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OCD Insights

Delve into the inner workings of OCD and discover more about what we do and how we do it.
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2002 Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa

14/2/2017

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Our client brought their vehicle to OCD to restore the paintwork, wheels, interior & exterior trims and underguards after purchase. Our client’s instructions were to restore this vehicle to as pristine condition as we could; factory fresh if possible. This is the type of challenge we relish! 
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​Paintwork Analysis

​We commenced the work with an initial wash-down and decontamination to see what we were working with. We started with the paintwork; as is often the case, we are unable to view the true condition of the paintwork until we strip all waxes, sealants and contamination.
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Our paint depth analysis indicated the vehicle had undergone a front-end respray, which is not uncommon with used vehicles of this vintage. This is often a chosen way to remove stone chips and leave a factory finish; however the depth readings will be different to original panels that have not undergone respray.
 
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​After we washed and stripped any wax or sealant from the surface of the vehicle, it was evident there was significant swirls, scratches and marring on the paintwork even before our decontamination. We decontaminated the paintwork & glass with our claybars. This left a smooth paint surface ready for machine cutting. 
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After decontamination we commenced the first of the machine steps; the cut. We commence with a test spot using a light pad/compound to start, gradually working our way heaving as required. We are firm believers of not cutting heavily unless required (i.e. from heavy swirls or extra hard clear coat). Retaining as much of the original clear coat or single stage paintwork as possible is our goal. 

This particular vehicle was quite heavily marred, and the resulting combination that proved most effective included a heavy compound with a medium cut pad.

​In the following shots, the bonnet is machine cut as a comparison to the untouched guards and bumper. 
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​Wheels & Underguards


​We moved the vehicle to our hoist to remove the wheels for a proper inspection and detail. This allows us to detail the wheel barrels properly, as well provide unrestricted access to the underguards.

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The wheels are taken outside for decontamination and iron residue removal in preparation for ceramic coating. The paintwork is in good condition on the wheels, these will not require repair. 
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Interior Trim Restoration


The interior of this vehicle was in a similar condition to the exterior, showing a high level of wear and damage to the touch surfaces and leather. 
​As is often the case with such full restorations, we will employ a specialist for trim repair in conjunction with our detailing expertise. Our specialists can plastic weld, repair and re-dye leather, plastics and other interior trim panels. 

Once the interior repair was complete, we applied our Gyeon Full Interior coating to help reduce dye transfer, and add protection to the floor mats and carpets. 
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​Engine Bay Detail


We performed a full detail on the engine to remove the years of grime & restore a deep finish to the plastics & components. Our process includes a snow foam, taking extra precautions to cover and protect any electronics. We then air dry and perfom a brush clean, before finishing the plastics with non-greasy protectant.
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Coating & Finishing Touches


​We completed this Maserati Spyder with Gyeon MOHS+ ceramic coating, protecting the paintwork and providing an unbeatable depth and shine. We refitted the wheels and performed a final inside-out detail before presentation to our client. 
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BMW E30 "318i"

7/11/2016

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Overview and Initial Analysis

Our client brought us his project e30; in true 'sleeper' form, Hello Kitty seat covers & all! Upon initial inspection, the paintwork showed heavy oxidisation and marring, and the exterior trims were badly faded and worn. There were obvious signs of surface rust developing in chips across much of the body, that will require attention. 
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Initial Wash & Decontamination


After washdown, we inspected the vehicle for areas we need to address. The exterior surfaces were rough to the touch, and required a heavy claybar to remove much of the contamination. Many of the panels also had stonechips that had started developing rust. We used our rust extraction formula to cleanse these areas ready to fill with paint. 
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Paintwork Restoration 

With the rust and contamination addressed & removed, the next step was to restore the paintwork. Our client had chosen a Stage 3 Light Restoration, which involves a single step polish of the painted surfaces. This package removes many of the light swirls, oxidisation and marks in the paint, however deeper marks will remain.

The vehicle showed considerable oxidisation, which is to be expected for this vintage of single stage paintwork. 
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With a few sets we're starting to see a fair amount of difference. There is much more clarity in the paintwork, and the 'yellowing' so typical of single-stage oxidisation is no longer present.
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Secondary Wash | Paint Touch Ups | Finals

Once the paintwork was polished, we snow-foamed and air-dried the vehicle. We undertake this step in all our polishing packages as best practice; there is simply no better way to remove the dust generated from machine polishing. The last thing we want after spending days on a car is to have dust and polishing residue left over in the crevices! 

