speedfreak81
New member
What a magnificent machine! This car came to me from a previous client, in an enclosed transport after he picked it up in Connecticut. He also owned a matte black C63 AMG Black Series that I did a bunch of work on; and requested I prep the McLaren. Apparently this was a McLaren press/show car used at various events, but the dealer was having trouble selling it due to the "loud" McLaren Orange color? Personally, I LOVE the color, and it carries a lot of heritage from McLaren racing.
Typical of exotics, I saw a lot of factory paint defects, due in large part to the hand finishing of the body panels. Rotary buffing marks, swirls, and machine sanding marks were abundant especially on the lower portions of the quarter panels. I saw the same machine sanding marks on the Carrera GT I did a while back, luckily the Mclaren paint was soft enough that the defects could be compounded out.
The client gave me free reign to take whatever measures necessary to get this beast looking perfect. The front end was already treated to Xpel Ultimate paint protection film prior to it's arrival, so no corrective work was required on that end. The MP4 also got a custom hardwired Beltronics 9500 radar/laser system, and body color paint matched brake calipers courtesy of Chris & Mike @ CAS Design. After everything was complete I locked the finish in with Opti Coat Professional on the exterior surfaces as well as the wheels.
Products used:
Wheels removed, cleaned & prepped, and coated

DSC_0777 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0778 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Color matched calipers freshly painted by Chris @ CAS Design

calipers by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Driver's side door after compound

DSC_0799 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0796 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0798 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0794 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0793 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Roof after compound

DSC_0801 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Driver's side quarter panel showcasing machine sanding marks left behind from the factory

DSC_0788 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0786 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0787 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
After compound, sanding marks are removed

DSC_0790 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0789 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Scratching on the rear of the car

DSC_0807 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0810 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
After compound

DSC_0811 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Engine cover and wing after compound

DSC_0805 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0802 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
More sanding marks on passenger quarter panel

DSC_0806 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0814 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0813 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
After compound

DSC_0816 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0815 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Passenger door after compound

DSC_0821 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0820 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Shots post correction, car still on jackstands while the radar install was being completed

DSC_0933 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0877 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0881 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0880 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0879 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0883 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0884 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0887 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0889 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0888 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0891 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0890 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0895 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0897 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0902 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0903 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0931 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0929 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0912 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0914 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0915 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0924 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
After Chris and Mike buttoned everything back up the custom mounted display and power switch are displayed. Very stealth!

radar1 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Mike snapped a few pictures outside after everything was buttoned up

M3K_8217 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

M3K_8232 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

M3K_8261 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Thanks for looking!
-Brian
Typical of exotics, I saw a lot of factory paint defects, due in large part to the hand finishing of the body panels. Rotary buffing marks, swirls, and machine sanding marks were abundant especially on the lower portions of the quarter panels. I saw the same machine sanding marks on the Carrera GT I did a while back, luckily the Mclaren paint was soft enough that the defects could be compounded out.
The client gave me free reign to take whatever measures necessary to get this beast looking perfect. The front end was already treated to Xpel Ultimate paint protection film prior to it's arrival, so no corrective work was required on that end. The MP4 also got a custom hardwired Beltronics 9500 radar/laser system, and body color paint matched brake calipers courtesy of Chris & Mike @ CAS Design. After everything was complete I locked the finish in with Opti Coat Professional on the exterior surfaces as well as the wheels.
Products used:
- Sonax Full Effect wheel cleaner
- ZEP citrus degreaser
- CG Citrus Wash
- Pinnacle Speed Clay
- DoDo Juice Born Slippery clay lube
- M105 on LC PFW pad via FLEX 3401
- Pinnacle Advanced finishing polish on LC CCS White pad via FLEX 3401
- Menzerna SF4500 on LC CCS Grey pad via FLEX 3401
- Sonax glass cleaner
- Adam's Super VRT tire dressing
- Opti Coat Professional coating
Wheels removed, cleaned & prepped, and coated

DSC_0777 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0778 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Color matched calipers freshly painted by Chris @ CAS Design

calipers by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Driver's side door after compound

DSC_0799 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0796 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0798 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0794 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0793 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Roof after compound

DSC_0801 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Driver's side quarter panel showcasing machine sanding marks left behind from the factory

DSC_0788 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0786 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0787 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
After compound, sanding marks are removed

DSC_0790 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0789 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Scratching on the rear of the car

DSC_0807 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0810 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
After compound

DSC_0811 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Engine cover and wing after compound

DSC_0805 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0802 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
More sanding marks on passenger quarter panel

DSC_0806 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0814 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0813 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
After compound

DSC_0816 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0815 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Passenger door after compound

DSC_0821 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0820 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Shots post correction, car still on jackstands while the radar install was being completed

DSC_0933 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0877 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0881 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0880 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0879 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0883 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0884 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0887 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0889 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0888 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0891 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0890 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0895 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0897 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0902 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0903 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0931 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0929 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0912 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0914 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0915 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

DSC_0924 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
After Chris and Mike buttoned everything back up the custom mounted display and power switch are displayed. Very stealth!

radar1 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Mike snapped a few pictures outside after everything was buttoned up

M3K_8217 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

M3K_8232 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr

M3K_8261 by SpeedFreak81, on Flickr
Thanks for looking!
-Brian