Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

[jarred767]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!



I don't even think words can describe the way I feel. A day in your shop might make me hate my own business (and I currently love it). Absolutely stunning work!!!!!

[macdude]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Thank you for the kind words!

We finally completed Project Scuderia Restore which spanned through an exhaustive 16-weeks. It began right from the beginning with a bare-metal restoration of the bodywork. It had lacked the proper gloss and the grainy textured-finish was the result of a previous repaint using a poorly skilled painter and a lackluster paint system. We dedicate a lot of our time restoring the aesthetics portion for Ferrari's and the goal of this particular project was to achieve a better-than-factory finish for the paintwork. We paired PPG's Hi-Solids Clear-coat with a Nero Daytona base coat mixture that came from our supplier's tinting lab. This ensures that it is extremely accurate to the colour tonality of a factory Ferrari.



The engine had a phletora of carbon-fiber components which were restored and explained previously.



The paintwork finish was then placed through a combination of our wet and dry-sanding program using Mirka's Abralon series of sanding pads which flattens out the orange-peel texture of the fresh paintwork. The reflections are razor-sharp and have a remarkable mirror-like finish.



A set of lightweight spacer and bolts were fitted to the Scuderia to widen the tyre profiles for an improved flush with the wheel arches.



Several sections of the leather upholstery were damaged and was then repaired/replaced including the cowling on the dashboard. The carbon-fiber goodies inside the cabin was also detailed to our signature finish providing a contrasty deep, matte leather surface with the mentioned high-gloss CF-trim. The rest of the cabin was then detailed to perfection.



A set of matte-black stripes were custom-measured, cut and fitted in-house to provide a more subtle identification to the Scuderia.



Undeniably one of the best angles of the Scud...



The remarkably impressive engine bay was given a fresh new lease of life with the carbon-fiber components restored to a better-than-factory finish.



Here a synergy of high-gloss carbon-fiber components and a deep, wet paintwork finish flows together in perfect balance.



The wheels were refinished in a darker shade of gunmetal and given the matte-treatment.



Absolutely subtle-match of wheels and thrills...



Here's another look at the matte-gunmetal wheels!



Hope you enjoyed the photos and the restoration of the Scuderia! ;-)

[davey g-force]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Wow... beautiful as always!

I see you're branching out into more than just detailing!

[BlueZero]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Amazing work Darren! I always enjoy looking at this thread. Thank you for the updates.

[macdude]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Thank you for the kind words

We detailed the first Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Roadster in the country and unlike it's other sibling with a fixed roof, it looks decidedly unique in it's proportions. Just the mere absence of the C-pillar in the roadster-version gives it an attractive tapered-down profile enhanced by the appearance(or should you prefer, the disappearance) of the convertible top's fabric. This is a shot taken to showcase the unique hydrophobic features and technology of our Signature Series detailing finishes that provides maximum protection at minimal fuss.


Gorgeous matte-black wheels with polished lips...


The view from up front with the convertible top left-on makes it look exactly like the SLS AMG Coupe.


Tons of character in the Roadster:


The same thunderous V8 engine also powers the Roadster to a thrilling 0 - 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds! Just imagine doing that topless...


This particular SLS AMG Roadster is dressed to kill. Dark tanned leather with swatches of carbon-fiber flows through the interior...


Absolutely classy. Contrasting with our popular matte-finish 5-stage leather feed system the detailed carbon-fiber components look stunning in their own right.


Exquisite carbon-fiber everywhere!


Right down to the side steps...


The SLS Roadster took us over a week to detail to perfection. We gave it our signature finish...


This is what a 563 bhp open-top driving experience looks like...


A more conventional access point compared to it's coupe sibling with the trademark gull-wing doors:


The SLS AMG Roadster's convertible top was treated with our nano-technology based hydrophobic coating system. The left-side indicates the treated surface whilst the right is left untreated. (Note that this is a brand new vehicle.)


And here's a parting shot of the gorgeous roadster. Hope you enjoyed the photos! :-)

[Ana489]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

I checked out a few of your YouTube videos. Water is truly scared to death to stay on those cars!

[davey g-force]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Wow... that tan leather interior!

[macdude]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Thanks guys

We recently spent a week detailing the new McLaren MP4-12C and what a piece of engineering marvel this one is. Whilst the Ferrari 458 is evocative in it's styling and handling, the MP4-12C is pure technical prowess. Right down to the way it's technology powers the car and keeps it in control. Impressive is a mild understatement.


From any angle, the car is indeed aggressively styled. It seems to have design elements from nature's aqua-marine creatures...


Our Signature Series detailing took care of the paintwork producing an extremely high-gloss finish and treated with our renowned hydrophobic coating system for fuss-free all-weather protection.


The interior is a design study in itself with turbines for a/c vents and minimalist centre console.


The cabin is a luxurious blend of nappa leather, alcantara and carbon-fibre. All of which were treated with a combination of our popular 5-stage leather-feed system, Alcantara-Guard system along with the carbon-fibre sections being buffed to perfection and protected with our in-house coating system.