Before wax application we paint-matched and applied touch up to the stone chips. This both helps prevent future rusting and takes your eye off the obvious stone chip in the paintwork. 

Some before/after comparison photos:
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Finished Product

Once we had let the wax cure & removed the residue, we treated the bumpers & black trim to a restoration, detailed the interior & exterior glass & performed our final checks. We're pleased to say we have one happy client! 
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Harley Davidson Sportster

4/11/2016

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Introduction and Analysis

Our client brought us this well-ridden black Harley Davidson Sportster for a Full Restoration to remove the swirls & marks on the paintwork and restore the chrome trim. Upon initial inspection it is clear there is considerable tar and contamination on the paintwork and chrome, typical of a vehicle of this vintage. The chrome trim shows wear in the form of swirls and light marks, and the painted surfaces are heavily marred. 
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Preliminary Wash & Decontamination

We covered the exposed trims and elements, and undertook a snow-foam pre-wash to prepare the bike for our decontamination and machine polish. We used a 'mini' lambs-wool mitt to clean the hard-to-reach spaces such as the frame rails, guards and around the suspension components. 
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Chrome Preparation & Polish 

Following decontamination, we undertook our machine polish of the chrome trims to bring up the shine and remove the marring. The final finish showed much more reflection from the trims. 
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Paintwork Restoration

Moving onto the painted parts of the bike, we were presented with quite a challenge. To effectively machine cut & polish the tank and fenders, we needed to remove trim. This gave us a good opportunity to detail individual parts of the bike separated from the frame, and reach much of the painted surfaces of the bike.

Our client opted for a Stage 4, which includes a full cut & polish as two individual steps. This allows us the opportunity to perform a heavy first stage that removes deeper marks, but often leaves cutting marks on the paintwork. These are removed by our separate step, the machine polish. For clients that opt for our Stage 5 Concours Package, we add an additional step involving a hand-refine of the cut & polished paintwork. 
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Finished Result

After our secondary snow foam and pressure wash, we air-dried the bike and applied a high-gloss canauba show wax before taking our final shoot. 
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VW Golf Mk1 GTi Cabriolet

14/10/2016

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The owner of this rare VW Golf Mk1 Cabriolet brought his vehicle to OCD for a Stage 3 Light Restoration Package to remove the fading, light swirls and scratches in his paintwork and remove the grime from the interior. 
Wash down & Initial Inspection

We firstly decontaminated the entire vehicle to see what we are working with. The painted surfaces showed heavy marring, with the upper surfaces also oxidised and badly faded. 
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The paintwork showed considerable signs of age and UV damage, especially on the upper surfaces of the roof & windscreen surround. ​This was displayed as cloudy reflections, typical of single-stage paint with heavy oxidisation. 
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Paintwork Analysis

We performed a paint depth analysis on this vehicle as different panels had clearly been resprayed. This service will identify flaws in the paintwork, history, general condition & depth of each ferrous ​panel. 
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Paint Correction

With each of our polishing packages (Stage 3, 4 and 5) we mask all trims to ensure they are protected from the polishing steps. We undertook our safe process with our Rupes polishing systems. 
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The results of our efforts were almost immediately obvious. The oxidisation was almost completely removed from two sets.
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Finals

After identifying the most effective pad/product combination, we completed the machine polish, performed our second wash down and applied our high gloss carnauba wax. 

We then perfomed a special photoshoot for our client.
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Zero Engineering Type 9

13/9/2016

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Our client brought us his custom Zero Engineering motorbike on a trailer for a full restoration and ceramic coating. We prepared and coated this amazing piece of machinery over a few days at OCD. Join us for the process!
Initial Inspection & Analysis

This is a 2014-model, and it displayed signs of contamination and swirls on the paintwork. The chrome parts were water-spotted and required attention. The custom suspension (both front and rear) showed road grime & light contamination, some possibly from the trip to Auckland on a trailer. 
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First Wash & Decontamination

We performed the first wash to remove the grime from the trip up & see what we are working with. There were signs of swirls on the painted surfaces and many of the waterspots on the chrome required further attention in the form of polishing. The vehicle is masked in preparation for machine polishing to protect all the trims. Trims are also removed where applicable. 
Machine Polish

