A day of detailing (some things never change)

[Jim Ratto]

With as much as the VW hot rod scene has stayed the same, it has changed an enormous amount too, hasn't it? In the beginning, kids had stock 1200cc's or maybe big bored 40HP's with some bigger carb, a bus distributor and some noisy pipe on it. The cars went better than they did from VW, but probably not much. As time went on, race-car tech got handed down to the street guys, engine cc's went up, one carb morphed into two, valves became saucer-sized and lifted further... and the cars began to really boogie. And now today we've got guys squashing 3.0 liter motors into these little cars. Things have come a long way.

But after hearing some stories from some of the guys that blasted-off the entire scene in the mid '60's, it seems the work of getting a car shined and spiffed on a Saturday is still the same old ritual. I remember talking to an old VW club guy back in the early 90's...about the hours he spent getting his BRM'd Panzer car ready for action on a Saturday night. He claimed he remove each wheel and buff the outside and inside rims with Brasso, taking about an hour plus per wheel. Then mount wheels back, wax car, clean glass....etc, (and by the time he was done, the BRM's were getting dull again).

Well, I can relate. Even at 16, just after first getting my '67, I can remember getting up early on a Saturday, getting out the wax, chrome polish, glass cleaner, newspaper, vacuum, wash-mop and soap and then backing my car into my parents' driveway for the day-long routine of Cleaning The Car. If a VW show was scheduled at Pleasanton or Baylands the next day, then the cleaning process would stretch into the evening. While I never had a set of fussy magnesium wheels to care for, I did spend hours polishing my chrome 5-lug rims to a mirror shine. Same with the blade bumpers....aluminum mufflers....chrome engine trinkets. The entire car would first get washed, rinsed then towel dried. While the last lingering water drops fell from the nooks and crannies, I'd vacuum the interior, then polish the glass with a mixture of Windex-and-white vinegar and newspaper (if you've never cleaned glass with newspaper....you're missing out... my dad taught me this as a kid and it not only cuts film, but also leaves a crystal clear sheen). Afterwards, I'd roll the car into the garage, and rub on the paste wax and let it dry to a powder. While it dried, the chrome bits would get rubbed and buffed, followed by the motor and the exhaust (I ran S&S Street Silencers, dual aluminum mufflers  ). Once wax dried, it would get buffed off with a terry-cloth towel that I "borrowed" from my mom's cabinet. Lastly, I'd go over every inch of the car with a clean towel, buffing away any leftover polish or wax. If a VW event was following the next day, the car got two coats of wax. I should have had arms of steel.
Interestingly, today, 21 years later, that same ritual hasn't changed much. The S&S mufflers are long gone, but much of the stuff I was waxing and buffing back in 1986 is still there. There's some different stuff to polish in the engine room nowadays (don't 48IDA air horns look awesome after you've polished the shit out of them?), and the wheels are "wipe clean" BRM-fakes, but it's cool to see the same old vent wings that have survived, the same old hood handle is still there, ....and how many times have wiped and re-wiped those windows, my hands going black with ink? I'm older now, but I still get the same kick out of cleaning my old rattle trap. Sure, it's fun (?) to screw in new big motors and stuff like that, but to me, nothing beats spending the better part of a day, cleaning the car. For one thing, NEEDING to clean it is a symptom of using the car. Scraping dead moths and flies from nose and windshield, picking rocks out of the tires, wiping the road grime off the traction bar, polishing away the yellow-gasoline tint in the Webers' stacks....it all comes from use. Secondly, all the polishing and so on gives you a chance to really "see" the car, see how it is put together, see where the dirt collects, see any new dings ( ), etc. And lastly, nothing beats parking the car, when you're finished, out in the sunset, pouring down a well-deserved cold beer and just looking at it glisten.

Jim Ratto

[Casey]

Holly crap Jim! I'm all empted up to wax it now! Any one have a completed car in Anaheim I can shine up.................and drive? It's been awhile for me.

[Rick Meredith]

Holly crap Jim! I'm all empted up to wax it now! Any one have a completed car in Anaheim I can shine up.................and drive? It's been awhile for me.

You can come down and polish my '26 in Lake Forest... there's not a lot of body so it'll be qucik... anything to help you out! 

[Casey]

Jim, I'm on the way man! Just need to grab the dish soap from under the sink. I'll just re-do it! I like to use my own wax anyway. Oh yeh, can you iron the apron with the babe on it please. I make a mean mac-n-cheese with little smokies.


Rick, thanks for the help. I never wax up anything older than a 32' though. Thanks anyway!





funny stuff! I'm crackin up.

[Rick Meredith]

 

 

[Jason Foster]

Great read. I too have a cleaning ritual after use and before any events. I also appreciate the small things that are EARNED from use such as rock chips on the apron and fenders the yellowing of the paint on the inside of the decklid from the IDA's getting the last bugs and road grime from every nook and cranny. Thanks for reinforcing for me I'm not the only nut climbing all over one of these little wonders keeping her all spiffy and clean. Jason Foster

[louisb]

Guess that is one of the advantages of having a car with a crappy paint job, if I wash it too much there won't be any paint left.     

