First of all, I would highly recommend a PC buffer. Maybe you don't need it right now, but, unless you garage the car and only use it on nice days, you will. Anyway, if you're working by hand, I think you need stuff that's easy to work with and fills any flaws you can't remove without a machine. I would go for Poorboys pro polish to prep the surface, followed by 3M Imperial Hand Glaze to fill the flaws, followed by Poorboys EX for a long-lasting carnuba shine. Stock up on plenty of microfiber towels and don't skimp on the quality of the car wash soap. Megs Gold Class is nice and slippery. Again, I can't begin to tell you the difference you will see in your work with a PC, especially as the car starts to age. I guess it is possible to achieve a showcar finish by hand - certainly people have done it for years, but man, you want to spend some time driving that car, don't you?