We undertook a machine cut & polish to remove swirls on the painted panels (fenders, petrol tank). We also machine polished all the chrome trims. Specialist machinery is a must to get into the smaller areas, and our iBrid Nano polishing machine was well utilised! 
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Secondary Wash & Air Dry

We prepare & snowfoam the vehicle for a second time to remove the dust and residue from polishing. All water-sensitive areas are protected prior to wash. We dry the vehicle with our air blower to ensure all water is removed and no swirls are added to the freshly-polished paintwork.
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Preparation & Ceramic Coating

With all vehicles we coat, preparation is key. Ceramic coatings do not fill swirls or imperfections in paintwork, so it is imperative these are removed prior to the coating being applied. We prepared the painted surface and applied Gyeon Mohs+ with Phobic, before curing under our specialist UV lamps. Curing is equally as important as preparation; proper curing enables ceramic coatings to become the most durable and last the longest. For a protective coating this is very important. 
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Final Result
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Porsche 997 Carrera 2S Cabriolet

15/8/2016

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Introduction

This 997 C2S is a recent acquisition for our client, and one with a special connection to OCD. We were privileged to be involved in the pre-purchase process, with our client asking us to review the vehicle prior to his purchase and identify any areas of concern.
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We recommended and organised a front respray to remove the stone chips & imperfections on the front end, to be carried out immediately following purchase.

4 weeks following completion of the panel-work, the paint is sufficiently cured for us to safely polish and coat. We organised for the vehicle to be delivered to OCD to commence our work. 
Initial Analysis and Inspection
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Aside from the freshly-painted front end, the remainder of the paintwork showed signs of age, such as swirls, contamination and deeper marks. The paintwork was quite hazy, and did not show much depth.
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​Wash Down & Decontamination

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The first step for any detailing process is to comprehensively wash & decontaminate the paintwork, wheels & underguards. This shows us properly what we are working with, and allows us to make a proper recommendation for the best steps to take. 

In this instance, the paintwork showed signs of age, wear & tear. There is a high amount of road grime & gravel evident under the guards & on the suspension arms. We recommended the client undertake a wheels-off underguard detail. 


​Removing the wheels is the first step to any underguard detailing or wheel coating.
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​There was a fair amount of gravel under the guards as suspected!

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After much decontaminating, we applied protectant to the plastic guard lining & hand polished the brake calipers. 
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Wheel Preparation & Coating

To apply ceramic coating to the wheel faces & barrels, they must be carefully prepared. We decontaminated each wheel with Dragon's Breath to remove the caked brake dust, then removed the tar and adhesive residue from wheel weights.

Ceramic coating is then applied and the wheels are cured under dedicated UV lamps to ensure full coating hardness and longevity.
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Paint Correction

With the paintwork decontaminated, underguards protected and wheels coated, the next step is to correct the paintwork and prepare for ceramic coating. This involves a full machine cut & polish to remove scratches and swirls and restore depth and shine to the painted surfaces. The vehicle is masked and any protruding trims protected or removed. 
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Secondary Wash & Ceramic Coating

With the paintwork cut & polished and starting to show depth, the next step is secondary snow foam & air dry in preparation for ceramic coating. Our client also opted for an engine bay detail, which helped remove the polishing dust.

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Finished Product

With the ceramic coating cured under our UV lamps overnight and a bright sunny morning, we were able to take the finished product for a photoshoot in some of our favourite spots before delivering to our client. 

Fully coated with Gyeon Mohs+ Ceramic Coating, Gyeon Interior products, and Gyeon Rim on the wheels; this is one magnificent 997 C2S.
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2015 Moto Guzzi

4/8/2016

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Introduction and initial analysis

Our client brought us in this awesome late-model Moto Guzzi California for a light restoration package to remove the swirls from the paintwork, restore the chrome and protect the plastic trims. Upon initial analysis we discovered heavy swirls and contamination on the painted areas, namely the fuel tank, front and rear mud guards & side fenders. 
We recommended our next-step package, the Stage 4, to remove heavier swirls & scratches and restore a better overall finish to the motorbike.
The exhaust showed signs of heavy contamination, swirls and scratches. There was tar on the lower surfaces, and road grime covering much of the exhaust. 
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The wheels showed signs of heavy swirls and what looked like tar spots.
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After our initial wash down & decontamination, we taped the rubbers & plastics and began the machine cut & polish
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We started seeing some solid results almost immediately. The paintwork began correcting well.
Even our client's lid didn't escape our attention! 
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The finished result!
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1953 Jaguar XK120

28/7/2016

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Introduction and Initial Analysis

Our client delivered us his 1953 Jaguar XK120 for a Light Restoration Package. The initial goal was to increase the shine & remove some of the light swirls and marring in the paintwork, however as you will see, once we investigated this further he opted for a different package at our recommendation.

