Christmas Detail - Graphene Ceramic Coating a 1940 Ford Streetrod!

[Mike Phillips]

Christmas Detail - Graphene Ceramic Coating a 1940 Ford Streetrod!


1940 Ford 2-Door Sedan Streetrod - Body by Ford, Gloss and shine by 3D!

Backstory...
Local hardcore car guy stops by 3D while I'm shooting a LIVE YouTube video on how to sand and buff custom paint, and instead of putting him off, (because I'm live broadcasting), I figure anyone watching the live stream or the recorded version, will find it interesting to see the interaction between me and Richard the owner of this 1940 Ford. He pulled his car into our garage and I'm pretty sure it can be seen via the live stream video. I look at the car, do the baggie test and then draw his attention to the swirls and scratches in the paint. Next I tell him what it will cost to do the paint correction and ceramic coat the car. After that he backs his 1940 Ford out of the garage and I go back to sanding and buffing the 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner. Next day, he brings the 1940 Ford and a 2010 Corvette to the shop and says he'll pick them up after Christmas.


Christmas Detail Projects
In my life, I've written full write-ups for some pretty cool cars I've detailed at Christmas. It's fun and festive. So I'm looking at this 1940 Ford 2-door Sedan Streetrod and I can't help to notice it's kind of Christmas GREEN color. So yeah, I put 2 and 2 together and thought besides doing all the work it will take to prep and coat the paint on this streetrod, I'll take some pictures to show how I tackle it and turn it into my latest Christmas Detail.


3D's NEW Graphene Infused Ceramic Coating Plus

From the Chemists at 3D

Graphene Infused Ceramic Coating Plus Graphene Infused Ceramic Coating Plus is an improved version of our 935 Ceramic Coating. This innovative coating creates chemical bonds which connect primarily to hard substrates including clearcoat paint systems while remaining flexible. It forms covalent bonds with the surface being treated as well as with itself creating a strong, protective layer of protection. To improve the resistance and durability, the coating is reinforced by monolayer platelets of graphene that create an even stronger matrix for protection. This coating is not only hydrophobic, but also oleophobic which means that it doesn’t like oils or rejects oils making it the perfect protection against a wider spectrum of contaminants. Field Tests 940 has a beading effect with a higher contact angle (above 110 degrees) compared to our 935-ceramic coating. Chemist's Note: A surface is considered a hydrophobic surface when the contact angle is above 90 degrees. Stress Tests We applied a strong alkaline degreaser, acetone, 99% IPA, and an acidic wheel cleaner, Wheel Brite to a 940 coated car and it maintained excellent water beading characteristics and also looked just as when it was first applied.

Moving forward with this new graphene coating
This will be the 4th or 5th car I've detailed and then installed the NEW 3D #940 Graphene Infused Ceramic Coating Plus and it is now my favorite coating out of all the coatings I've tested and tried since 2010, when I installed my first ceramic coating. (13 years experience) Besides the incredible water beading, hydrophobic surface this new coating creates, (see my video here), it is the ONLY coating I've ever used that leaves the paint feeling slippery. Most, if not all ceramic coatings make your car's paint feel tacky, or rubbery. People HATE their paint to feel rubbery. What people really LOVE is for the paint on their car to feel slippery and silky. I still top all my cars with 3D Bead It Up because Bead It Up will take the results from this new graphene coating and make the paint feel even more slippery - but also because I'm going to strongly recommend the owners of all the cars I detail to purchase a GALLON of Bead It Up to take care of their car, (and my hard work), for the rest of the time they own the car.


Teach your customers - Simple maintenance with a single product
Most people don't know how to properly take care of a fine finish. If you don't teach them how to take care of the swirl-free finish you create on their car, you leave it to CHANCE that they will figure it out on their own. Me? I don't leave it to chance. I save one section of paint on their car and leave it WITHOUT applying Bead It Up. By the time they pick up their car, I will have finished the work and applied Bead It Up to every square inch, including glass, chrome, wheels, etc. EXCEPT a section of paint on the driver's side hood, roof or trunk lid. Then when they pick up their car, I hand them a clean, dry microfiber towel and have them rub the towel over this section of untreated paint, (untreated with Bead It Up, the rest of the car is either waxed and/or ceramic coated and topped with Bead It Up), and point out to them as they are moving a folded microfiber towel over this section of paint that it does in fact feel SMOOTH.

