Let’s get this right out in the open – if you are reading this, you’re almost certainly in the “enthusiast” category, and you’re likely to be the kind of owner who takes very good care of your car, inside and out. You probably wash and detail your car yourself, or hire a pro to do it, and you’re sure you’ve got this stuff handled. But then, you glance at your car and notice the water spots, or when the sun hits it you see a spider web of swirl marks, and even though nobody else would ever see it without actively looking, you know it’s not quite right.

So, you head to the auto parts store to look for that missing weapon in your car detailing arsenal that will fix the problem, but instead of finding what you’re looking for, hitting the register and buying some impulse jerky on the way out, you’re confronted by what Meguiar’s Michael Pennington calls the “wall of confusion.” A six by ten foot display of waxes, soaps, sprays, polishes, and tools that makes your head spin, and not in a good, random-orbit way. Natural carnauba, synthetic polymer, clear-coat safe, fast cutting, waterless wash… You either grab something and hope for the best, or spend an hour reading the fine print on labels trying to decide if what you’re looking at is really going to fix your problem.

While there are a lot of car detailing products on the market, some essential and some created only to fill a marketing niche, getting a show-quality finish and keeping it doesn’t require a shopping cart full of products. We’ve enlisted the help of two very well-respected car care giants to sort things out, and with the help of our friends at Surf City Garage and Meguiar’s, we can make things simple.

A full arsenal of “tools” like this Surf City Garage deluxe cleaning kit means you can tackle just about any fault in your paint short of getting keyed, but for DIYer’s on a budget, identifying your specific problems can save money and time.

Our guides in this adventure in cleanliness are two very well-respected experts in the field: the aforementioned Meguiar’s Global Director of Training & Consumer Relations Mike Pennington, and Surf City Garage Chief Marketing Officer Steven Mason. In order to get some hands-on experience with what we were being taught, Surf City Garage provided us with a complete detailing kit to go along with Mason’s sage advice, while Meguiar’s hosted us at their SoCal headquarters where they regularly bring in car clubs and other groups for detailing clinics. The two C5 Corvettes you’ll see in this story were given complete makeovers with their help – We tackled the red ‘Vette DIY style with Surf City Garage, while the pewter car received a day of beauty with Meguiar’s.

Know Your Enemy

There are three equally important aspects to detailing any car: Evaluation, Tools, and Techniques. Of the three, evaluation usually gets the least attention, when it should be at the top of the list. “If your finish doesn’t have swirls, then a paint correction product isn’t necessary,” explains Pennington. “Likewise, if your paint hasn’t accumulated contaminants and feels smooth after a wash, then you can skip the clay bar.” While perfectionists or those with untreated OCD will go through every step, every time, getting a good shine is about identifying and correcting problems, not slavish adherence to ritual.

In order to determine what really needs to be done, the evaluation process is critical, and it can’t be performed without a good wash – that’s Step One, no matter how much or little time you have to devote to cleaning your car. Both Meguiar’s and Surf City Garage caution that you should never under any circumstances use a household detergent like dish soap to wash your car, because it will strip away any wax protection that still exists as well as possibly hasten the oxidation of your clear coat. We’ve all seen relatively new cars with the clear coat flaking off in big scabby patches on the roof and hood – chances are that they belong to some of the 60 million US car owners that Surf City Garage says admit to using household cleaners on their paint. A proper car wash soap will help prevent that kind of disaster.

A bucket with a ‘grit guard’ like this one from Surf City Garage can help reduce the potential of scratching your finish during the wash process by keeping dirt trapped at the bottom, away from your mitt.

Step One – Washing Tips

• Wash your vehicle in the shade – this helps keep the paint cool, and will lessen water spotting
• Start off by rinsing the entire vehicle with a strong stream of water to remove loose dirt and debris that might scratch
• Wash from the top down, rinsing your wash mitt frequently to further prevent scratches
• If at all possible, use the two-bucket system – one for clean soapy water, and the other for rinsing the wash mitt
• If you’re using a single bucket, use one with a “grit guard” to help trap dirt at the bottom, and rinse the mitt with clean water from the hose when possible
• Final-rinse your car with a smooth stream of water instead of a spray, and “sweep” the stream across the car to help drain away excess water and speed the drying process

Once the tree stumps and boulders have been washed away, it’s time to get in close and examine your paint. To evaluate it, you’re going to use both your sense of sight and touch – looking for swirls, water spots, and scratches while feeling for contaminants like overspray, sap, bug guts, and fallout that washing hasn’t removed.

Meguiar’s Internet King Michael Stoops demonstrates using the two-light-source technique to examine the car finish – here, he’s using a spotlight to bring out defects not visible under ambient light.

Decisions, Decisions…

Now that you have boots on the ground, so to speak, you’ll know what the enemy looks like. Finish flaws fall into one of two categories – things that are “on” the paint, like hard water spots and contaminants, and things that are “in” it, like swirls, scratches, and etched spots. The next step, surface prep, is about cleaning up these larger imperfections, and what tool you’ll use (in terms of product as well as hardware) depends on what category they fall into.

Clay it Away

Clay bar treatments, once the secret weapon of pro detailers, have become common on auto part store shelves recently. The concept is pretty straightforward – a small piece of clay is flattened into a patty and rubbed gently across the paint, lubricated by a ‘quick detailer’ type product. As it passes over fallout, embedded grit, and other contaminants, the clay picks them up and extracts them from the paint, leaving a glass-smooth surface.