The Jaguar XK120 is a vehicle we at OCD have been lucky to have considerable experience with, having had the opportunity to detail three other examples of different years. Being a 1953, this XK has a full steel body rather than aluminum. There have been some 'drive-ability' modifications made by the owner, including a lower driver's seat cushion, plastic overflow reservoir and a proper toolkit. The original wheels are also fitted (rather than the more common and optioned centrelock wire wheels), and hence this example is able to utilize the additional spats over the rear wheels.
 
Upon initial analysis, the paintwork looks quite dull and faded, and is heavily contaminated. Remnants of overspray and evident on both the paintwork and glass, and light waterspotting is evident on much of the upper surfaces. Swirls & heavy scratches are also covering much of the painted surfaces of the vehicle.  The chrome bumpers, light covers & grille are all heavily spotted & marked.
Whilst overall a straight example, this XK120 has quite an obvious dent on the RF fender that will need attention. 
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Wash & Decontamination
 
Before any further analysis is undertaken, we washed & decontaminated the paintwork to remove the iron fallout, sap, tar and paint overspray residue. With any Stage 3 or Stage 4 polishing package, this step is crucial to ensure a high quality overall finish for the vehicle. Without decontaminating the paintwork we also risk our machines picking up contamination and further damaging the paint (rather than correcting the damage!).

Automotive grade clay is used for this purpose. Whilst our heavy grade clay risks marring paintwork, it is often necessary to remove the high levels of contamination we find on paint surfaces. In this case, our heavy clay was a requirement to remove the overspray contamination. ​
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Paint Depth Report
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Before embarking on any full restoration project, it is important we take measurements of all of the painted metal surfaces to check the condition & depth of the paintwork. In this case, we identified much of the vehicle has been resprayed, and the depths fluctuated greatly between panels. Having a minimum of 250 microns to work with allows us a high level of flexibility (it’s not uncommon we measure depths as low as 80 microns on standard paintwork). We also produced a full report for the owner.
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Machine Cut & Polish
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The next stage following decontamination is the machine cut & polish. Depending on the paintwork condition, depth and hardness we employ different methods to get our desired result. This particular vehicle required quite a heavy cut – which makes it imperative that we measure paint depth prior to commencing this work. 
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​After our first few sets of passes, depth and clarity beings to be restored to the paintwork. Here is a comparison between the bootlid which has been cut, and the left rear fender which is untouched. 
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​Cutting often causes light marks in the paintwork, hence for the best result possible we employ a follow-up polish stage to remove these marks and add more clarity.  
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Secondary Wash Down
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Once the polishing stage is finished, we hand-refine trouble areas then prepare the vehicle for it’s secondary wash-down. We remove the tape and engine covers and prepare for snow foam.
We degreased the Avon tyres once more – these had a fair amount of grease and grime on them which responded well to our techniques. 
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​We then snow foam the vehicle to remove the dust in the panel gaps from cutting & polishing. A simple air-dry is often not sufficient, so to ensure the best result possible we employ this secondary wash down as standard. 



The snow foam is water blasted off, leaving clean and polished paintwork. We then move the vehicle back into the OCD Studio to air-dry and prepare for finals.  
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Wax application and finals

At this stage if the owner had chosen to have a ceramic coating applied we would commence this process. As a standard for Stage 4 Full Restoration Process, we apply a synthetic sealant and high-gloss wax to the painted surfaces.
Carnauba wax is applied by hand to the paintwork. 
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A before/after of the tyre degrease & detail. This includes a hand-polish of the chrome wheel centre. 
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Interior
As well as glass, and vacuum, we detailed all leather surfaces in the vehicle, including the seats, door cards, dashboard, rear tray and floormat inserts. 

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Photoset

We’re lucky to have a fantastic photoshoot area just behind the OCD Studio, allowing us a natural backdrop in the heart of Penrose. 
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Ferrari F430 - Wheels-off Underguard Detail

19/5/2016

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​What a way to christen our brand new hoist! 