Paint quality was generally acceptable for a supercar but it seemed to have issues near the engine where the intense heat from the turbocharged block caused the painted section below the engine cover to melt.


Pure drama.


The butterfly-doors are a feature for the MP4-12C and works in dramatic fashion. The swinging movement feels lighter than the Lamborghini's scissor-doors to operate as is the cool but gimmicky touch-sensitive door lever mechanism.


It's not difficult to somehow appreciate the rather organic and symmetrical cues of the McLaren as they seem to be strikingly avant-garde yet oddly-familiar. You'll have to sit in one up-close to understand it.


The integrated LED tail lamps look absolutely sublime...


MP4-12C - The Shark.


The powerful mid-mounted twin-turbocharged M838T 3.8-litre V8 engine packs a 592 horsepower punch and the exhaust note certainly rumbles with character.


Detailing her for a week makes you realise how compact the MP4-12C's dimensions are relative to other supercars but she certainly stands out with a distinctive design language which is impressive.


Hope you enjoyed the photos!

[howheels]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Amazing photos. If you don't mind, I've got a question for you. You've mentioned several times that you're removing orange-peel present in the factory paint through wet sanding. This is a topic that I've had some interest in lately. From what I understand, the peel is usually a problem beneath the clear coat. Does that mean that you need to sand the clear off completely to correct the paint? Are you re-clearing as well? If so, this seems like a tremendously involved endeavor!

-Matt

[macdude]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Hi Matt!

Orange-peel correction should be approached carefully and always in tandem with a paint-thickness gauge. It is a very skilled process which involves removing the peaks in the clear-coat to achieve a "flat" surface. There are also variable degrees to the correction with factory-paint being able to be levelled fairly flat but not at the same achievable expectation that a vehicle refinished with custom base-coat and clear-coating layering options and techniques which would allow for what I would consider to be an extremely levelled paint finish. It has been discussed many times in the forum and there are some valuable thread postings that will take you in great detail how it is done correctly. Refer to them as a lot of time has been spent documenting the processes by the thread starters with photos as reference.
Hope that helps and good luck!

[wifpd4]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

The last time we spoke we didn't finalize when the Scuderia would be delivered. I know we said the barge would come up the Mississippi River and the car would be off loaded in the Quad Cities, USA on the Iowa side of the river. I know the drought has slowed and stopped some barge traffic due to low water levels, but the weight of the Scuderia will assist with keeping a shallow draft on the barge making for a mid December deliver prior to the ice setting in and in time for Christmas. I have also spoken to the Corp of Engineers and the lock master will also raise the level of the river to assist during the week of delivery.

So basically I WANT THAT CAR!

Feeble attempt at humor, I know, but amazing work on some amazing cars.

[macdude]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Taking this time to wish everyone a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[wifpd4]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Darren, may you and your family have a safe and joyous Holiday and a prosperous New Year.

Thank you for sharing your projects with us.

[macdude]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!



We've been kept really busy over the past few months since Christmas and haven't had much time to update, so here we are with a new entry on detailing the Aston Martin Rapide. The Rapide is quintessential British styling in-motion. There's never been a more streamlined four-door sports sedan that could merge the beauty of aesthetics and functionality well enough to impress automotive enthusiasts the world over. With the Rapide, it's been achieved with aplomb. Pairing a supercar with a 6-litre V12 engine that churns out 470 horses and still offer relatively comfortable rear passenger space in an impossibly sleek coupe shell is nothing short of remarkable.



We spent a week detailing this custom-ordered Rapide and fell in love with it's intricate designs particularly in the cabin. Fine Nappa leather which we treated with our popular 5-Stage leather feed system for a luxuriously deep yet matte finish, flowed in synergy with the aluminium accents and the contrasting piano black trim which was carefully buffed to a swirl-free finish due to it's delicate nature.



The Rapide's colour options are subtle yet with distinctive tonalities and we slowly brought out the mirror-finish of the paintwork with our Signature Series detailing system. To achieve a truly vivid depth of the paintwork calls for a multi-layered polishing routine which is performed over a period of 3-4 days.



With the specular reflections from our unique daylight-balanced lighting system, we can predictably execute the proper paintwork depth that will look equally stunning in broad daylight. Only once that has been achieved is the vehicle moved into the wet-preparation bays for high-pressure steam cleaning and de-ionised water to remove residual compounds and polishing oils. No filler products are used to mask imperfections which means that once the vehicle has left the wet-preparation bays, the tight surface tension is a result of our Signature Series multi-layered polishing system.



The Rapide is then ready to be moved into our coating room which is designed to filter dust away from the vehicle. Our Endurance hydrophobic coating system is then layered over the period of a day and cured using ultraviolet lamps.



The inspection team then spends an entire day performing finessing processes to ensure that it passes our stringent quality control inspection prior to delivery. The goal here is to make each car show-ready.



The wheels and callipers were treated with our heat-resistant coating to resist the acidic carbon-deposits from the brake-pads.



It was truly another remarkable detailing project. Hope you enjoyed the sharing. In the meantime, here's the rest of the photos!

[davey g-force]

Re: Lightroom Shots from my Detailing Studio!

Beautiful work!