Clay Bar Tips:

• First and foremost – if you drop a piece of clay onto the ground, THROW IT AWAY and replace it with a new one
• Keep the paint wetted out with detailing spray so that the clay glides smoothly without sticking
• Work in side to side passes on a limited area of the car, then repeat up and down to remove all the contaminants before moving on
• Periodically fold and flatten the clay to expose fresh, clean clay
• Don’t use a lot of force; Stoops says that it should be the same motion and effort as “petting a friendly dog”

No matter how clean your car looks after it’s been washed, hitting it with a clay bar will amaze (and disgust) you…

Step Two – Surface Prep Tips

• Use a clay bar to remove contaminants you can feel that remain after washing (see sidebar)
• A paint cleaner/compound will be necessary to correct defects that aren’t above the surface
• Use cleaners and compounds conservatively, because you are actually removing minute amounts of clear coat in order to correct the existing scratches
• Two or three light passes may be necessary, and are better than one too-aggressive application
• Deep scratches that reach below the clear coat into the color coat can only be fixed by touch-up paint or a respray
• Both paint cleaners and clay remove everything from the surface, including wax, so you’ll need to re-apply when you are done

When it comes to using a paint cleaner, or “compounding” a car, some people tend to go a little off the rails. While doing an entire car by hand is possible, if time-consuming and tiring, most of us would prefer to use a power tool. Used correctly, the right kind of dual-action polisher can make the work go faster, but in careless hands, especially when used with very aggressive “pro” compounds, it’s possible to do a lot of damage very quickly. You can get the same quality results by hand, so that’s the best way to learn the process.

Another fact worth noting is that once you’ve done your initial “paint correction,” if you’re careful about washing and waxing in the future, the imperfections won’t need to be buffed out again, and cleaning can be limited to a spot-process to fix areas that need touching up. In any case, once the surface contaminants are removed and the sub-surface flaws corrected, it’s time for another decision…

Spit & Polish

With your paint once again glassy-smooth, it’s time for another inspection; the point this time is to look for those minute swirls that make the difference between “looks pretty good at 10 feet” and “might as well be a mirror.” You’ll see some products marketed as a combination wax and polish, and while they can save a step, for regular use you should consider using them separately. The polishing step, done correctly, doesn’t necessarily need to be repeated every time you wax the car, and like the more aggressive paint cleaners and compounds mentioned above, you’re going to be removing a minute amount of clear coat every time you use a polish.

Step Three – Polishing Tips

• Like all detailing, polishing is best done in the shade, on a cool painted surface
• An orbital or dual-action polisher can be used to speed the process when used with care
• Dark-colored cars typically benefit more from a polishing step, because they more clearly show swirls and fine haze
• Keep applicators for cleaning (paint correction, compound, polish) separate from those used for wax
• Use a high-quality microfiber cloth to remove polish

Per Surf City Garage’s Steven Mason, “About 47% of the cars on the road today are black or dark-colored – there’s been a huge shift from white and light-colored paint. They tend to collect and show dust and dirt a lot more easily because of the contrast.”

An orbital or dual-action buffer can make the polishing process go quickly, but patience can achieve nearly the same results by hand.

Wax On, Wax Off

OK, you knew we weren’t going to get through this without a Karate Kid reference, so let’s get it out of the way. Applying and buffing wax by hand can definitely be a “character-building” experience, but only if you’re not using the right products and technique. By the same token, slathering on wax with a buffer can be a pain in a different way, if done incorrectly.

A properly-maintained factory finish can remain brilliant even after a decade of exposure to the elements.

But however you choose to take the final step in pampering your paint, the objective is the same – to leave a uniform layer of protection on top of the already-glossy finish. A wax, by itself, won’t work miracles, and as much as many people want to skip straight from hosing the bird poop off to laying on a thick layer of carnauba, getting the perfect results demands that you do the right prep work.

Of course, you’ve been following our tips so far, so that part is taken care of. How do you properly preserve it?

Step Four – Waxing Tips

• Apply wax in a uniform, thin coat so that removal isn’t a chore
• Meguiar’s recommends using the “swipe test” to determine when the wax has had enough time to dry – take a fingertip and swipe it across the hazed surface. If it leaves streaks, the wax needs more time to dry. If it comes away clean and glossy, it’s time to break out the microfiber towel
• Two coats don’t necessarily provide more protection than a single complete layer – doubling up will ensure you’ve reached every area with a uniform coat, however.
• Remember that the wax is a “sacrificial barrier” that will need to be renewed 3-4 times a year at a minimum – any product that claims to be a “forever” wax or protectant is more marketing than science.

What kind of wax should you use? Again, this is a source of confusion, with some enthusiasts advocating “natural” over synthetic, or vice versa. “Natural is one of those terms that can be hard to accurately define,” explains Mason. “If you’re looking at a natural wax, the best is carnauba. And there are several grades, so you have to be talking about #1 Brazilian carnauba. That’s what we refer to when we talk about ‘natural’ wax, and nothing else. It comes from the copernicia prunifera palm tree leaves.”

“Synthetic waxes are really synthetic polymers,” Mason continues. “You have to be a chemist to really grasp everything that goes into a synthetic formula, but basically they’re being engineered for a specific purpose. Lots of people just happen to prefer the pure, straightforward gloss and shine that you get from carnauba. There are also products that combine both natural carnauba and synthetics, so you kind of get the best of both worlds. There are a lot of things you can do with a synthetic in terms of molecular structure that will determine what it will and will not bind to that you just can’t get with carnauba.”

Of course, keep in mind that even so-called “pure carnauba” wax must be blended with other chemicals – per Mason, “100% carnauba wax would be a brick. An absolute, solid brick. So when we say pure carnauba, we mean that it doesn’t contain some other kind of wax. To get it to be a paste or liquid, you have to have things that allow you to apply it. Paste wax got its bad reputation from the incredible amount of elbow grease required to use it if the formula was wrong. We’ve found ways to deliver that pure carnauba so it goes on and off like butter.”

