A Day's Work

[feb 47]

I thought of posting some pics up of my new pride and joy after today's work

 

I finally managed to spend some time detailing the car today as I was too busy driving her so far.

I started at 11am and finished at 2.45am with a couple of breaks for lunch and dinner and doing some other jobs in between (wiring the wideband and spending at least half an hour trying to fit the rear left light correctly).

Total working time: 13h 45m

 

I don't have any before pics.

The condition of the paint wass better than I thought with medium contamination but it was the little things that took time such as the lights cleaning and door/boot shuts that were covered in grime and mould.

 

The car was first washed and then clayed.

I then used Autoglym Tar Remover to remove any possible traces of tar/oil.

I washed the car once more and then dried it.

After lunch I cleaned the paint with Werkstatt Prime and followed by applying three layers of Acrylic Jet Trigger.

Finally all plastics were dressed with A303 Aerospace protectant and the windows cleaned using RainX.

There are a few scratches that need machine polishing but I wanted to focus on cleaning and protecting the paint until spring.

 

The only before pics I have are of the rear lights.

The right one went in OK but I spent more than 30 minutes trying to put the left one correctly and I gave up in the end.

Typical problem with 205's as I remember from the sorrento.

The light's seal would not go under the plastic cluster with nor love or hate.

My idea of using knives did not work and I gave up in the end and just fitted the seal within the cluster instead of underneath it.

Does anyone have any suggestion of how to fit it properly?

 

Before:

 

 

 

After:

It looks like Seima (left) has lasted better than the Gemo (right)

 

 

 

 

Who said that white doesn't reflect?

 

 

 

 

Finishing touch

Edited November 21, 2011 by feb

[Anthony 1,003]

Looking good Fivos!

 

Told you that the old girl scrubs up well when you have the time and inclination to do so, not to mention some idea of how to use the various polishing potions beyond a bucket and sponge Best part of 14 hours cleaning a car though...

 

(oh, and Baz was forever complaining at me for the moss and grime growing in the door/boot shuts stemming from my apparent inability to wash a car properly)

[Baz 421]

Get the cotton buds out for around the trims and get those arches clean!

 

Looks great! I rekon the 'Gemo' rear light is an aftermarket replacement, not one you usually see, Siem/AXO or Valeo usually. Those rubber seals are barely ever 'right', i think they just get old and out of shape so they no longer like to sit in place.

Edited November 21, 2011 by Baz

[feb 47]

Thanks Anthony and Baz!

 

I had no doubt that it would scrub up well as I trust what you say.

 

Indeed, the amount of moss and grime around the door/boot hinges/shuts was indescribable

 

I don't mind doing the cleaning/simple stuff though as the priority was the mechanical stuff on which you have done a splendid job and I have no idea how to do such work!

 

I am knackered though after yesterday but the result was rewarding.

 

By the way, this is what I meant about the light clusters.

 

The right one is fitted correctly and you can just about see the black rubber lip below the cluster

 

 

whereas on the left one I have not managed to do so

 

Do you have any tips other than lots of time and patience?

Edited November 21, 2011 by feb

[feb 47]

Yes next job is to remove the wheels and clean the caked wheels arches although with the snowfoam and hose they have been improved.

 

Is there a way to remove the traces of plasti care from the paint? Alcohol maybe? The clay bar didn't do much. Cotton buds and alcohol or tar remover might be a good idea.

 

That was my initial suspicion that the right light is anftermarket replacement which has not lasted well with time.

 

If anyone has an original phase I item l that is of no use please let me know.

 

Thanks

Edited November 21, 2011 by feb

[welshpug 1,666]

looks like the bumper needs to be shifter down a little.

[feb 47]

It's not the bumper, it's the light cluster's rubber seal that has gone in between the light unit and the cluster that has made the cluster move downwards I think.

Edited November 21, 2011 by feb

[pug_ham 245 3 Cars]

Looks very good Fivos, shame you don't live closer or I'd hand you the keys to my recent ebay 1.6 to give the paint a good going over.

 

When it goes into my friends barn at the end ofthe month for winter I'll be giving it a full going over & it should look like a totally different car when it comes back out next year.

 

Hopefully not to far off yours.

 

g

[Anthony 1,003]

Easiest thing to do with regards those rubber seals is to remove the whole lamp unit - it's just a single 10mm nut that holds it in and some wiring plugs. With the lamp removed, it's easy to get the lens cover back over the seal properly, and then refit the lamp as a complete unit.

 

I'll have a look to see if I've a spare matching lamp - I don't recall ever replacing either in the 6 years that I owned it though and never noticed that they were odd so they're obviously a fairly good match - unlike my black one that has a Valeo one side and an Axo the other, which is very noticeable on Phase 2's as one indicator is clear and the other distinctly amber!

[Baz 421]

- unlike my black one that has a Valeo one side and an Axo the other, which is very noticeable on Phase 2's as one indicator is clear and the other distinctly amber!

 

Which is very common on 90-91 cars IME! I used to think it was coincidence and must've been replaced at some point but there's so many that way i seriously think they were built like this for some reason!

[Andy_C 50]

Feb, try ironx top remove the Plasticare. It's bloody nasty stuff but when I used it on the Megane it removed the need for clay or tar removal completely. I stinks to high heaven and a chap who should know cautioned its use massively - especially on anything chromed or even plastic painted to look like chrome. Rinsing is the key and I spent forever trying to make sure that none was left anywhere. Right PITA so I haven't used it again since.

 

IPA might shift it as a safer method. Looks very nice anyway mate - give me a shout when you're next over and I might even give you a freebie on the paintwork!!

[Baz 421]

 

IPA might shift it as a safer method.

 

Yep, after enough pints you won't be able to see anything!

[feb 47]

Graham thanks, I would be glad to help if I was closer!

I was not a fan of white 205's but they look much better in the flesh than in photos and I think it is one of the colours that suit the car best especially in phase I as they look very retro.

 

Thanks Andy, much appreciated! I will be coming back over Christmas/New Year.

I would like to see my old one again after the work you have done to it!

 

I have read about people using IronX especially on alloys and I have seen peoplle using it on cars but I don't dare as it converts any non-painted steel to rust from what I understand.

Not the kind of thing I would want to use on a 205 indeed.

 

I will try IPA, I have a 70-80% mix will it do?

Edited November 21, 2011 by feb

[Andy_C 50]

Give it a whirl mate or as Baz suggests neck about 8 pints of the other one and it'll look brand new without any effort at all