less mess and also means I have greater control as to where it goes on the car.

With the car washed top to bottom using a two bucket method it was gently dried using my uber soft yellow towels and it was time to start some polishing combinations, to see what would remove the swirls and improve the paint depth and gloss. These photos make the paint look worse as the reflection of the car-ports walls gives the impression of paint surface irregularities. If you focus on the light reflections instead and the hazy finish in the first photo, that will give you a better idea of the improvement
Before
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808195875/" title="2013-09-18 12.40.43 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/9808 ... 6cd2_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="2013-09-18 12.40.43"></a>
After using Autosmart Evo 1 on a medium abrasive pad
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808198754/" title="2013-09-18 12.48.34 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7409/9808 ... 5486_c.jpg" width="478" height="800" alt="2013-09-18 12.48.34"></a>
This finish was further improved with the use of Poorboy's hand glaze prior to the sealant, but more on this later
Polishing complete
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808261793/" title="2013-09-18 14.05.04 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7434/9808 ... 6ee4_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 14.05.04"></a>
Chuffed with the depth and clarity of the reflection
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808210496/" title="2013-09-18 14.22.07 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7325/9808 ... b77b_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 14.22.07"></a>
This is the offside front wing after polishing (refer to the first batch of photos to see the before picture)
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808167513/" title="2013-09-18 14.22.19 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7359/9808 ... 4b98_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 14.22.19"></a>
Underside of bonnet after polishing
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808182995/" title="2013-09-18 14.42.12 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2883/9808 ... 8396_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 14.42.12"></a>
Engine bay and surrounds completed
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808205026/" title="2013-09-18 14.42.21 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3811/9808 ... 6468_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 14.42.21"></a>
Sealant curing
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808141165/" title="2013-09-18 15.34.10 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3790/9808 ... 1338_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 15.34.10"></a>
Finished photos up next

[Stuart]

So with the sealant curing, it was time to polish the door shuts, dress the tyres and clean the glass inside and out. The interior mats were removed, the carpets hoovered and shampoo'd and then striped, before repeating this procedure to the mats and putting them back in. The leather trim (seats, dash and doorcards) were all gently cleaned and then treated to a conditioner that contains UV protection to keep it all supple. After everything was dusted and hoovered again the job was complete and the final inspection and handover with the client

Finished photos
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808137145/" title="2013-09-18 18.16.06 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3803/9808 ... 808d_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 18.16.06"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808131374/" title="2013-09-18 18.17.08 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7281/9808 ... 4a34_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 18.17.08"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808145516/" title="2013-09-18 18.17.15 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2881/9808 ... 1bf6_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 18.17.15"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808145815/" title="2013-09-18 18.17.27 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3784/9808 ... 5aa9_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 18.17.27"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/93963817@N07/9808099854/" title="2013-09-18 18.17.38 by Stuart Staples, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7435/9808 ... 7604_c.jpg" width="800" height="478" alt="2013-09-18 18.17.38"></a>

The job took about 9 hours all in and gives you an idea of the Winter protection work I recently started a thread about. This work will give the owner approximately four months of easy maintenance as long as he stays away from cheap car washes that use neat traffic film remover!! (This won't be a problem now as I will be going back regularly to keep on top of things).

Thanks for reading. More updates coming up soon.

[john B]

Nice work as ever Stu......and I stand by my previous comment I actually like that.....