Washing your cobra ???

[Gi8avett]

How do wash your cobra? I meen it must be hard trying to avoid water going into the interior. What do you guys use to avoid these sort of proplems ???

[cobrajeff]

Very simple....I never, and I mean NEVER....turn a garden hose on any of my "collector" cars.

Normal routine is a quick dust-off with the California Duster. For splattered bugs or rain spots, I use Meguire's "Quick Detailer" - just a few squirts, and wipe it off. If that is not enough, then I get a small bucket of water (NO SOAP!) and a sponge, and clean whatever needs to be cleaned. The sponge or wash cloth used on the body never touches the wheels, and the ones used for wheels/tires never touch a painted surface.

I never use soap (or "car wash" liquids), and I never use a hose. A hose is fine for my daily driver, but not for anything I plan on keeping. I would no sooner turn a hose on my Cobra (or my Mustang, or my T'Bird) than I would drive it through an automated car wash.

regards,

cobrajeff

[clayfoushee]

I use Jeff's method too. When I have gotten caught in downpours, with no top, I use towels to soak up the water, and then put small fans inside until it dries out.

For the outside, I use a lukewarm bucket of water, a big sponge, and no soap. Quick Detailer, or any similar product is great. Those "California Dusters" available at almost any auto parts chain also work great. They never create swirl marks in the clear coat, unless to bear down on purpose.

[RACER X #99]

I use the power washer but that's mostly to get the mud and grime off, sometimes I'll use some laundry detergent and a stiff brush but that's only when I have splashed a lot of gas and oil on the paint.
Somebody suggested that I put some wax on the paint but I don't have time for stuff like that, I 'd rather do a precision valve adjustment and ignition timing. I think it runs better that way and waxing just makes my arms tired.

[Godzila]

I faced the same issue since just acquiring a new SPF, and put nearly 600 miles on it in three days, some highway and some back roads. It was well splattered here in OHio this time of years the bugs are thick and road kill plentiful. the first time I used the bucket and Zymol car wash with a large sponge, First using the hose to rinse any dust dirt away, then using the sponge soapy water , then clear low pressure rinse with th e hose and drying it with a synthetic chamois, , results good, but got some water into the interior. The next time I took it to a hand car wash, put the tonneau cover in place and washed it being careful not to spray up under the tonneau. Dryed it with the chamois, and it all worked quite well with very little water getting to the interior. I do have a California duster for light maintenance, but when it get s really dusty I like the idea of using a hose to flow the dirt off before using a sponge on it, I intend to use Zaino brothers on it shortly.
And that's my $.02 worth

[master]

Any high foaming Neutral PH detergent will work well. It's mainly used for lubricity to avoid scratching should anything be lurking on the paint. Dusters work well for maintenance cleaning.

Scott

[FUNFER2]

I'm a painter so, here's my humble advice. Please guys.......do not use anything other than soap's made for automotive paint ! NO DETERGENT !!! NO CAR WASH BUSINESS, the soap is too harsh. Their is nothing wrong with using water !!! Use soft water if you can, mainly in the final rince. Before I added a dedicaited soft water line from my basement, I did take it to a car wash. I used their "final rinse" only,
(that cycle is soft water) using it to rinse, wash (using my sope) & rinse again. Don't use sponges, they hold sand, dirt ect. Use two, soft mit's, one for the top, the other for the very bottom. Use one side for half of the car the other side for the other side. Keep cleaning the mit in the bucket of soap, if the water looks dirty, put new soap & water in. Clean the tire/wheels first then the car from top to bottom. Use low water presure & I like using the all silicone "water blade" to block off water from running into the interior. Keep the body wet the whole time your washing. Dry using a shammie (spelling)? or the water blade ect... If you have an air compressor, with a water trap, I like using it to aid in blow drying around the headlight buckets, emblems, latches, vents, ect.... that hold & trap water. If I'm not going to be driving it for a while, I take it down the highway to blowdry the chassis off.
I don't believe in NOT washing a car. As long as you do it correctly & dry it properly. Dust, sand, sap, oil from our hands contaiments & pollution from the air, ect..ect..ect.. are VERY......hard on our paint !!! You MUST, remove it. I also use a "duster" but, between washings (if it's a light covering) & at car shows. Also, invest in a well made breathable soft car cover to protect it.

Please, wash & dry well ! ( car soap, soft mit's, soft water)
Use wax a couple times per year only (keep from build-up)
Use a detailer like meguires, Mothers ect....(using long straight smooth strokes folling with a drying towel)
Dust if it's a light covering
Use a quality cover.