This amazing F430 underwent a full wheels-off detail at OCD, including underguard treatment and in-depth wheel detail. This service was in conjunction with a Stage 4 Full Restoration Package, to remove swirls & scratches in the paintwork and leave a brilliant finish.

Our process was to separate this detailing service into two areas: Wheel Detail & Underguard Detail 
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​Part One: Wheel Detail

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We firstly raised the vehicle and removed each of the wheels, then set them aside for individual detailing.

Our pillarless hoist allows us to safely continue work on & around the vehicle while raised. and saves the time & potential risk involved when manually jacking a car to put on axle stands. 

We use a special wheel bolt socket extension with plastic caps to remove and refit wheel bolts & nuts. This ensures no scratching occurs on the surface of wheel in the process. 



​Whilst the wheels may have looked ok at first glance, closer inspection showed quite a lot of marks and grime attached to the spokes & barrels. This is indicative of brake dust & contamination that needs to be removed. 
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​The inner barrels are an area that makes so much difference to the look & general cleanliness of a vehicle. Whilst we thoroughly detail the inner wheel barrels in each of our detailing stage packages, the absolute best way to remove all dirt, grime & contamination is to remove the wheel. This gives us a much greater working area, and we can achieve a much better result. Even though this Ferrari is seldom driven, we found traces of tar, iron from brake dust and mud on the inner barrel of one wheel alone!


​Using our safe techniques & products, we decontaminated each wheel individually. A combination of our safe pH-neutral Dragon’s Breath wheel cleaner, mild tar remover & soft boar’s hair brushes removed the majority of the contamination. ​

After the brake dust and grime was cleansed from the faces and barrels of each wheel, we brought them inside to remove the tar. We used a light tar remover to safely lift the tar residue from the wheel surface, removing the need to perform any heavy scrubbing & in turn further damage the wheel surface. Safety is paramount in our ethos at OCD, and flows throughout all we do. ​



​Once the wheels were fully cleaned & all contamination was removed, we applied a synthetic wax to help repel contamination, add protection & increase the shine.

​Our wax also helps repel water, as evident in the beading water on the surface of the center cap, wheel barrel and wheel face.

Comparing before & after shots of the wheels clearly shows the difference having a cleaned, decontaminated and protected wheel face & barrel makes! 
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​Part Two: Underguard Detail


​With the wheels detailed & protected, we now moved our focus to the underguards.

Initial inspection indicated dirt & grime covering the underbody, plastic guard trim, brake calipers & suspension components.

Our goal for this process was to remove the dirt and contamination from the underguard and components, and protect each item individually.  
As with the wheel detailing, the first step was a comprehensive decontamination of the underguards.

We started with the plastic liners, using a degreaser & brush to remove the tar & dirt from the surfaces. We scrubbed each underguard to remove the heavier contamination. 

​The brake calipers were also detailed to remove the iron brake dust from the pads. To follow up the decontamination we hand-polish each painted caliper to restore colour & bring up the shine. 


With each component cleaned & detailed we moved to the protection step.

Underguard protectant was applied on the plastics & suspension components, whereas wax was applied by hand to the painted calipers. 
Cleaned & protected underguards.
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Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. Stage 4 + Extras

25/3/2016

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We were called upon to detail a recently acquired 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera LP570-4. Painted in Verde Ithaca green and with plenty of carbon fiber accents this particular example stands out from the crowd; one of the big selling points for our customer. In his words he wouldn't have bought any other colour.
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Upon an initial phone call it was clear this car was in fairly good condition; however we knew that there is always room to improve. Note this insight post is heavily image based and written to cover all points with a high level of detail. We highly recommend boiling the kettle and making yourself comfortable!

The initial plan of action was to inspect all areas of the vehicle with an idea to start with a Stage 4 Restoration Package plus add on a wheels off under guard detail, interior carbon fiber detailing and any other areas that needed addressing.
Initial Delivery & Inspection.
The photos below are of the vehicle as it was initially delivered to us. Our customer was kind enough to have washed the vehicle not long before delivery, and on the surface you would not consider this car to be heavily defected - in fact it almost looks brand new. This is one of the great challenges of detailing; taking a vehicle in already good condition and further improving it to better than factory finish. We love showing photos like this as it gives a true indication of how on the surface a car may look clean and tidy; but detailed it is not.

Initial Wash Down Process
The initial wash down process consists of 5 steps.

