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Wax stripping and removal

Brosky

Great Pumpkin
Offline
I had great weather yesterday and decided that I better take advantage of being able to use a water hose outside to strip or remove all of the wax on my TR6. I recently started using the Griot line of products and I think that they are great. I had several other waxes on the car from the past and decided that a winter project would be to remove them all and re-polish and wax the car for spring.

I used their Paint Prep as a remover and it worked extremely well in removing all of the old wax. I had a lot on the car, so I had to work to get through the layers, but now I have a true clean finish to start with. You have to work in sections, starting from the top and work it into the old wax, almost like you are waxing the car again, then flush off with a lot of clean water. You can see the surfaces where the water stops beading and just lays there, flat on the paint. Nitrile gloves are a must per their instructions, but I didn't notice any issues where I splashed bare arms.

I got it all done and hosed down while it was in the low 60's and it's now in the garage waiting for me to start the polishing and then waxing as soon as I have the time.

A side benefit of all of this was that I had a new windshield installed when the car was repainted back in 2008. It never seemed to want to be streak free or clean properly. I have tried everything, including Ditzler Body Wash to clean it and it just never seemed right. I washed it down with the Paint Prep as well, just in case anything was on it and after to [censored] of regular glass cleaner, it is now truly "clear as glass".
 

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Looks great already!
 
Thanks John, but the paint is only three years old, so it should. I just wanted to get everything off and get some good hard Carnuba on it for the summer driving season. This will give me something to do if and when we eventually get those cold, snowy weekend afternoons.
 
Anytime you want to strip a car of wax,

Just wash it with dishwashing detergent,
use a clay bar on it.

Then use a good carnauba wax.
 
Dave, I tried that and it didn't come off. I've been detailing cars since the late 60's when I worked in dealerships and I even tried the old style Prep-Sol. This worked well and left the finish ready for the clay bar treatment.
 
"Find out what you like, and use it often"

When the wax is on in thick layers, I get my eyebrows moving.
Thick is not always better, maybe try a little less next time

Google for Collinite Insulator Wax. Full of Carnuba stays on at least 6 month

Hans
 
Hans, Collinite was an excellent wax that we used at the dealer where I worked back in the 70's. It made dark colored cars look great. I haven't seen it around these parts in a long time.

I finally finished the project with 3 coats of Carnuba, all buffed in one at at time, applied very thin and worked into the paint well with a random orbital buffer. These were stacked, one on top of the other, without removing the first or second coats and giving them 24 hours to dry in between each layer.

Thin is the trick, as the final coat came off very easily and will last a long time.
 
Hey Paul You got lots of garrots stuff, I tried some of their things and thought McGuires stuff was just as good and I could get it in the local auto shop.

the glass polish I thought was good

Hondo
 
Yes, I like it a lot. I now have everything that I need for the Triumphs and the daily drivers. I'll take a big box of older waxes and cleaners to my brother in law and let him have what I didn't use.

Prior to getting the Griots products, I used Meguairs and Mothers and felt they were both very good products.
 
I just haven't bothered to look for it after I found that I liked the Griot line better. It is a good product, but I prefer the Griot waxes and polishes.
 
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