How to detail a 2014 Corvette Stingray
 

Here's a great write up by the legendary Mike Phillips at the Autogeek Show Car Garage. He is using the new Pinnacle Black Label Products on this beautiful 2014 Corvette Stingray. Enjoy :)

How to detail a 2014 Corvette Stingray


Actually, how to coat a new Corvette Stingray. Most people outside the forum world don't know what a paint coating is. They do understand what a car wax or synthetic paint sealant is but not a paint coating.


Process

Step 1: Wash and dry car or wipe car clean
The owner washed his Corvette the night before and then next morning drove it to Autogeek. During the 3 hour trip to Stuart, Florida he hit a few showers and wet areas of the highway so after moving the Stingray into the garage we wiped it down using Detailer's Waterless Autowash.


Step 2: Inspect paint for swirls
For this we used the new Flex Swirl Finder Light. This Corvette is brand new and has been carefully hand washed by the owner using products purchased at Autogeek. There were no visible swirls or scratches in the finish.


Step 3: Inspect for above surface bonded contaminants
For this we first inspect using our clean, bare hand and felt no contamination. Next we used the Baggie Test and even with the baggie test we only felt nominal and sporadic contaminants. Not enough to justify claying or some other mechanical means of decontaminating.


Step 4: Chemically clean and polish paint to prep it for a coating
I used the Black Label Surface Cleansing Lotion on all the paint, hard smooth plastic and glass. Product was applied to the entire car at one time using a 5.5" Lake Country Black Flat Pad on the 5 speed setting of a Porter Cable 7424XP.


Step 5: Hand apply Black Label Diamond Paint Coating
For this step we wore black nitrile gloves and applied the coating using Lake Country Coating Applicators. We applied to all body panels at one time.


Step 6: Hand apply Black Label Diamond Glass Coating
For this I used round foam applicator pad.


Step 7: Hand applied Black Label Diamond Wheel Coating
For this we used the Gold Wax Finger Pockets.


Step 8: Removed coatings
After applying the last coating, (wheel coating), we carefully and methodically wiped the coatings off following our path of travel used to apply the coatings. That is start wiping off first where we applied first.



Here's a few pictures from this project...


Taping off Trim
There's some coarse or rough textured plastic trim pieces on the car as well as a few rubber gaskets that I would recommend covering with painter's tape to prevent staining them with any type of compound or polish.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_004.jpg



Prep paint for coating
Here you can see the residue covering the car everywhere the Surface Cleansing Lotion was applied by machine. For a few of the tight ares like the fresh air intake louvers on the hood, around the tail lights in the back and the vent areas on the sides of the car.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_007.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_008.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_009.jpg



After pictures...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_012.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_013.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_014.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_015.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_016.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_017.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_018.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_019.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_020.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_021.jpg



Wheels & Tires
Wheels are coated with Black Label Diamond Wheel Coating. Tires have three applications of TUF Shine Tire Clearcoat.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_022.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_023.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...ingray_024.jpg



:)

Thanks to Mike Phillips for the great write up and thanks for looking :D

Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Coatings

I think this could work..that corvette looked stunningly shining..loved the gloss. I think i gotta buy one of these.

Haven't seen a 2014 in person yet so was wondering what level of orange peel exists in the factory paint?

The gloss is amazing :D. I think you should definitely buy one of these bad boys.

If I had to rate the orange peel between low/medium/high: I would say the amount of orange peel was average (medium). Definitely not orange peel free but nothing that would make you want to cut and buff the car. Factory paint meets my approval :)

I guess my standards are higher than yours then. When I spend $70K+ for a car, the orange peel should be very minor to non-existent.