Next I give this section ONE MIST of Bead It Up and then have them spread the Bead It Up over this section with one side of the folded microfiber towel and then have them flip to the dry side to give the section a final buff and that's when the magic happens. You can see it in their eyes and by the smile on their face as THEY FEEL the paint become very slippery.

It's this tactical sensation that is perceived in their brand that makes the CONNECTION. What is the connection?

A: They discover via my pointing it out that they LOVE the paint on their car to feel slippery.​

B: By using this simple, spray-on, wipe-off product - they can easily maintain the beautiful finish they are standing there looking at.​

Then I walk them to the lobby where they can purchase a gallon of Bead It Up, a 32 ounce bottle and a gray chemical resistant spray head plus some new microfiber towels to take care of their car. This is my standard operating procedure and makes the owner happy and maintain the results I created.

See my article here,

3D Bead it Up - Do yourself a huge favor and purchase by the gallon

NOTE: I don't recommend the chemical resistant spray head because you need it for it's chemical resistance ability - I recommend it because it does such a GREAT job of ATOMIZING the Bead It Up. And when working on a finish in perfect condition, you don't want to SQUIRT Bead It Up onto the paint, you want to simply apply a FINE MIST of product and then spread it around and wipe off any excess. With a super nice finish, a little bit goes a long ways.



Now onto the process I used for this 1940 Ford Christmas Detail!

 

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...

Here's the 1940 Ford as parked out in the warehouse after the owner dropped her off. The car behind her is a 1937 Packard that I will have buffed out before this 1940 Ford.

Step 1: Washing the car to remove loose dust and dirt
For this I used the 3D Pink Car Soap and the 3D Microfiber Chenille Wash Mitt. I always use a Grit Guard Universal Detailing Cart because it hold my wash bucket about waist high so I don't have to continually bend over when washing a car. I wash a LOT of cars in the last 40+ years and as I have gotten older I find I don't like to bend over so I love this car. Plus it holds all my car wash tools and products.

Wheels and Tires First - (Sorry no pictures)
My normal practice is to wash wheels and tires first, which I've already done but sorry, no pictures. For this car I used the 3D Yellow Degreaser with a soft wheel brush for the painted wheels, hub cap and beauty ring and a simple tire brush for the tire sidewall.



Start at the top and work your way down
After wheels and tires, next I washed all the body panels starting at the top and working my way down and around the car. A HUGE car by the way.

The Baggie Test
After washing and drying the car, the next thing I did was feel the paint for above surface bonded contaminants using a clean, simple sandwich baggie. I was hoping the paint would feel smooth like new glass but alas, there was some form of contamination over the entire car.

Step 2: Mechanical Decontamination
To remove the contamination, I used the 3D Detailing Clay Towel with the 3D Final Touch over all the paint and the glass too. This took about an hour to do it right. If a car has above surface contamination it's really important to do this step.


Gloss comes from a smooth surface
What people like and look for from a fresh detail is for the paint to look very glossy, with a deep, wet shine. Gloss comes from a smooth surface, so if there is some kind of contamination on the paint, this contamination creates SURFACE TEXTURE - which diminished gloss.


Buffing won't remove contamination
While "yes" machine buffing will remove some of the contamination, the most EFFECTIVE method to remove the majority of the contamination is via a dedicated step called mechanical decontamination. Mechanical decontamination is where you rub detailing clay or in my example, a detailing clay towel, over the paint with a lubricant. The clay or clay towel basically ABRADES the contamination off the paint. This does tend to mar the paint so my rule for detailing any car professionally is if I'm going to mechanically decontaminate paint then I've already factored in to the job at least ONE machine polishing step to ensure any marring is removed.