1) Wheel Decontamination is the initial step. We choose to decontaminate wheels first as it avoids the chances of re-soiling paintwork if dirt splashes from the wheels or tyres. Using a pH neutral, iron reacting wheel decontaminant we can liquefy the brake dust particles. In the photos below the purple trails represent the iron (brake dust) which has reacted with our specialist products. We allow the product to react and lightly agitate to loosen built up deposits from the wheel surface. As part of the wheel decontamination process we apply a mild degreaser to the tyres; leaving a clean surface for better bonding of tyre protectants. We also apply our secret wheel sealant at the same time; easing future maintenance by repelling dirt and water between cleans.

2) Under Guard Degrease & Rinse. We perform a light degreasing of the under guards to remove grease and road grime. In the example of this Lamborghini we are completing a wheels off detail in our studio and so this step is mainly to remove the heavier grit from under the guards, not focus on removing all dirt at this stage.

3) After treating the dirtiest areas on the vehicle we begin with Snow Foam Pre-Wash treatment to loosen top surface dirt and grit from all the exterior surfaces of the vehicle. A snow foam pre-wash is not often seen in the New Zealand market but plays a crucial part in a quality car care regime. By loosening and pressure washing off the top layer dirt you are leaving a far cleaner surface to work with before any touching of the vehicles surfaces begins. The overall purpose is to not only clean hard to reach areas but heavily reduce the risk of inflicting nasty swirls and scratches into the paintwork. As can be seen in the photos here, snow foam also helps to remove any wheel cleaner that may be trapped around wheel nuts and other tight areas.

4) A Two-Bucket Method Wash is now completed as the vehicles exterior surfaces have now been prepared for washing. The two-bucket method is widely used by professional detailers and hobbyists alike as a safer way to wash your vehicle. The way we describe it to many customers is that when using only one bucket you are essentially transferring the grit from each panel of your car to the next - in turn causing swirl marks and generally damaging the paint surface. With a two-bucket method the wash mitt is constantly rinsed to allow clean soapy water to contact the paintwork. You can see in the photos two buckets; one with our car shampoo and one with clean water to rinse.
We use lambswool wash mitts for a safe and thorough wash. Two different size mitts allow us to reach all areas of the vehicle thoroughly; as demonstrated by the photos.

5) Drying the vehicle safely is done with our Air Dryer. This imported machine pumps out a whopping amount of heated, filtered air to dry even the hardest areas to reach. This helps to prevent drips, water spots and is far more thorough than traditional towel drying. Each type of drying method has it's place - in this case we wanted the Lamborghini as dry as possible in all areas.



Inspecting For Defects
After the vehicle has been washed down, dried and is inside our studio we can really start to see what we're dealing with. When setting up our studio we were sure to choose the correct lighting with the right amount of Lumens for the level we are detailing cars at; something which we didn't have the luxury of at our previous Newmarket studio. The two main types of defects we will discuss are marring and scratches on both the painted surfaces, plastic lights and carbon fiber surfaces plus the contamination on the paintwork.
Contamination
Contamination is something not easily picked up by the naked eye. We worked hard to get these photos as they show in true form the contaminants on the paintwork. The type of contamination on this Lamborghini paintwork is mainly iron fallout and some tar around the rear of the vehicle.

While this contamination may seem minor it could lead to problems further down the track as it tends to etch into the paintwork. Polishing a contaminated car can lead to poor results also, increasing the chance of marring the paintwork.

Removal of these contaminants prior to polishing is covered in the next section.

Paintwork Marring
Using different types of Halogen & LED lighting we were able to observe marring across most of the painted surfaces of the vehicle. Light swirl marks are commonly caused by improper wash technique which is almost certainly the case with this vehicle. We were also able to observe buffer trails on some areas of the car, especially the front bumper. These buffer trails are caused by improper machine polishing - possibly by a previous detailer or the vehicle dealership.

Marring on the paintwork is unsightly and also causes a hazy look to the painted surfaces. To achieve a true mirror finish we must remove the marring from the paint.

Check out the slideshow to the right. You can see various different formations of swirl marks over most of the painted surfaces of the vehicle.

Carbon Fibre Marring
All modern cars with exterior carbon fibre have a clear coat layer similar to the vehicle paintwork; this means the carbon trims are susceptible to marring and swirls just like the paintwork. Marred carbon fibre appears dull and not deep and shiny - the carbon on this Lamborghini was in need of some help, as seen in the slides to the right.