Step Five – Maintenance

Once your car’s paint is at its best, you’ll save yourself time and effort in the future by maintaining the finish you’ve created properly, by removing contaminants before they get the chance to get intimate with your paint again. Spray detail products have revolutionized between-wash care, and there are even “waterless wash” products that are safe to use on heavily contaminated surfaces without removing that protective layer of wax.

The main point, though, is that regular washing with a product specifically formulated for car finishes will not only extend the time between major detailing and paint correction sessions, but will also keep you familiar with the condition of your car.

Surf City Garage recommends these intervals for car appearance care to keep it looking its best.

“The number one error people make is just not continuing to protect their car and detail it – in other words, letting things slide,” says Mason. “If you let your car go too long between waxing, or if you don’t keep it up between with detail spray, once the exterior has been exposed too long to those UV rays and you’re starting to lose clear coat, there’s nothing other than a full-fledged wet sanding that will fix it. Maintenance is always less than restoration.”

Clearcoated, polished, and chrome wheels have different tolerances for harsh chemicals. Using a wheel cleaner recommended for your particular finish ensures maximum cleaning action with the least potential for damage to the finish.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

With as much money as people spend on aftermarket wheels (or tack on to a car payment with “premium” factory hoops), it seems like little attention is paid to the right way to keep them clean and protected. Many owners hit the “wall of confusion” looking for spray-and-walk-away fix for brake dust and road grime, but the truth is that replacing a little elbow grease with chemical reactions can actually ruin a set of wheels.

“There’s no substitute for mechanical agitation when it comes to cleaning wheels,” Pennington explains. Even with a product correctly matched to the wheel finish, whether it’s a clearcoat, polished aluminum, or chrome, the cleaner isn’t going to do all the work itself. Once again, though, the intimate interaction with your car that’s required to safely get the wheels clean offers you a chance to look things over on a regular basis. Take the opportunity to have a look at your treadwear, check for sidewall damage, and even keep an eye out for things like missing wheel balance weights.

You wouldn’t think of cleaning your leather jacket with dish soap, but household cleaners are often mistakenly used to remove grime from car interiors. Using a dedicated product intended to clean leather, cloth, or vinyl will take care of the dirt without damaging the surface.

The Inside Story

Of course, if you are enjoying your car the way nature intended, you’ll see a lot more of the interior than the exterior – what about keeping it looking good? Gone (and best forgotten) are the days of hosing down every solid surface with fluid from a bottle with a little Viking on the label, but some people might lament the simplicity of that spray-and-pray approach to interior detailing. Once again, the “wall of confusion” can make things difficult, unless you return to Evaluation, Tools, and Techniques.

Just like the exterior, the evaluation step will tell you what’s necessary, and just like the exterior, cleaning with appropriate products comes first. Spot treatment of carpet stains before they have a chance to set is ideal, but usually impractical, so be prepared to pay special attention to any stains. Once everything is clean (including the steering wheel, which is usually a horror story even in the best-maintained car), using the proper tools and techniques to protect the dash, control surfaces, seats, and carpet can reduce the future maintenance workload.

An inexpensive selection of brushes (both stiff-bristled for cleaning carpets, and soft for getting into areas like vents and dashboard crevices), microfiber cloths, and other improvised tools are helpful for interior detailing. Makeup brushes are particularly handy, as are paint brushes - the one shown here has the top part of the bristles covered with painter's tape both to increase its stiffness and protect the interior from scratches caused by the metal ferrule. A bamboo skewer can be invaluable in removing wax from exterior panel gaps as well as getting into tight spots inside the cabin.

Modern interior detailing products like Surf City Garage’s Dash Away effectively clean and protect a variety of materials like vinyl and plastic, without leaving things all ‘lubed up’ like old school protectants.

Stay away from products that leave a greasy residue on the exterior trim as well – the proper stuff will rejuvenate black plastic and rubber without becoming a magnet for dirt and grit once you actually drive the car.

Less Time Cleaning, More Time Enjoying

When you come right down to it, a clean, well-detailed car is a matter of pride and a source of enjoyment for the owner. Using the right tools, techniques, and products will increase both the ease and dare we say fun of getting the car clean and keeping it that way. Even if you’re the type of person who loves to devote an entire Saturday to a spa treatment for your ride, the less time and effort necessary to get the results you want, the more you have available to devote to other things, like laundry, cutting the grass, or spending time with so-called “loved ones” who just don’t get it…

A large part of the Mustang hobby is customization. As we all know, what we do to the outside (and inside) of our Mustangs is extremely personal. It’s our way to reflect the theme of the build and set us apart from the pack. With that, we decided it was time to install some show parts on our 2011 Mustang project.

Our Project Wild E Coyote has received numerous upgrades in the performance department lately. We decided that to help further differentiate it from the herd we’d upgrade its lighting, and appearance at all four corners, thanks to our friends at American Muscle. A lighting upgrade is not only going to add looks and style to our car, but also will in some cases improve safety.

We got together with the folks at American Muscle, a leading online retailer for a variety of Mustang performance and appearance accessories.  AM provided us with a host of lighting upgrades for the exterior of our ’11 Coyote-powered pony to get us better visibility and some more style.  Follow along as we show you a little bit of what AM offers in the lighting department, and how easy it is to do this kind of modification to your own car.

Starting Out Back

Tail lights are probably one of the least upgraded areas of many Mustangs. We’re really not sure why that’s the case, maybe it’s because we seldom walk up to our cars from the back; we leave looking at the backside of our car to the guy in the other lane. The rear of the 2010+ Mustangs has been a subject of controversy since it was first previewed, with some even calling it import-like in appearance.