Removing contamination with a 3D Detailing Clay Towel and 3D Final Touch as my lubricant

Lots of microfiber towels
If you're new to car detailing, the normal practice when claying paint is to wipe-off the residue from each section you clay as you work around the car. Detailing a car means having LOTS of clean, uncontaminated microfiber towels. I probably went through 50 microfiber towels to do this job right.

Visual Inspection
After the mechanical decontamination step, the next thing I do is inspect the paint visually for swirls and scratches. You can use overhead lights or a handheld light like this SCANGRIP Swirl Finder Light.

Swirls, scratches and RIDS
The entire car was filled with swirls plus a lot of random, isolated deeper scratches called RIDS for short. RIDS is a term I coined this term for the detailing industry because besides being a detailer, I'm also a writer and I like to make short cuts for long worded, often used terms.

Test Spot
The term Test Spot is another term I coined for the detailing industry. A Test Spot is where you test the products, pads, tools and techniques you THINK will fix the problems in the paint and via testing PROVE your system to one small section of paint. Once you prove your system works to one small section of paint then you simply duplicate the test procedure to the rest of the car. The idea being, if the products, pads, tools and your technique worked to fix one small section of paint - it will work to fix all the paint. Newbies make the mistake of NOT doing a Test Spot mostly because they don't know to do a Test Spot. If their choice of products, pads, tools and technique works - good for them. If their approach doesn't work, they usually don't find out until they've wasted a lot of time buffing on the car only to find out it doesn't look good or look right. Then they waste more time trying to figure out how to undo the damage they've caused AND find a process of products, pads, tools and technique that actually does work. So take it from me, always do a Test Spot before buffing out the entire car.



Proven Process
I was hoping to only have to machine polish the paint via one step using a foam pad on the FLEX BEAST but alas, there were too many deeper scratches and the paint was a tick on the hard side. But the results from my Test Spots showed in order to meet my expectations for this job I would have to cut the paint using the 3D ACA 510 Premium Rubbing Compound with a 3D 8" White Wool Cutting Pad on the FLEX Cordless PE14 Rotary Polisher followed by using 3D ACA 520 Finishing Polish, with 3D 6.5" Light Purple Spider-Cut Foam Polishing Pads on the FLEX XC 3401 VRG 120/US Forced Action Orbital Polisher.

Tinted Clearcoat Paint
When I was doing my Test Spot I saw a "little" green paint coming off the hood where I was doing my testing. I texted the owner and he confirmed when this car was painted, the mixed some of the basecoat color into the final clearcoat layers of paint as a special effect. This is why I was seeing some green pigment when buffing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint system.

Step 3: Major paint correction using a compound, wool pad and rotary buffer.

A lot of people are hesitant to use a rotary polisher now days especially because there are so many orbital polishers to choose from in the market place. Me? I love to use the rotary plus it makes this first paint correction step go MUCH MUCH faster. And, after this step the polishing step also goes faster because all I have to do during the polishing step is remove the hologram scratches from the fibers of the wool pad. These holograms scratches are SHALLOW and buff out quick and easy. This is something I teach in all my car and boat detailing classes.



Start at the top
You can buff out a car however you like but for me, my normal process, especially with LARGE vehicles, is to start at the top and then work my way down and around the car. In the picture below I'm standing on a Werner Work Platform to reach and work the roof safely.


Knock out the roof first
An old practice I use for large vehicles is to completely knock out the roof from start to finish so I can remove the work platform from the process. In this case, I compounds, polished, prepped and then installed 2 applications of the new Graphene Ceramic Coating Plus. After knocking out the roof, I moved the work platform out of the way and tackled the rest of the car.

Lots of buffing on the huge roof of this classic Ford body style...

This was after buffing out the entire driver's side of the roof.

Buffing the A-pillars as a part of knocking out the roof first...

My favorite rotary polisher
The cordless FLEX PE14 is one of my favorite tools for doing paint correction. The freedom from having to mess around with a power cord cannot be understated. Plus unlike cheap rotary polishers with their loud stamped steel gears, which growl as you run the polisher, FLEX tools use precision machined stainless steel gears that are smoother a dramatically quieter, which makes using these tools a joy instead of something you hate and have to wear hearing protection during the entire process.

