'07 Dodge Ram 2500- AIO exterior only

Dellinger

Dellinger

New member
It was a BIG truck, in various ways, but the customer was wanting something 'small' package wise.  


 


Budget and time constraints were both key factors (as they usually are) in moving forward with a AIO product.  For the record, I know AIOs are not well received (for many worthwhile reasons) but I try to thoroughly understand my customer's fundamental concerns and provide them with options that I am comfortable selling and that they are comfortable purchasing.  


 


And I can't sit here and say I can 'afford' to overlook these type of projects... my business is young and I have to find a way to keep profitable and keep busy while producing an end result that I am happy to have my name attached to.


 


Anyway, the customer (original owner) plainly stated that the truck had been washed ONCE per year.  Never waxed.  He had it detailed by a local production shop twice.  


 


There were some swirls present over the length of the truck but nothing crazy.  The hood had some light buffer trails.  My main concern were the bonded tar/sap/stuff.  


 


In the end...really happy with the results rendered by HD Speed.  Excellent product, user friendly, great work time, wipe off is stupid good.  On the business side of things... I nailed my estimated time and nailed my combo.  For the first time... I felt 'great' about the after shots.  Small victories!  Small victories.


 


<u>Process:</u>


 


Wash-  I completed 3 washes total... one at the onset, a second after the 'bath' of Stoner's Tarminator, and a third after the claying process


Meg's Hyper Wash 1oz per 4 gallons + Dawn 1oz per 4 gallons 


Meg's APC 4:1


 


 


Decon- Referring back to the wash process... I originally tried claying after the first wash but that was a non-starter... after claying a small section, it was as if I had dropped the clay on the ground.  I knew I would just end up scratching the truck if I continued on... so I just emptied an entier can of Tarminator on all the vertical panels.  Those 37" tires just sling all sorts of crap all the way down the length of the truck... especially with no fender guards.


 


Meg's Detail Medium Clay


Meg's Final Touch 1:1


Stoner's Tarminator


Goof off


 


Wheels/Tires-


Meg's Wheel/Tire Cleaner


Meg's Wheel Brightner


Iron-X


Meg's All-Season Dressing


 


Polishing-


HD Speed/ 5.5"Pink LC CCS pad/ Rupes 21


HD Speed/ 3" Orange LC pad/ HF D/A- for the small areas


 


 


 
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Truck upon arrival...
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7918 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7936 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7940 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7934 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Swirling indicative of entire exterior
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7923 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">The bonded tar protruding, in this photo, from the clear is actually covered in dirt... they appear 'beige' to a large degree
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7922 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Again, what I was dealing with regarding bonded filth..
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7925 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Wheels are just about done... the neglect of needed maintenance has pitted and caused the chrome to separate from the substrate.  Tires were a silicone nightmare...brown bloom was present after three tires scrubbings with various chemicals...
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7920 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7921 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Trim was a wreck as well... you can see the dirt the tires sling up on the side mirror
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7929 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7930 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Buffer trails on the hood....faint but visible to the 1- 2 o'clock and middle of picture
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7927 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">They prove hard to photograph... along with some marring
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7928 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Typical condition of panels... nothing crazy
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7944 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Some 50/50s... if you look to the 12 o'clock in the middle of the lamp... you'll see the light swirling.  I ended up wiping down this area with a heavy soak of Car Pro Eraser to note any filling... if it was happening, I couldn't notice it.  I think the combo employed really leveled the light swirling.  However, there were some deep scratches around the truck that the HD Speed didn't touch.
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7942 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7949 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Finished...
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7951 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7966 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7967 by
<p style="text-align:center;">GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"> IMG_7965 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7963 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7953 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7954 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7950 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">It was a medium cloudy day... as soon as I would have the right settings...the sun would re-appear or dissapear...tried my best to get a sun shot but all the final photos were not how I wanted and I was pressed for time.  
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<p style="text-align:center;">IMG_7957 by GabeDellinger, on Flickr
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<p style="text-align:center;">Thank you for reading.  Good/ Bad comments all welcome!
<p style="text-align:center;">-Gabe
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Hi Gabe,


Nice work on that beast! I just don't understand why people invest that much money in a vehicle then neglect it?

I guess it could be worse...he coulda had a cap on it for you to work on too...LOL!
 
Great Job!


 


it's a brand new finish..  what tools did you use to polish/correct the paint inside/between the vehicle lettering? 
 
fdresq4 said:
Hi Gabe,


Nice work on that beast! I just don't understand why people invest that much money in a vehicle then neglect it?

I guess it could be worse...he coulda had a cap on it for you to work on too...LOL!
Click to expand...


 


Steve, thank you for your compliment!


 


Yes, I don't understand the rational either but I guess we can only chalk-it up to-  'to each, his own.'


 
becciasm said:
Great Job!


 


it's a brand new finish..  what tools did you use to polish/correct the paint inside/between the vehicle lettering? 
Click to expand...


B-


Thank you! 


 


Honestly, I'm still kind of figuring out different methods for tackling emblems/badging.  I implemented some hand polishing along with machine polishing on this job.  3" pads on a tradition D/A help... I load the pad sides with prodcut (usually a finishing polish) to thoroughly clean the 'sides' of the emblems and light pressure when moving over them.  I will utilizing some 'detail sticks' with the foam ends to polish what I can effectively reach with a machine or other media.   Also, if necessary a MF towel or hand pad can be implemented.  Most of the time it just typical problem solving with what 'will fit' and give the results I'm after.  A paint cleaner type product can be useful here as well...especially on the 'insides' of lettering.


 
M-D said:
Great job!
Click to expand...


I appreciate, Eric!
 
Wow wow wow....looks great, especially for using an AIO. I totally agree on Speed. Its an awesome product. I can't believe the turn around on the wheels
 
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