2018 Cadillac CTS-V - 🌴 A Miracle Detailing - CQuartz Finest Reserve

[Merlin]

2018 Cadillac CTS-V - A Miracle Detailing - CQuartz Finest Reserve
With a few mods - 700 hp at the rear wheel
​

Inspection:
DeFelsko PosiTest DFT Paint Thickness Gauge for ferrous/non-ferrous metals
DeFelsko 200C3-G PosiTector 200 C3 Advanced Ultrasonic Coating Thickness Gauge
ScanGrip MultiMatch 8 and ScanGrip MultiMatch 3 - color temperature from 2500k to 6500k

Machines:
Rupes 21 with a RUPES 5" Backing Plate and IBrid Nano long neck.

Correction:
1) Lake Country HDO Blue Cutting Pad - 5 1/2" / Rupes DA Coarse (Blue) Cutting Compound

Polishing:
2) Rupes DA Yellow Fine Finishing Foam Pad 5" / Rupes DA Fine High-Performance Yellow Compound
3) CARPRO Gloss Pad 5" / Rupes UNO Pure Universal Ultrafine Finishing Polish

Tools:
MTM Hydro PF22.2 Professional Snow Foam Cannon
Metro Air Force Master Blaster
Nanoskin Autoscrub Wash Mitt (FINE GRADE)

Products:
CARPRO IronX Snow Soap
CARPRO ImmoLube (Diluted 8:1)
Nanoskin AUTOSCRUB Fine Grade Wash Mitt
CARPRO Automotive Masking to protect the trim
CARPRO MetalliCut Metal Polish on exhaust tips
Sonus Trim and Motor Kote (Engine Bay)

Last Step Products:
Cquartz Finest Reserve ceramic coating on paint, and wheels
CarPro Clarify Glass Cleaner on glass and windows
CQuartz Dlux Wheel and Trim Coating on trim
OBSSSSD Tire Dressing - Matte

360 walk-around video - Please click bottom Gear for HD Quality w/audio

The Merlin Shot

The End

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[Sizzle Chest]

Wow one baaaaaad sedan! Now it has the looks to back up it`s beef! Nice Merl!

 

[Lonnie]

Merlin:
Congrats on the new DeFelsko 200C3-G PosiTector 200 C3 Advanced Ultrasonic Coating Thickness Gauge (Phew! What a name! Let`s just call it the DF-200C3-A, with the "A" for Advanced). So how exactly are you using this new paint thickness gauge?
From what I have read about it the BIG advantage is you can read the three substrate paint thicknesses (primer, base coat, and clear coat) separately. I would think the most important one is the clear coat thickness, since this the actual substrate would are correcting (compounding and polishing). Does this measuring tool also measure any applied LSP coating thickness?
If you do find "unusual` clear-coat thicknesses in modern production vehicles that you detail, please let us know. This trend of ever thinner-and-thinner paint thicknesses is a huge concern to professional detailers who detail them for a living and such owners who detail their own vehicle, but are not aware how thin the clear coat may actually be these days. I ask because, quite frankly, I as a hobbyists detailer simply cannot afford such a PTG tool. I can also see that for professional detailers that this type of PTG tool is no longer a luxury, but has become a necessity in their line of work today. Ignorance is NOT bliss, nor is a clear coat burn-through.

How did you decide which pads to use on this particular GM black paint? I see you started with a LC-HDO blue, then a Rupes DA yellow, and finished with a CARPRO Gloss. The results speak for themself.

Like I said to Guz after his detail of a black Dodge Charger Daytona 392, EXTREMELY nice work on this modern muscle car Black Caddy CTS-V. You can say what you want, but those used-as-a-mirror-to-put-on-your-lipstick-or-comb-your-hair, whiplash-head-turning, stop-and-stare, perfectly detailed black vehicles separates the truly exceptional detailers from those who call themselves wannabe "detailers". As I have quoted before the late 1950`s-early 60`s New York Yankee`s baseball manager Yogi Berra famously saying, "It ain`t braggin` if you can do it."

 

[Merlin]

Merlin:
Congrats on the new DeFelsko 200C3-G PosiTector 200 C3 Advanced Ultrasonic Coating Thickness Gauge (Phew! What a name! Let`s just call it the DF-200C3-A, with the "A" for Advanced).
So how exactly are you using this new paint thickness gauge?

From what I have read about it the BIG advantage is you can read the three substrate paint thicknesses (primer, base coat, and clear coat)
separately. I would think the most important one is the clear coat thickness since this the actual substrate that would be correcting (compounding and polishing).

Does this measuring tool also measure any applied LSP coating thickness?

Oddly enough, what I have found with the DF-200C3-A is that the Primer/Basecoat show one number (combined), and the clear coat is separate.
(The DF-200C3-A can be switched and only show combined total thickness reading like the PosiTest® DFT Combo.)
The BIG advantage is that the DF-200C3-A will read fiberglass, carbon fiber, plastics, etc. NOTE: There are more and more plastics on newer cars.

The DeFelsko PosiTest® DFT Combo Coating Thickness Gage is only for ferrous/non-ferrous metals

I doubt any PTG (although it may) measure the thickness of an LSP. To date I have not tried it.

If you do find "unusual` clear-coat thicknesses in modern production vehicles that you detail, please let us know.
This trend of ever thinner-and-thinner paint thicknesses is a huge concern to professional detailers who detail them for a living and such owners who detail their own vehicle, but are not aware how thin the clear coat may actually be these days.

Recently, I measured and "brand new" vehicle (never polished) that measured 65 microns in some places!
If you are doing paint correction on a vehicle this would normally be past the "danger zone"

How did you decide which pads to use on this particular GM black paint? I see you started with a LC-HDO blue, then a Rupes DA yellow, and finished with a CARPRO Gloss. The results speak for themself.

If there is one thing I have learned over the years is that every vehicle is different.
I try different combinations of pads/polishes until I find the one the paint likes.
Oddly enough, The same year, make, model, and color can be different on the same vehicle.

Like I said to Guz after his detail of a black Dodge Charger Daytona 392, EXTREMELY nice work on this modern muscle car Black Caddy CTS-V.

You can say what you want, but those used-as-a-mirror-to-put-on-your-lipstick-or-comb-your-hair, whiplash-head-turning, stop-and-stare, perfectly detailed black vehicles separate the truly exceptional detailers from those who call themselves wannabe "detailers".

As I have quoted before the late 1950`s-early 60`s New York Yankee`s baseball manager Yogi Berra famously said, "It ain`t braggin` if you can do it."

Thank you!
That is very kind.

 

[Merlin]

Wow one baaaaaad sedan! Now it has the looks to back up its beef! Nice Merl!

Yes, it is surprising!

Thank you!
That is very kind.