With experience, the rotary is like a scalpel in the hands of a surgeon

This is the 3rd 1940 Ford I've detailed in 2022 so I'm pretty good and figuring out the best approach for each body panel. Notice I've covered the engine with a soft, clean fluffy blanket to protect the engine and engine compartment from any product splatter.

If you're serious
If you're going to detail your own cars or do this professionally, you really need a great handheld light to help you see the paint as you're do the buffing steps.

Lightweight
Another reason I really like the cordless FLEX PE14 is because it's lightweight and easy to use even one-handed.

Step 4: Machine polishing
After compounding with a wool pad on a rotary, there are going to be hologram scratches from the fibers of the wool pad spinning against the paint under pressure. This is normal. The way you remove the hologram scratches and maximize the gloss and clarity of the paint is to re-polish using a FOAM pad with an orbital polisher. The oscillating action of an orbital polisher together with a foam pad and less aggressive polish will work-out the hologram scratches to create a show car finish.

If it has paint it gets polished
I wrote an article by this name, (If it has paint it gets polished), because this is my philosophy as it relates to my approach to do the job right. I love that I've seen my friends like Nick Rutter use this same approach when they detail cars.

Paint Correction Results
Here's a picture of the car after I've finished all the compounding and polishing. At this point, the roof has already been ceramic coated and if you look carefully, the paint on the roof is a little darker and has more clarity.

Next up...

Prepping the paint and installing 2 layers of the new Graphene Infused Ceramic Coating Plus



Mike

 

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...

How to install a ceramic coating

Now that the grunt work is finished, it's time to install the ceramic coating. This involves 2 steps.

1. Prepping the paint.
2. Installing or applying the ceramic coating.

Step 1: Prepping the paint
To prep car paint for a ceramic coating you use a solvent called a panel wipe and wipe the paint down using multiple microfiber towels. This is a KEY step because in order for the ceramic coating to make a proper bond, the paint must be squeaky clean. When you do the paint correction step, the compounds and polishes leave behind trace polishing oils because these types of products have polishing oils in them to lubricate the surface while the abrasive technology abrades the paint to remove defects.


How to use a panel wipe
For this step I'm using the 3D WIPE, which is 3D's panel wipe. It works exceedingly well with a really nice, smooth wipe-off. Some panel wipes do not wipe off easily and when you use these more difficult panel wipes you tend to re-introduce swirls or marring into the paint because you end up scrubbing with your microfiber towel to wipe them off.


Spray the panel wipe onto a section of paint

Then using a clean, soft, dry uncontaminated microfiber towel, spread the panel wipe over the paint lightly massaging the surface, then flip to the dry side of the towel and give this section a final wipe. The goal is to leave perfectly clean, streak and smudge free looking paint. The results you see at this point are the results you're going to see after the coating step - so get this step right.

UNCONTAMINATED Microfiber Towels
In order to do ANY paint related work, you must have clean, soft UNCONTAMINATED microfiber towels. I go to great lengths to keep the towels in our shop clean and uncontaminated and even with so much time and carefulness invested into keeping our towels uncontaminated they still get contaminated. I know from experience, most of you reading this, if you were to look at your microfiber towels, you will find they are contaminated too.

I share some tips and techniques for taking care of your towels including how to keep them from becoming contaminated in this article.

How To Wash Microfiber Towels & Mitts Correctly



Step 2: Installing or applying the ceramic coating.

The 3D Graphene Infused Ceramic Coating Plus comes in kit form that includes,

1 each - 30ml glass bottle of coating
1 each - Foam applicator block
2 each - Microfiber suede cloths


To install the coating, wrap one of the microfiber suede cloths around the foam applicator block and then pour some coating onto the face of the cloth.

Apply the coating using an overlapping crosshatch pattern to a section of paint around 2' by 2'
Basically, take any larger body panels and divide them into smaller, more manageable sections and then coat this panel working section by section. Repeat this to all body panels until you've coated the entire car.