AM offers a variety of lighting upgrades for the rear of 87-12 Mustangs. Everything from stock type replacements, to smoked or chrome lenses, euro style and more.

Installing the MMD Tail Light Trim is a matter of cleaning the back of the car, remove the adhesive backing from the cover, the press and hold firmly against the tail light. You'll want to hold this in place for 30-60 seconds, applying even firm pressure. Be sure not to press to hard or you could damage the trim or the lights themselves.

Not only do these Raxiom parts offer improved appearance but as AM’s Chris Rose tells us, “Raxiom lights are about adding style without sacrificing quality.” On the quality front we did notice during our installation that all of the upgrades were simple, straight forward, and fit the car very well. As Rose explained a big reason for this high quality is, “All of the lights carry a two year warranty, and are made in the same DOT approved facilities as most OEM lights.”

Part numbers for rear upgrade:

• MMD Matte Black Tail Light Trim: 41273
• Deck Lid Blackout Panel: 80174
• Raxiom Smoked Aero Tail Lights: 49145
• Smoked Third Brake Light Tint:  26080
• Smoked Quarter Marker Light Tint: 26087
• Raxiom License Plate Light LED Conversion Kit: 49181
• Raxiom Front and Rear Side Marker Light LED Conversion Kit: 49173
• Raxiom Reverse Light LED Conversion Kit: 49193

Panel Upgrade

There’s a noticeable dead space between the rear tail lights on 2010+ Mustangs. While the GT Cap here is nice the space still looks like an empty void to us. This was even more apparent with our new tail lights installed.

To correct this issue AM sent us one of their 10-13 Mustang rear blackout panels. This panel installs in just a few minutes with no drilling, cutting or other damage to your car required.  Once in place we found this was a very nice way to tie together the blacked out appearance of rear of the car.

Top: Installing the Decklid Blackout Panel: Again make sure the area you're working on is clean. Remove the adhesive backing, line the panel up and press firmly. Bottom Left & Right: You can see what a clear improvement in appearance the combination of the MMD Tail Light Trim and the Decklid Panel make in these before (left) and after (right) photos.

Tail Lights

Left to Right: Removing rear tail lights. Inside the trunk you'll need to use a non marring trim tool to remove the plastic retaining clips and nuts that secure the rear scuff panel/cover revealing the backside of the housings. You can then loosen and remove the three nuts which hold each housing in place. Now disconnect the tail light connectors. Finally pull firmly but gently to remove the light assembly.

We’re installing a set of Raxiom Smoked Aero Tail Lights on our 2011 GT. This lighting setup moves the backup/reverse lights to the bottom of the lens and does a great job of cleaning up the appearance of the rear of the car. This light looks less busy and more well thought out. Installation time should take less than an hour. We should note that the space to work in is a bit tighter on car’s equipped with the Shaker audio system, but still about an hour’s task to complete.

Installation is simply the reverse of removal. We took the opportunity to upgrade our reverse lights with some Raxiom LED's while here, which as simple as changing a standard bulb. To install the housing simply line it up, press firmly into place. Now you'll just need to tighten down the nuts to secure them in place. Don't over tighten these or you risk damaging the housings. Connect your electrical connections and test the lights before reinstalling the rear covers.

Markers,  Third Brake Light, License Plate and Reverse Lamps

We also chose to add a bit of style to our third brake light and marker lights as well. AM offers a very high quality smoked vinyl film for these applications that simply applies to the lenses to achieve the smoked look. This meshed nicely along with our new tail lights and headlight upgrades. It is important to note that you need to check local laws in your area, regarding tinted lights before installing these products. The last thing you want to do is spend your money and time installing something like this, only to give the local long arm of the law a reason to stop you and write a citation.

License Plate bulbs remove simply with just a Phillips head screw driver. This procedure is the same as replacing an ordinary bulb.

We also installed Raxiom’s LED conversion kits for the front and rear side marker lights. Since we were already smoking the lenses on these we thought it would be wise to upgrade the bulbs from the low powered incandescent that the factory provides to some super white LED’s. AM actually recommends this type of upgrade anytime you’re making a change to dark or smoked lenses. As Rose told us “The obvious advantage is that the light has much better output. The LED bulbs are also much more reliable than standard bulbs.”  This upgrade is as simple as performing a bulb change, and we had it done in less than fifteen minutes.

Installing the Marker Tint, left to right: Make sure the surface of the quarter marker is clean. Also having this area damp with soapy water or a tinting product can be helpful in getting things lined up properly or adjusting them. Carefully peel the backing from the tint, once peeled you can also apply the soapy water to it. Line up the tint as best possible and carefully lay it on the marker lens. You can now move the tint around to secure it. Once it is in place, use a tint squeegee or a towel to press firmly against the tint and remove the water from behind it. The process is the same for applying the third brake light tint.

Additionally we performed an LED conversion on our backup lights and license plate lights. This goes along with our full LED conversion at nearly every replaceable exterior bulb other than the headlamps. Just like the marker lights upgrading the license plate and backup lights is as simple as doing a bulbs swap. Since we were already swapping the tail lights that made the backups upgrade that much easier.

Seeing Ahead

When it comes to headlights we all know they’re important. Just how important though is something that we often times fail to consider until it’s an issue. If you’re Mustang has some years and miles on its odometer then chances are good the original plastic lenses are dull, scratched and faded. While you can try cleaning and “restoration” products, chances are that your lenses are so far gone the only way you can successfully improve nigh time lighting and visibility is to replace them.

