ON THE GROUND! ...........
Another milestone today, after four years on stands, it's back on tierra firma.
Now it looks like it sits low, I'm not used to seeing it sitting on its tires lol.

After the picture above, I also added tape guides and a rear tire stop to ensure that it fits back into this exact spot. With our truck next to it and the overall door width, it's gotta be in a certain area.
This is why I clay bar the paint and polish the chrome and stainless ........
Not everywhere on the car (less on vertical surfaces for example), but here's the result of using the claybar on about a 16 in by 16 in section of paint. This was on the car right after I washed it - it looked clean but there's always contaminates in the paint surface. I never wax unless I've used the clay bar, feels like I'm waxing over sandpaper if I don't. On my daily drivers I clay bar about every 8-10 months or so, then wax. All I do in between is wash the vehicle.

This is what I generally use, this stuff has worked fine for me, but everybody has something different.
I forgot to include it, but I use Optimum "No Rinse Wash & Shine" in water as a clay bar lubricant. Again, there's tons of products out there.
I have clay bars in fine and medium grades, I always start with the fine grade, but sometimes if there's more contaminants, I then go with the medium grade.
I've found Nu Finish to be just as good as the higher-price polishes I've used for the paint.
Mother's chrome polish and Autosol have been effective on chrome and stainless.

After clay bar paint is squeaky-clean and ready for wax.
I'll clean up the chrome and stainless next, then wax everything.


The paint (Deltron base/clear) is in great shape for being done in 1987 in a garage, but in person it's got a few small chips and some of the leaded areas are starting to show form. There are also small pin "bubbles" that have slowly evolved over the years on the passenger side - not everywhere, but enough that, along with everything including a re-alignment of gaps, doors, etc., make a good case for a re-paint. Much much later...... right now the car still looks good.
Another milestone today, after four years on stands, it's back on tierra firma.
Now it looks like it sits low, I'm not used to seeing it sitting on its tires lol.

After the picture above, I also added tape guides and a rear tire stop to ensure that it fits back into this exact spot. With our truck next to it and the overall door width, it's gotta be in a certain area.
This is why I clay bar the paint and polish the chrome and stainless ........
Not everywhere on the car (less on vertical surfaces for example), but here's the result of using the claybar on about a 16 in by 16 in section of paint. This was on the car right after I washed it - it looked clean but there's always contaminates in the paint surface. I never wax unless I've used the clay bar, feels like I'm waxing over sandpaper if I don't. On my daily drivers I clay bar about every 8-10 months or so, then wax. All I do in between is wash the vehicle.

This is what I generally use, this stuff has worked fine for me, but everybody has something different.
I forgot to include it, but I use Optimum "No Rinse Wash & Shine" in water as a clay bar lubricant. Again, there's tons of products out there.
I have clay bars in fine and medium grades, I always start with the fine grade, but sometimes if there's more contaminants, I then go with the medium grade.
I've found Nu Finish to be just as good as the higher-price polishes I've used for the paint.
Mother's chrome polish and Autosol have been effective on chrome and stainless.

After clay bar paint is squeaky-clean and ready for wax.
I'll clean up the chrome and stainless next, then wax everything.


The paint (Deltron base/clear) is in great shape for being done in 1987 in a garage, but in person it's got a few small chips and some of the leaded areas are starting to show form. There are also small pin "bubbles" that have slowly evolved over the years on the passenger side - not everywhere, but enough that, along with everything including a re-alignment of gaps, doors, etc., make a good case for a re-paint. Much much later...... right now the car still looks good.