Wait 30 to 45 seconds then level and give this section a final buff
the 3D ceramic coatings are formulated to bond instantaneously to smooth, hard surfaces like clearcoat paint. This bond will take place in seconds. Wait around 30 to 45 seconds as a good measure to ensure the bond has formed. Next using a clean, microfiber towel, gently wipe the coated section of paint. Initially as you wipe what you are actually doing is continuing the application process you just did with the tiny foam block. In essence, you are LEVELING the layer of ceramic coating and then towards the end of wiping this section you are removing any excess coating. The leveling aspect of wiping is important as it ensures uniform coverage with a uniform thickness of coating.

Flash Time
When you hear someone talk abut the flash time of a coating, the word flash actually means evaporate. This means, as soon as you spread out the liquid coating, the solvents that suspend the solids, (solids means the actual graphene and ceramic particles), the solvents start to evaporate off the surface to leave the solids behind. Some brands of coating the solvents evaporate quickly and some really slowly. Our chemists formulate our coating to offer as medium rate of evaporation to give you plenty of time to apply, level and give the surface the final buff without any struggle. Our coatings are super easy to work with.



Mike

 

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...

Here's the final results...

And to make this a Christmas Detail, I went to our local Infiniti Dealership and borrowed one of their huge Christmas bows for the final touch!

Body by Ford, amazing gloss and protection by 3D Graphene Infused Ceramic Coating Plus!

What did Mike do?
And for those of you that are worried I may have scratched the paint when placing the huge Christmas bow on the hood - fear not... this ins't my first Christmas detail job!

Merry Christmas to all our 3D customers, friends and family!

 

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...


Products used
Here's pretty much everything I used. I like to share these pictures and links to where you can purchase them in case anyone reading this would like to do this process to their 1940 Ford 2-Door Sedan Streetrod OR whatever you driver.

In more or less the order you see them in the first picture from left to right...

3D Pink Car Soap

3D Microfiber Chenille Wash Mitt

3D Detailing Clay Towel

3D Yellow Degreaser

3D Final Touch

3D 8" White Wool Cutting Pad

FLEX Cordless PE14 Rotary Polisher

Pad Cleaning Spur

3D ACA 510 Premium Rubbing Compound

3D ACA 520 Finishing Polish

FLEX PXE 80 12.0-EC Multi-Set Polisher

FLEX XC 3401 VRG 120/US Forced Action Orbital Polisher

3D 6.5" Light Purple Spider-Cut Foam Polishing Pads

3D WIPE

3D Graphene Infused Ceramic Coating Plus - 30ml

3D LVP Conditioner <-- I used this for my tire dressing - looks amazing!

3D Bead It Up

Lots of green microfiber towels

 

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...

Parting shots...
Here's some extra shots to share what a beautiful build this is. For the most part, to the casual observer, if you were just looking at the outside of the car it looks like this is a bone stock, restored 1940 Ford 2-Door Sedan. But that facade evaporates like solvent as soon as you open the hood!

Look carefully, see the transmission gear indicator on the steering column for the automatic transmission?

Doesn't this look comfortable?

By the owner's request, I machine polished the painted dash to remove the swirls and scratches on it.

The Next Day

I top every car I detail with 3D Bead It Up. The two reasons why,

1: Makes the paint super slippery and slick and the owners LOVE their cars paint to feel like this.

2: I will strongly recommend to the owner to use 3D Bead It Up to take care of the results, my hard work and their investment.

Most people cannot do the things you see me do in this write-up. BUT - they can spray a product on, spread it around and then wipe it off. 3D Bead It Up is super easy to use and if used with clean, uncontaminated towels, it will keep their car looking great while maintaining the hydrophobic surface.

See how well the gray chemical resistant spray head ATOMIZES the liquid?

When paint is clean, smooth and protected with a wax, paint sealant or ceramic coating, all you need is a FINE MIST of product. Then spread and wipe-off.

See my article here,

3D Bead it Up - Do yourself a huge favor and purchase by the gallon






This last picture is for use on Instagram

Thanks for looking, questions and comments are always welcome.


Mike

 

[Lance Mark]

what a gem, absolutely stunning

Thank you for sharing

 

[Silly Rabbit]

As always, amazing