Aside from appearance, replacing your lights can also add several safety benefits. First it obviously allows you to see better at night. It also reduces your chances of “out driving” your headlights. This term refers to driving at a rate of speed high enough that by the time an object is made visible by your lights, say an obstacle in the road, there is not enough time for you to correct safely if even at all. Replacing your headlights also improves your cars visibility to other drivers.

Part numbers for the front upgrade:

• Raxiom Smoked Projector Headlights CCFL Halo: 49129
• Raxiom H9 Headlight Bulbs: 49154
• Black Front Side Markers: 4191
• Raxiom Switchback Turn Signal Conversion Kit: 49182G05
• Raxiom Front and Rear Side Marker Light LED Conversion Kit: 49173

Headlights

AM offers several lighting options for Mustangs. We could have chosen from LED or Halo accent conversions, headlight splitters and more. We found that we really liked the appearance of the  Raxiom Smoked Projector Lens headlights (also available in chrome). These lenses feature a black background which will blend in nicely with our factory paint color. They also have a very aggressive look and lend to the dark and stealthy appearance we’re going for with this car. The lights offer better vision at night by using the projector beam style lighting instead of just an ordinary halogen reflector. They also feature an LED accent strip under the turn signal, as well as a HALO which adds a bit of style for cruising the streets at night.

We upgraded the headlight bulbs as well, with a set of Raxiom’s high quality H9 bulbs for our lights, to further improve night time vision. The headlight installation is quite a bit more involved than doing the tail lights, but it can still be done in your home garage with only basic hand tools in a rather short period of time.

Left to Right: Removing the stock lights. Begin by removing the front bumper cover, this is necessary to gain access to the two lower mounting bolts on the headlight and to remove it. Next remove the retaining pin from the top of the housing, followed by the three bolts. You can now slide out the housing and disconnect the electrical connectors. If you are transferring any old bulbs to your new housing this is the time to note those bulbs and swap them out one at a time.

Left to Right: Now is also the time to install any upgrades that are going to be used in the headlight housing. We upgraded to these Raxiom H9 bulbs for better night time vison. We also installed the Raxiom Switchback turn signal and running light system. This requires some minor wiring work, just follow the included instructions.

Turn Signals and Parking Lights

While we could have stopped with the installation of our new projector beam lenses we decided to step things up another notch. Taking the place of the amber bulbs in our front headlight and parking/turn signal housings is now a Raxiom Switchback Kit.

This upgrade utilizes some trick technology to change our lights from white while we’re driving with the headlights on, to amber when we hit the turn signal switch. While installing these requires a bit more work than a simple bulb change, we still found it could be done in just a matter of minutes. Much like the upgrade to our reverse lights earlier this upgrade was made even easier by the fact that we already had the headlight assemblies removed making this part of the job that much easier.

The Raxiom Switchback corner markers go from white with the headlights or parking lights on, to amber when the turn signal switch is activated. This gives us some extra visibility to other driver's at night and still keeps our turn signals in compliance with local laws.

We also swapped out the front side markers with a set of Black Side Marker lights, again matching the theme. These too were easily installed in only a few minutes, and while we were doing the swap we also installed the LED replacement bulbs.

With the front bumper cover still off the car, we installed the new side markers and upgraded LED bulbs. The side markers are held in place by two nuts, and swapping them only took a couple of minutes with the bumper cover off.

With trends constantly changing within the Mustang landscape, as well as the blue oval making changes to the car every few years manufacturers have to keep up with both the latest style trends as well as OEM changes. On both these fronts Rose told us, “We’re constantly developing and releasing lights based on customer input. The reason we’ve decided to make most of the lights we have is because customers were calling and begging us to get Raxiom to produce them.”

The Payoff

Every R6 Aerobody Kit component is designed with OEM CAD data to ensure flawless fitment, includes all templates, hardware, and instructions for installation, and includes a 90-Day ROUSH Parts Limited Warranty. With so many new components for the 2013 model year, there’s no telling how many unique combinations you can create.

 Hood Scoop- $219.99

• Fits all 2013 Mustangs including the GT, V6 Boss 302 and California Special
• Made from Blow Molded ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) for superior appearance, toughness, light-weight, heat and impact resistance
• Easy Installation (estimated installation time – 1 hour)

 High-Flow Upper Grille- $219.99

• Increases air flow into the radiator (approximately 40% over stock GT/V6 grille)
• Fits most 2013 Mustangs including the GT, V6, Boss 302 and California Special
• Made from Injection Molded ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) with a black stipple finish for superior appearance, toughness, light-weight, heat and impact resistance
• No cutting or drilling required
• Easy installation (Estimated installation time – 2 hours)

Front Chin Splitter- $199.99

•  Replaces factory splitter with larger, more aggressive splitter
• Fits most 2013 Mustangs including the GT, V6, Boss 302 and the California Special
• Adds race-inspired styling to your 2013 Mustang GT or V6
• Made of injection molded TPO plastic (Thermoplastic Poly Olefin) with a black stipple finish for an OEM look and long lasting durability and flexibility
• Benefits of TPO plastic (Thermoplastic Poly Olefin) include: Excellent impact resistant, tough yet flexible, easy colorability, low density and light weight
• Does not require paint
• Designed with OEM CAD data to ensure precise fitment
• Easy installation (Estimated installation time – 1.5 hours)

Side Splitter- $169.99

• Add true race-inspired styling for your 2010-2013 Mustang
• Attaches to bottom of stock side rocker panels
• Creates an aggressive styling line between the sides of the vehicle and the road
• Includes left and right side splitters
• Made from high-strength TPO (thermal plastic olefin) for long lasting durability
• Shaped with high-pressure injection molding, the same process that the OEMs use
• Installs in minutes
• No trimming needed
• Comes unpainted with grained texture to increase longevity against rock impacts from driving