--louis

[sheep]

I fell a sleep half way through, I tried to call Jim at work today, but it looks like he was too busy to pick up the phone

[Rennsurfer]

Good read, Jim. I'm sure many of us clean fanatics can relate. My Dad's cars always looked better than showroom new. He went through that same ritual every weekend, without fail. Unless we were on vacation. So, at the young age of six, he taught me how to detail every part of a car. I still clean peoples' cars on the side. For awhile, in the '80s, it I did it as my main source of income. Before the detail shops sprouted up everywhere. McNew and I did it before that. We made some good money, actually. It's therapy for me... I like to clean and I dig cars.

You're right... 'tis a great feeling and view, admiring one's work afterwards. Extra points if hoisting a Guinness or same gravity bier.

[Diederick/DVK]

now i really am gonna wash, wax and clean my car this weekend.

you make me feel bad!!!!!

[Bewitched666]

Nice story,i can relate to that too Jim.

We even took the tires off to clean the inside of the fenders and the inside of the rim,
Waxed the car and drove around for a few min to let it dry and then polish off.

Man those where the days,haha

[71CALRIPPER]

Wish i had the weather to be outside washing the car ! Bloody cold , my hand would end up freezing to the body ! 

[Germanlkmanx]

I couldn't agree more. I LOVE cleaning my cars, incredibly satisfying, although I always end up trying to find a reason to stay outside with it just so I can look at it some more.

tom.

[Jim Ratto]

Glad you guys see the shine like I do! What do your "rituals" consist of?

 

[Sarge]

Nice post, Jim!  Here's an interesting link from Mothers...

http://www.detailguide.com/

[Rick Meredith]

Glad you guys see the shine like I do! What do your "rituals" consist of?

 

Drinking beer until the urge to clean my car goes away 

[Carlos De Alba]

Glad you guys see the shine like I do! What do your "rituals" consist of?

 

1. Open Garage
2. Grab a chair
3. Open beer
4. Smoke a Marlboro light
5. Open another beer
6. Find cleanning products
7. Smoke another Marlboro light
8. Open another beer
9. Close the garage.........fuck it.........I'll do it after a nap.......

 

[Rennsurfer]

Drinking beer until the urge to clean my car goes away 

Tag, you're it. Oh yeah... CLEAN YER CAR, Rick.   

[Donny B.]

For me I was just happy that I finally had something worth detailing.  Now I have to get that front fender fixed....

[j-f]

I like clean a car. 
I clean my bug last sunday for the first time since months.
It collected dust in my garage since october.
That's always a great time when you first ride it, clean it and enjoy it again after winter time.
I've find a great wax. It's turtle wax hot wax. I first clean it with shampoo than wit turtle hot wax.
I live in the country so roads are very often dirty. Farmers put a lots of dirt everywhere, anytime. It''s difficult to keep a car always clean. But when car show time arrive, I really love take time to clean it deeply, polish it, etc...

[Rennsurfer]

Good looking car you've got there, J-F.

[nicolas]

thanks Jim. my girlfriend just read the post and now she wants me to clean the house  

she thinks your a freak and if you like to clean so much why don't you clean the house instead???

nice one Jim. just make sure your girlfriend doesn't read it.

[Rick Meredith]

just make sure your girlfriend doesn't read it.

Or your wife! 

[speedwell]

Glad you guys see the shine like I do! What do your "rituals" consist of?

 

1. Open Garage
2. Grab a chair
3. Open beer
4. Smoke a Marlboro light
5. Open another beer
6. Find cleanning products
7. Smoke another Marlboro light
8. Open another beer
9. Close the garage.........fuck it.........I'll do it after a nap.......

 

what a lot of work carlos after that you're tired .......................................................
rgd
fzbs

[Carlos De Alba]

   

[Jim Ratto]

Nice post, Jim!  Here's an interesting link from Mothers...

http://www.detailguide.com/

Hi Sarge, you know a bit about waxing your ride, now don't you? Can you share some stories of detailing your old 1963?

[j-f]

Good looking car you've got there, J-F.

Thank you 
This is my first Bug. I own it since 4 years. In fact, I just realize that I bought it 02/14/2004! 

[javabug]

I used to love spending hours on a Saturday cleaning my car...now I hate it!!!  Of course, I haven't had a shiny car in a while.

she thinks your a freak and if you like to clean so much why don't you clean the house instead???

Probably because as soon as you're done, the wife doesn't come along and make it a mess again!!!   

[Jim Ratto]

thanks Jim. my girlfriend just read the post and now she wants me to clean the house  

she thinks your a freak and if you like to clean so much why don't you clean the house instead???

nice one Jim. just make sure your girlfriend doesn't read it.

hey nicolas, big surprise....I do help clean the house too!

[Zach Gomulka]

Can't say I relate so much!!

Before my GTV, I never had a VW with nice paint, worthy of regular maintainence. I always kept my cars clean, but they were still ugly! As for my GTV, I try to not get too bothered with it. I keep the car pretty tidy, I washed it last November (before the last show) and Ill do it again today (only because there is a show tomorrow!). I like to spend my time driving the car rather than cleaning it I only rub the paint out about once a year, and everytime rub on the original paint, a little more comes off, and little pieces of EMPI decals come with it So I keep it clean, but not hospital clean