Taillight Defects
The taillights on this Lamborghini are plastic and over time, just like paint, they will get marring and swirl marks. On a plastic surface this makes the lights appear duller and not as deep and red as they should appear.
These Lamborghini taillights are quite obviously defected as shown in the photos. Luckily we can fix this with a combination of different polished to restore an as-new appearance to the lights.

Headlight Defects
The headlights are generally made of a harder and more resilient plastic vs the taillights. You can see in this example while there are some light marks and marring on the headlights themselves, it is the small black piano inserts which are very obviously covered in fine swirl marks. Black piano trims, like black paint, show all defects but present a lovely finish when they are properly polished.



Attacking Dirty Areas First
It is always good practice to attack the dirty areas of the car first - in this case the wheels and under guards. As we are removing heavy grime from these surfaces we want to ensure that there is no chance of re-contaminating paintwork or having any splashes or grime hit the paintwork. If grime does get re-introduced to paintwork we would prefer that happens before we have spent countless hours polishing to perfection!
Wheels
After the wheels were removed from the wheel we began to inspect for defects. It was instantly apparent that not only was there tar and iron from brake dust but also three of the four wheels appeared to have some form of over-spray on the inner barrels where the wheel was matte instead of glossy. This is common to see on 'cheap' wheel repairs - quite a shock for a car of this calibre.

We started by removing the tar and attempted a cut and polish process to remove the heavy over-spray (as seen in the pictures). It was decided the process was too risky and that these wheels deserved to be done right.

The text on the outside of the wheel was also shallow due to being filled with excessive amounts of paint; so this would also need to be addressed.

We sent the wheels away to Arrow Wheels - who we regard as the best in the industry. After a few weeks of intensive stripping and repainting the end result was here - amazingly these looked brand new and the now OEM glossy paintwork matched the superior gloss to the Verde Ithica paintwork.
Under Guards
The under guards are one of our secrets here at OCD. A true wheels off detail will take a seemingly clean car to the next level of clean! Removal of grime, oil, grease, brake dust and tar takes time but is worth the result.

We start off by removing all the wheels from the vehicle. We then place down drop sheets to catch the mess from the under guards (not seen in these photos).
Using both citrus degreaser plus tar remover we get to work scrubbing all the plastics, suspension components and painted surfaces as thoroughly as we can to remove dirt and debris. After allowing the surfaces to soak thoroughly we rinse off all of the grime and inspect for any required follow up or re-treatment.

As a final step we dry all the surfaces and protect the plastics and paint where possible plus hand polish and seal the brake calipers too.

The 50/50 shot doesn't lie - just look at that result!

Decontamination
We are now ready to prepare the exterior surfaces for correction. With our Stage 4 package we clay bar the paintwork, the glass and the plastic lights front and rear to remove as much of the surface contaminants as possible. For this particular car we chose to use a mild clay bar as the contamination is not too severe and there is far less chance of causing any additional clay marring.

These pictures of the clay bar show just how bad the bonnet really is. Mild clay bars start as a clean, bright yellow colour - and quite easily show what is being removed off the paintwork.

When decontaminating we continue working the surfaces until they are completely smooth and contamination free. It is a common misconception that polishing a car smooths out the surface; really a properly decontaminated car should be as smooth as a polished car would ever be!

Paint Correction
OCD specialise in paint correction and this Lamborghini was no exception. The customer had one request; to bring the paintwork to the best possible level. We operate to achieve two main objectives; removal of as many of the swirl marks and scratches as we can safely remove plus produce the best level of depth and overall shine. To achieve this we performed a two stage compound and polish on the paintwork.
Compounding
Compounding is the process of leveling the paint surface to remove scratches, swirl marks, buffer haze and other top layer defects. The compounding process increases shine to the paintwork but does not produce THE BEST shine possible. It is common of some operators to simply compound the paintwork and not follow up with a secondary process; we however do not cut corners!
Polishing
In this instance we used a fine finishing/jeweling polish to remove fine haze left by compounding and jewel the paint surface to a level of clarity not often seen in the New Zealand detailing scene. This is truly one of our biggest differences and the products we use we import ourselves ex-Germany. After thorough testing of countless different products we have settled on the best.
Machines
We use dual action machines to achieve a crystal clear result and with maximum safety. Unlike traditional polishing machines, dual actions both spin and oscillate to ensure they are constantly moving across varying elliptical orbits. This reduces heat and in turn means less chance of burning paint, no chance of creating holograms and buffer marks and we wouldn't have it any other way. On top of this we have invested in multiple different sized machines to ensure we can correct varying surfaces and even complex panels with ease.