Rear Side Splitters- $99.99

• Creates an aggressive styling line between the sides of the vehicle and the road
• Compliments the ROUSH side rocker splitters (Part # 420092)
• Fits all 2013 Mustangs including the GT, GT500, V6, Boss 302 and California Special
• Made of injection molded TPO plastic with a black stipple finish for an OEM look and long lasting durability and flexibility
• Benefits of TPO plastic (Thermoplastic Poly Olefin) include: Excellent impact resistant, tough yet flexible, easy colorability, low density and light weight
• Comes unpainted with grained texture to increase longevity against rock impacts from driving
• Does not require paint

Rear Spoiler- $355.00

• ROUSH Mustang Rear Spoiler fits 2010-2013 models
• Adds aggressive styling for your Mustang
• Race-inspired
• Made from ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) for superior appearance, toughness, light-weight, heat resistance, and impact resistance
• Designed around original manufacturer CAD data for optimum quality and fit
• Available in factory-matched paint colors or unpainted
• Made in the U.S.A.

Rear Valance- $174.99

• Creates a unique and aggressive look to the back of any Mustang with race-inspired rear diffuser design
• Requires ROUSH High Performance Exhaust and tips (V8 Part # 421410 / V6 Part # 421517)
• Fits all 2013+ Mustangs including the GT, GT500, V6, Boss 302 and California Special
• Made of injection molded TPO plastic with a black stipple finish for an OEM look and long lasting durability and flexibility
• Benefits of TPO plastic (Thermoplastic Poly Olefin) include: Excellent impact resistant, tough yet flexible, easy colorability, low density and light weight
• Comes unpainted with grained texture to increase longevity against rock impacts from driving

V8 High Performance Exhaust with Dual Chamber Tips- $599.99

• Fits all 2013 5.0L/5.8L-V8 Mustangs including the GT, GT500, Boss 302 and California Special (Requires ROUSH Rear Valance – Part # 421406)
• Improved exhaust note vs. stock exhaust system
• 409 Stainless Steel Mufflers with the 304 Chrome Flashed Stainless Steel Tips
• No in-cabin drone/boom
• Requires ROUSH Rear Valance (Part # 421406)

V6 High Performance Exhaust with Dual Chamber Tips- $599.99

• Fits all 2013 3.7L-V6 Mustangs (Requires ROUSH Rear Valance – Part # 421406)
• Improved exhaust note vs. stock exhaust system
• 409 Stainless Steel Mufflers with the 304 Chrome Flashed Stainless Steel Tips
• No in-cabin drone/boom
• Requires ROUSH Rear Valance (Part # 421406)

When you run your fingers over a great paint job, you not only are witnessing the efforts of a great painter, but also the person who spent the time blocking the vehicle body prior to paint. Frankly, you can’t have a great paint job unless you have blocked the primered surfaces to perfection.

A block for every situation – this entire assortment of blocks was purchased for under $40 and can be ordered either on line or purchased at your local paint supply house. Never block you vehicle without a sanding block of some kind. Some old school folks feel they can block a car without a sanding block.

Sanding scratches and wavy panels are the result of poor blocking techniques – an art that is simply just not that hard to master.

Assessing The Situation

For this ’67 Chevelle, the body was already in pretty good shape, requiring no “real” bodywork like patching panels, grinding out cancerous edges and corners or the like; just a limited few dings and small dents.

After DA sanding the body for a first pass of sealing primer, we applied the first light coat. Here is where the blocking begins.

Starting with 220-grit paper, we selected a proper shape sanding block and proceeded to smooth the surface.

The key here is to use a lot of sandpaper (changing it often) and keep the surface as clean as possible by wiping down the body often with grease and wax remover.

Sandpaper for blocking can be purchased in a variety of grits. Mark Oja, owner of Custom Rod Garage of Southern California, recommended use of 220-grit sandpaper for the initial cutting of the primer. For the final surface prep, 400-grit paper is used.

These adhesive backed papers grip the block and are easily removed. Make sure the paper covers the entire block. The block should never be exposed to the paint or primered surface. Blocking paper can also be ordered in a roll and trimmed to fit the block. Make certain the sandpaper lies flat on the surface of the block without wrinkles or bubbles that can alter the contact surface between the paper and the primered surface.

Clean, Clean, Clean

Blow off the area with compressed air and then sweep up the debris on the floor so it ensures a clean work area. For a contaminant-free paint job, you need a surgically-clean work area.

A guide coat (light spraying of a contrasting color to your primer) will help show were you have been and make certain you don’t miss any areas when blocking the vehicle. Use you fingers to feel flaws in the surface. That is the best tool you can use to ensure a proper finish. Remember, the time you spend here will really pay off in the end.

When blocking a surface, you should move the block in a crossing pattern making a big X on the surface. Be careful when you approach the edges of a panel or corner. They key is not to burn through the primer and expose the lower layers. If you burn through the primer to the metal, make sure you reprimer and cover these areas. Applying primer to raw metal is a big no-no. The crossing pattern action will generate a great amount of sanding debris. Clean the paper by knocking out the loose debris every few minutes. If there are any chunks of dirt in the paper, change it. Then change the often – using old,dirty paper can cause scratches in the surface and make the job that much harder.

Regardless of the area being blocked, round, flat or curved, the crossing pattern should continue when you block the vehicle. Note how the sandpaper adheres to the round block.

