Rich H
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Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
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Firstly big thanks to Phil (VegasPhil) for the recommendation - thanks mate! 
Today saw me preparing this VW Polo ahead of 2 photoshoots next weekend for Max Power and Fast Car magazines.
The car is kept in amazing condition by the owner, but it was a mass of swirls from the previous owner and the amount of bodywork it's had done so I was asked to get it up to scratch.
Unfortunately the car is nowhere near perfect as a lot of the defects were below the new clearcoat thus unable to be corrected. Today was an enhancement detail to make the best of it that I could, and remove a few bird etchings etc. I had an apprentice with me today who wanted to learn the basics, unfortunately we both ended up working flat out so the correction shots lack 
Anywho, enough of the blabber. On with the pics!
Before:
And an example of the defects:
First up was a thorough pre rinse with Bilt Hamber Autofoam:
(Ignore the ugly git!  )
Then washed using TBM, grit guards and wash mitt with Autosmart Duet shampoo, re rinsed and dried using ultra plush drying towels and Dodo Time to Dry.
The car was pretty smooth and free of bonded contaminants, so a quick pass with Bilt Hamber Soft AutoClay and Autosmart Reglaze for lube left it ready for correction.
Due to the patchwork of filler, various paint jobs etc correction was slow and achieved via various compounds, pads and amounts of passes.
In general the paint was rock solid so was corrected via the rotary using a Megs Cutting Pad and 3M FastCut Plus mixed with a small amount of 3M Ultrafina and several passes. This was all later refined using Dodo Lime Prime via the Porter Cable on a 3M polishing pad.
Once the correction had been carried out as best as possible, all door shuts etc were de dusted from the vast amount of dust created by the 3M compounds.
LSP was Dodo Rainforest Rub, later topped with Dodo Red Mist.
Wheels were polished by my able assistant using Megs NXT metal polish, later sealed with Chemical Guys Jetseal 109. Tyres dressed with AS Finish.
Black trim was dressed with Aerospace 303, Glass with Autosmart Glass Clear.
Halfway through correction the heavens opened so we ducked under a car port for the remainder of the detail. Unfortunately the weather continued so the after photos are pretty poor
Hopefully I will be able to get some better ones off the owner once he's had the feature 
Thanks for looking - hope you're all still awake 
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Adam_B
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Registered: 13th Dec 00
Location: Lancashire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Rich H
but it was a mass of swirls from the previous owner and the amount of bodywork it's had done so I was asked to get it up to scratch.
b-dum-tish!!
Sorry, couldnt resist  Great effort as always Rich
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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Oh dear that was a bad unintentional pun! My bad!
Cheers mate
It's got my sticker in the passenger side rear window now too so hopefully it'll get snapped in the mags
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JonnyJ
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Registered: 23rd Sep 05
Location: Scotchland
User status: Offline
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Nice work rich as usual
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AlunJ
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Registered: 3rd Apr 07
Location: Newport
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Looks stunning as always Rich! I wish I was closer to you, would love mine done lol
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nathy_87
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Registered: 14th Aug 08
Location: West Mids. Drives: Škoda Fabia VRS 5J
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that looks cool,
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DizzyRebel
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Registered: 2nd Jan 09
Location: Lincoln
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They feature any old shit nowadays lol
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by DizzyRebel
They feature any old shit nowadays lol
TBF I'd rather see that in the mags than some of the other crap they do lol.
It's not actually finished yet he has many more plans for it, but that's to get featured in PVW apparently.
Cheers for the comments everyone
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aron
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Registered: 10th May 07
Location: Ware, Hertfordshire
User status: Offline
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personally i think it looks stunning!
good work rich 
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Scoot16v
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Registered: 3rd Aug 08
Location: Bedfordshire
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Very good work rich, where can you get some of that foam stuff u put over the cars?
Scott
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Scoot16v
Very good work rich, where can you get some of that foam stuff u put over the cars?
