so i can build engines and twin turbo 350zs on standalone EMS and custom everything...

but i have no idea how to keep my black Z from looking like total ****. most locals could probably vouche for me that while my Z is FSTASFQ, it typically looks something Mad Max and like I just got back from a rally race.

I have had other people detail for me and on customers cars in the past, but I need to know how to do this myself.

I am considering going to route of Zaino? Or what?

A: How do I wash a very dirty Z without scratching and swirling the paint? What products do you recommend?

B: How do I "clay bar?" it to get the paint the cleanest? Products?

C: What do I need to do to get it to shine the BEST and hide the swirls/scratches the best I possibly can?

D: I am very worried that during every procedure applied I am just scratching it with dirt and crap.

So say my Z is super dirty right now (cause it is)... what would you do to take it from super dirty to very clean to the best shine it can produce? Then once you got it there, how would you maintain that? My car is raced a lot and gets very dirty.

Any help or guidance is appreciated. Feel free to just dump me off a link to some site that goes over all this.

Thanks

 

when you hand wash it, when dirt gets on your microfiber rag, rinse it immed, or get another rag. all those dirt particles act as sandpaper on our cheapass paint.
i use "product x" to fillin swirls. doesn't last long, but fills swirls well.
use blower and microfiber towels to dry your z.
all the above tips i got from searching this site.

 

check out autopia-carcare.com and properautocare.com. they both have some excellent articles about paint care.

 

+1 on the autopia suggestion. Go to http://www.autopia.org/, poke around the forums, and download the free e-book. It'll tell you (almost) everything you need to know.

 

+2 on the Autopia Guide to Detailing e-book.

You can also find a pretty good tutorial done by Flynnibus at:
http://crackaddict.com/~flynn/howtos/washhowto.htm