If you’ve decided that your ride may need a slight visual update, applying some new paint can certainly fulfill that expectation. However, a flawless paint job requires more than just a skilled hand and correctly chosen paint gun. Moreover, it’s the preparation applied to the bare skin before the final coat of paint is laid, which creates the highest luster.

If you think about it, you would never apply paint directly to your cars metal or fiberglass surface, right? It’s all in the preparation, tools, primer, and the paint you’ve chosen. To be honest, the paint process can be quite extensive. With mountains of material and information available, this task might seem a bit daunting. In an effort to clear the fog, we’ve spoken to a few industry pro’s to find out which tools and methods you’ll need to get the job done, correctly.

To avoid some of the pitfalls and blind corners, follow along as we discuss which types of primer to apply, color basics, and which paint gun is right for your particular application. We’ve also included several basic steps on how to apply a quality paint job correctly.

What to Shoot?

There are two basic types of primers used today for automotive refinishing; one-part Acrylic Lacquer primer and two-part Urethane Primer. Acrylic Lacquer is the easiest to use – mix it up, strain it into the cup and apply a layer of primer using a 1.4 spray gun tip. Allow the primer to dry thoroughly before sanding with 600-grit paper and applying second and potentially a third coat.

Primer or paint, a clean and properly heated spray booth is important to keeping debris out of your primer coat. The temperature of the booth will make a dramatic difference in the primer used. Check with your paint professional to determine which primer is right for the conditions.

Much like paint, primer should also be strained prior to use. The right spray gun tip size is required to ensure that the proper amount of primer is applied. Test the gun before spraying, varying the air pressure until you achieve the proper pattern and amount of material. Wipe down the body thoroughly with grease and wax remover using clean microfiber toweling.

The two-part urethane primer is a popular choice by many industry professionals. It provides better adhesion and includes a catalyst hardener for durability; creating a hard, final shell that won’t shrink or swell. Most of the time a 2.0 spray gun tip is used to increase the amount of material applied. Three coats are generally applied waiting 10 minutes between coats. Overnight drying is advised prior to blocking with 600-grit sandpaper.

What Color Primer Should I Use?

Primers come in a variety of colors. While light grey is the most common, darker colors can be helpful when blocking as darker hues will demonstrate the straightness of the vehicle lines more clearly (i.e. black paint shows imperfections more easily than lighter colors). In addition, the primer color can effect the final color of the paint applied. Just like the problems encountered when painting a room where a lighter color is applied over a dark base coat and vice versa, more coats may be required to get the hue you want.

A tack rag will pick up any remaining debris left on the surface. Tire covers are great for keeping overspray off your high prices wheels. When possible, use a spare set of wheels and tires to keep the shiny ones out of harms way. Prime smaller areas to maintain control – four feet at a time. Make sure that every section is covered, too. When painting wheelwell openings, this means turning the gun and spraying up into the well edges and lips. Make sure that every section is covered which with wheelwell openings means turning your gun and spraying up into the well edges and lip. This panel sports fresh urethane primer. Three coats were applied before allowing the area to dry overnight and block in prep for paint.

The primer stage is a critical element in the painting process. Remember to keep your equipment clean, especially your spray gun, and filter all of your fluids to ensure that the spray gun nozzle stays clear. If it clogs, clean it with acetone and start over. During the primer process, it’s important to remain patient. Prevent runs or sags on the body by taking your time. Weather and temperature also play a key role in the amount of time the applied product will need to dry. If spraying in a booth, monitor the temperature carefully and apply the primer to the entire car in one setting. In most cases, three quarts to a gallon of primer will be needed to complete this process.

Note the clean and well-lit spray booth. It's critical to monitor the temperature in the booth as well as it will affect the amount of thinner and material used, drying times between coats and the final results. Here, master painter Mark Oja of Paul Gonzalez Custom Cars illustrates the proper painting technique on a panel. Note the proper use of safety suit and respirator. We'd also recommend gloves and goggles as well.

Each panel was primered and block sanded with 600-grit paper prior to painting. A table such as this is great to keep the parts from moving when painting. Covering the top of the table with masking paper will keep it from receiving extra layers of paint and primer in future paint efforts.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about paint or primer, a good source for answers is the Sherwin-Williams website and heading to the Troubleshooting link could solve everything.

This site provides a great source of info and even provides a glossary of terms should you get stuck understanding the information on the paint can. It’s even bi-lingual.

OK, you’ve sweat out the details and now it’s time to receive your reward. While it may seem like it’s taken forever, applying a fresh coat of paint is where the magic begins. But there’s nothing more frustrating than getting to the final step of the painting process, only to have something go awry.

The best insurance here, check with a professional should you have any questions. Additionally, shooting test panels and keeping your spray gun clean will also help ensure that the final result matches your vision.

The Color Basics

There have been countless kinds of paints applied to cars over the years. Today, the two-step acrylic enamel or urethane paints are preferred. Lacquer has been all but outlawed in most states so original Corvettes in OE lacquer are a thing of the past. But have no fear, the modern paint products are excellent and will give you better than OEM results. Finishing the paint process with a clear coat top coat will add durability to the paint surface and add to its depth.

You just can’t be too clean when you are about to paint. This panel was cleaned with soap and water and then grease and wax remover to eliminate blocking debris. A tack rag gently wiped over the surface is great, too. Complex pieces like this deck lid require compressed air to get out the last bits of water and dust. We used Sherwin-Williams Ultra 700 Red Metallic Urethane for this project. Chemicals and colors in the paints can become separated with time. There is a lot of material that floats to the bottom of the can, so make sure you stir it thoroughly and often. Filter the paint as it enters the paint gun reservoir. Note that this is a High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) gun. These guns are especially efficient and only require about 10 psi to operate. Paint filters are fairly standard but don’t forget to grab them when you pick up you paint.