Scott
The Bilt Hamber foam is available direct from them: http://www.bilthamber.com/autofoambuy.php
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Colin
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Registered: 4th Apr 02
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by DizzyRebel
They feature any old shit nowadays lol
I was going to comment but feared being shot down. Anyway it doesnt look show standard to me, just a slammed old polo with some funny looking (euro I think the term is) alloys, its not even a nice colour. Yet 2 features worthy
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Firestate88
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Registered: 10th Jul 08
Location: Northampton England
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It's got my sticker in the passenger side rear window now too so hopefully it'll get snapped in the mags
thats a good idea
should make some more and hand them out when cleaning on the stand of corsasport
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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That's what I had them made for actually! But decided it was too wet in general to do it. Plus a lot of you guys live too far away to justify you using me
Ah well - now adding them to a few of my regular clients and "special" details local to me 
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Kurt
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Registered: 23rd Oct 05
Location: Hi
User status: Offline
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Will you be at combe Rich? White is a pain to keep White and shiney
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Kurt
Will you be at combe Rich? White is a pain to keep White and shiney
'Fraid not mate, am already booked for that weekend for work. Trax I will be at but only via a lift with a mate, not bringing the van to that one.
White's not a pain You should have seen my van yesterday when I cleaned it properly for a couple of hours!
Regarding level of mods to the Polo btw, not sure on entire spec, but here's what I am aware of:
JDM Work Equip Wheels,
Genuine JDM Bootlid,
Smooth side repeaters,
De Rubstripped,
Lines on boot under rear lights smoothed,
Later Polo rear lights,
DEPO angel eye style headlights with HIDs,
Debadge grill,
Smooth front bumper,
Lowered (presumably coilies)
TT Front seats,
Momo Tiny steering wheels
Few other bits too and plenty more to come.
[Edited on 26-07-2009 by Rich H]
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Kurt
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Registered: 23rd Oct 05
Location: Hi
User status: Offline
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Mines more a cream colour atm
It's gonna be covered in sap too, i have to park in a dusty car park right under some Fearne trees
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Ben G
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Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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is that the guy being a nosey sod looking out the window when you have the snowfoam stuff going on?
curtain twitcher
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BluKoo
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Registered: 8th Apr 02
Location: Stonehaven (Scotland)
User status: Offline
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Nice car, and nice work.
No engine bay work? Or is it fairly standard under the bonnet?
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M2RTY
Member
Registered: 25th May 01
User status: Offline
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whats the law on chemicals/water going down the drain for your business?
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VegasPhil
Premium Member
Registered: 16th Jan 05
Location: Fareham, Hants Drives: Octavia VRS
User status: Offline
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Nice work rich, Paint was poor beforehand. Lovely polo aswell.
Corsa 2.0 16v Vegas - Sold
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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Cheers guys!
Ben - Hadn't noticed that before - that's the owner! He may not have seen that kinda thing before? Usually gets people looking lol
Murray - Rarely do engine bay work unless requested as a lot of people were never fussed when| I spoke to them. As far as I know though it's pretty much a standard 1.6 though.
M2RTY - The law is a bit grey regarding all this atm, however there isn't a huge amount of dangerous stuff that I use - the snow foam is "eco friendly" and a lot of the other waste that goes down the drain in dirty water. There are rumours of there being a plan to make valeters collect their water and recycle it, but nothings confirmed yet.
Phil - Cheers mate - yeh it was unfortunately, would look amazing if it wasn't. Polo is ace though
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Nick-S
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Registered: 3rd Mar 04
Location: Leigh. Drives: RS Megane 230 F1 Team R26
User status: Offline
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yet more fantastic work mate
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Daveskater
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Apr 08
Location: Oxford, UK Drives: Jap wagon
User status: Offline
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I thought it looked shiny in the before pics, before seeing the scratches and after shots
Top job there mate
Numberwang!
Originally posted by AlunJ
I like you Dave, you are a man of men
Originally Whatapp'd by Neo
Dave's maybe capable of a drive-by cuddle
Look at my pictures
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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Cheers Nick and Dave
It was shiney to start with, because as I said he kept it in great condition, however the swirls on the top clearcoat were robbing it's full potential and leaving a dull haze which wasn't easy to capture in the photos
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