Thanks,
Kevin







































Thanks,
Kevin

[cbmax]

Kevin

I've got some questions:

1) Someone told me you should wash a car from bottom to top. Theory being soap never has a chance to dry because the liquid will run downwards.

2) What is a water trap for an air compressor?

3) When you say silicone waterblade, do you mean a squegee (sp?)?

[Mohuska]

I use only Zaino products....they are absolutely the finest I have ever tried....and I have tried a bunch.....I use a leaf blower to dry after washing and have a reverse osmosis unit at home to clean the minerals out of the water.

I put the water in gallon jugs and wash the car only with this water.. I use their detail soln as a touch-up and I have been told by many people that that was the greatest looking paint job they had ever seen.

just my 2c

[FUNFER2]

cbmax-
I have never believed in that theory. Reason being,.. is that how you wash you body in the shower ? I dont anyway. The bottom of the car gets the most dirt, sand, grit, tar, road grime, salt, ect..., the problem is, if you use your mit on the bottom first, you can carry all of that to the top as you wash, even if you rinse it well first to begin with. Not only taking the dirt with you to the top but, possibly scratching the paint also. As long as you just lightly spray the car down as you go, keeping it wet, it's not a problem.

A "water trap" for a air compressor is simply a canistor attached to the outlet hose or regulator to trap water produced by the heated air that the compressor produces. Their is a valve on the bottom you can loosen to drain the water, just like on the bottom of the compressor. It saves your tools as well as keeping water out of your paint spray guns. Very important ! If you don't have one, spend some extra dough & get a good one, it will be well spent.

The water blade is made or sold by the co. selling the "California car duster" I believe there are others out there. The blade is 100% pure silicone, which won't scratch your paint. It's great except where the cobra has so many contures, it can be hard to use at first. In the flatter places, it's perfect. One swipe, your water & spot free.

[cobrasnake]

A trick I learned from another post was to use 2" blue painters tape in the valley's running from the trunk to the cockpit. I take a piece of tape about 24" long and starting at the rear of the door jamb, run the tape, sticky side toward the rear, along the contour of the body toward the high point in the rear of the cockpit. I then do the same thing on the other side and finally take one more piece to tie the two sides together along the top. This also works well above the dashboard, to capture any water running from the front. BTW, the tape stands up vertically and creates a dam.

Rather than a chamois, I use a microfiber cloth designed for absorbing water from Zaino. This is after using a mitt with Zaino's car wash soap. Sponges trap dirt - these cloths do not. Washed the car after STTL's rain showers when I got home - it looks like new. Yes I use Zaino's wax.

[Ron61]

I have never washed mine. I use the Calif. car duster and then go over the car with wet paint. Only place water has ever been used and only sparingly was on the mag wheels to loosen dust and dirt, then spray it off. After that a coat of Wet Paint and now I just dust them.

Ron

[427 S/O]

Forget all that stuff and buy a case of windex in the spray can, that and some old t-shirts will make it look good. quick and no mess......

[goaztecs]

Try searching on "wash". This topic has been discussed a number of times. People get pretty creative...

[SCOBRAC]

You are suppose to wash these things too?

[BMK]

Hell, I just leave it out in the rain. Gets most dirt off..

Bernie

[quicksilver]

I can't believe none of you use good old vinegar ! You get two rags one w/ vinegar & one moist w/ distilled H2o.Do small areas at a time. fender, hood,door, ect. "Vinegar on","Vinegar off".Yes it stinks for a little bit but, It is great for your paint. After time it will make your paint more plyable. Witch will protect against rock chips and cracks. This was told to me by a friend that owns 9 real cars and uses nothing else.


Quick

[jpk]

Do what you will with the outside of the car, it really doesn't matter. Make sure that you NEVER, NEVER, EVER vacuum anything out of the footboxes, especially on the driver's side.

Trust me on this,

joe kennedy

[BMK]

jpk

OK now you have me...


Bernie

[casaleenie]

Originally posted by jpk


Do what you will with the outside of the car, it really doesn't matter. Make sure that you NEVER, NEVER, EVER vacuum anything out of the footboxes, especially on the driver's side.

Trust me on this,

joe kennedy

OK, I'm with Bernie on this.....


Why would I make sure that I NEVER,NEVER EVER, etc.

It's not that I don't trust you .....