Both acrylic enamels and urethane are applied similar to lacquer finishes but fewer coats are needed over those legendary 20 coat lacquer jobs you’ve probably heard of from old guys still crusty with overspray. This is because more paint is applied with each new-style paint coat because of the higher viscosity of the paint (usually a half to one part thinner to 1 part primer). In most cases it takes three coats of base color and three top coats of clear. The best bet is always to enlist to help of a local pro to supply some guidance here.

Gunning For You

If you’ve been napping for a few years, you probably missed out on the big change in spray guns. For the most part use of the old syphon spray guns, which required a high pressure lines, are not used. Actually they are not the preferred style of gun today for a variety of reasons, the least of which is the wrath of local pollution control officials who have outlawed their use.

The bottom side of the panel is painted with the base coat making sure to cover the edges. The entire panel will be painted with the base coats, top and bottom and then the top clear coats will be applied. Spray gun nozzles are adjustable (the inner fittings are changed) dependent on the paint being used. Ask your paint professional which one is right for your project. This is a 1.6 nozzle – for those who were wondering. Three coats of base color paint were applied and then three coats of clear. Note that we worked the panel from each side into the middle making sure to cover the edges. The gun should never be closer to the panel than 18-inches and can be tested before hand to make sure the pattern is appropriate. If the gun spits at any time, stop, clean out the nozzle with acetone, and start again. Avoid having the air hose or spray gun contact the wet painted panel or vehicle – or you will have to repair it by letting it dry and sanding out the flaw.

So what’s the alternative? HVLP guns are the most common spraers used today. In essence, instead of drawing paint from the bottle fitted below the spray gun system, the paint is gravity fed into the gun through a tank, which sits above the mechanism.

Before you start complaining about this new system, realize that these guns are far more efficient than the syphon spray guns. The new HVLP’s deliver as much as 80 percent of the product to the surface, yet require as little as 10 psi of line pressure to operate. Syphon guns often need 45-70 psi of line pressure but only apply about 40 percent of material. Regardless, a small compressor (minimum 5hp) is still considered minimum support for an HVLP spray gun.

Ready to Shoot?

As we’ve mentioned before, prep and safety are keys to achieving a great final product. Purchasing a cheap, albeit complete paint suit is a great way to keep paint and other toxic products off your skin and clothing. Wear a respirator with two air filters and some form of head covering with goggles. Keep your area clean and you’ll be rewarded with a great paint job. More importantly, you’ll create less work by keeping dust and dirt off of the painted surfaces. There are few things more frustrating than inspecting your work and finding one small flaw in an otherwise perfect panel. Keep it simple, be safe, and practice your technique. You’ll be glad you did!

We found a company that could meet all of our demands, and that company is Cervini’s Auto Design.

Cervini’s makes hoods for many popular applications, including our favorite – the Fox Body Mustang. They have a total of four different hood options for the Fox, depending on what you are looking for. These include a Ram Air Hood, the Stormin’ Norman Hood, a 2.5-inch cowl, and the one we went with – the 4-inch cowl.

We spoke with Jim Frie of Cervini’s Auto Design and asked him to tell us about their hoods. “Every hood we sell is 100% hand-laid fiberglass,” explained Frie. “This allows us to control things such as weight and design much better.”

Our hood measured out to thirty-one inches at the base of the cowl and twenty-seven inches at the top. This is going to give us plenty of room to fit the 427 cubic inch engine that we have lined up for this car (and any other monster size engine that we could dream of). It even has two large screen air vents in the back, which allow air to pass through, but keep external objects out of the engine compartment.

With all of this, the hood still only weighs about twenty-four pounds. Additionally, under hood temperatures have been known to drop when swapping out the stock hood with a cowl induction. As the heat rises, it can be flushed out the back of the hood, leaving the cold air to be picked up by the engine.

“We pride ourselves on making a product that is lighter and stronger than the OE version, but will fit just as well,” says Frie. Cervini’s designs their hoods to use the OE hood latch and arms, so you can still retain the hinged operation of your stock hood. However, you can special order a lift-off version (just like the type that racers use) that drops the weight down to eight pounds.

While Cervini’s hoods work with the OE latch system, we wanted to run hood pins on the front of our car. Therefore, we drilled two holes in the hood and welded two posts to the front of the chassis where the hood came down – it was very simple. We then lowered the hood one more time to check our fitment and it was still spot on.

All of Cervini’s hoods come 100% finished on the outside, but our car isn’t white so we needed a paint job. To that end, we turned to local paint and repair shop 1st Class Collision, in Murrieta, CA. They handled the job of scuffing, prepping and painting our car’s hood.

The team at 1st Class started out by lightly scuffing the surface of the hood. After only a few minutes, they were loading the hood up onto a hood stand and rolling it into the paint room.

It took two coats of primer, followed by three coats of paint, to get the job done.

One of the reasons we went with 1st Class is the fact that they are one of the first shops in California to adopt the new “waterborne” paint laws here in the state. While it may not seem like a big deal, some painters are struggling to adapt to the new paint and we didn’t want to have this hood painted twice.

Once the hood had dried, it was a quick drive back to the PowerTV garage where Project 666 eagerly awaited the arrival of its new hood. We attached the arms in the rear of the hood and lowered it down.

That’s it! Cervini’s hoods do not require any cutting or trimming in order to fit correctly. This is a major plus, as it saved us time while keeping the quality of the hood intact.

You can check out all of the different hoods that Cervini’s offers for the Fox Body Mustang (or any other car) by visiting their website, www.cervinis.com.