The below images are 50/50 shots of compounding in action. To achieve these shots we have taped off a line to make it easier to see the correction result. Look out for the swirls and where they suddenly disappear! This is the result of a true cut and polish - removal of defects, not polishing to add more like some inexperienced detailers will!

Paint Correction 50/50 Shots

Tail Light Polishing 50/50 Shots

Polishing In Action

After Paint Correction Is Completed


Paint Sealing & Final Wax
After the vehicle has been fully corrected we perform a final wash down to remove all traces of dust from the vehicle, and prepare the surface for the final stages of protection and enhancement. On all Stage 4 packages we complete a two-step final including both a synthetic sealant and also a carnauba wax.
Paint Sealant
A synthetic sealant is a man made product designed with three main aspects in mind. 
Protection - to help repel dust, dirt and water plus provide a resistance towards bird droppings, in-air contaminants and mineral deposits.
Increased Shine - adding a sealant layer increase shine, depth and gloss of any paintwork colour. This further enhances the overall look of the paintwork.
Slickness - extreme slickness allows the car to stay cleaner between washes plus dirt is easily released from the surface to make the job of regular washing far easier than without a sealant.

The sealant we used in this scenario is CarPro Reload - a world renowned product providing a short term (4-6 month) layer of protection similar to what Quartz coatings provide. We apply this in a spray on and buff off technique.

Carnauba Wax
Carnauba wax is based off the natural Copernicia Prunifera palm. Traditionally a Carnauba Wax provides the best level of shine as a top layer for paintwork and provides the additional benefit that being a paste, it can also aid to hide remaining deep scratches which were unable to be corrected.

In this instance we applied a Carnauba Wax paste to the vehicle and after allowing it to cure for one hour we removed the wax using a soft microfibre to avoid inflicting any surface marring to the vehicle. 


The overall shine of the paintwork was now simply jaw dropping and left the car looking 'wet'. We are regarded as one of the best in the country for the final finish of paintwork and it is all of the careful steps combined into one which leave the end result our customers desire.

Exterior Finishing
After completion of the paintwork there were only minor exterior finishing touches to be completed before we could start the interior work. We started by applying a rain repellent to the exterior glass; allowing it to cure before buffing it off and cleaning the glass to a haze and streak free finish. We then applied a long lasting tyre protectant to add a satin sheen and repel dirt and water; and then performed a final check over of the exterior to look for wax residue, polishing dust or other left over traces of the work that had been completed.
Interior Detailing
Unfortunately in a bit of a hurry we forgot to take photos of our processes with the interior! As in all stage 4 packages the following processes were completed.
Interior Vacuum
All interior surfaces including the boot are vacuumed. We pay attention to the carpets, mats, seats and under the seats. In the Gallardo there is also a lot of Alcantara features on the dashboard and centre console areas which were delicately vacuumed also.
Steering Wheel
The Alcantara steering wheel was looking worse for wear. There were signs of previous oils from the old owner which made the Alcantara look flat and unloved. With our specialist products and techniques we were able to bring back the steering wheel to a near-new finish; some wear remained which would need a replacement to correct - something our customer was not too interested in doing!
Interior Plastics Detailed
Using both pH Neutral interior cleaners and an array of different soft bristle brushes and microfibres we delicately detailed the interior plastics and left the surfaces clean and protected.
+ Interior Glass Cleaned
Interior Carbon Fiber
As a special request we were asked to detail the carbon fiber interior of this vehicle. The door cards are complete carbon fiber as is the centre console areas.

Due to our investments we are lucky enough to have a Rupes Mini dual action polisher which made light work of a normally strenuous task on the door cards.

We hand polished all of the centre console to avoid excessive dust and risk of staining plastics and after performing a two-stage cut and polish on the interior we followed up with a synthetic sealant and carnauba wax; the same process as the exterior surfaces.


It's amazing the clarity we recovered from these surfaces. After repeated interior cleaning from previous owners there was light swirl marks and scratches which were in need of correcting.

Finishing Shots
Provided by Kings Lane Studios


Extra Shots

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