Mustang Club of Maryland

This past spring and summer has been a busy time for me as I have been detailing quite a few cars and trucks. My latest detail is of a 2006 Ford F350 Super Duty Pick Up Truck. This is a work truck used mostly for hauling heavy trailers and while it is very upscale it has received a lot of abuse over the years.

The truck belongs to a contractor who was doing restoration work on the house next door to me. He took notice as I was detailing Susan Kane's R2 Mustang and also noted that I was selling my 2002 Mustang which he would like to buy to for his son if he can arrange the finances.

He asked me if I would be able to detail this truck. At first I was reluctant as it is such a big vehicle but he told me that I could have it for as long as I needed so we agreed to get it done in three days.

I will be posting both the before and after photos of this truck so that you all can see the dramatic difference. The exterior was hand washed, clay barred, polished and sealed. The interior was vacuumed, cleaned and the leather seats where cleaned and reconditioned. The inside of this truck was a mess with pistachio nuts scattered all through the interior. Dried up soda spills, dried raisons and shells were imbedded in the cup holders and on the carpeting.

He wanted the engine detailed as well so it went from a dirty, grimy engine compartment to a better than new looking engine compartment. I used both of my Griot's Garage Orbital Polishers, the 3" and 6" to polish and seal the finish, restoring it to like new condition again.

Midnight Blue
MCOM Treasurer-Historian

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The Red Baron

I didn't realize just how much work this would require to clean up at first because it didn't look all that bad until I started actually seeing just how messed up this truck really was.

Here are the "after" photos to show how nice it did clean up with a lot of elbow grease and a ton of detailing products to make this happen!

Midnight Blue
MCOM Treasurer-Historian

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The Red Baron

Super Nice! Love B&A pics!

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Wow... that interior was pretty cruddy. You did a great job cleaning it up. If I was the owner no one could ever eat in my truck again.


While this is a work truck and I'm sure that it must serve as a second home to the owner, I hope that he will learn a lesson about keeping it clean. If not it'll cost him in the long run to continue to have someone like me clean it for him!

I like to use this detailing section of the forum to show our members just what can be done to a car or truck to bring it back to near showroom condition if properly detailed.

Thank you for your kind comments too.

Midnight Blue
MCOM Treasurer-Historian

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Bella-mare
2007 GT, V8, 4.6L, 3V, OHC 300-315 HP, 5 speed,
C&L Performance Cold Air Intake, Borla Exhaust
~inspire excellence.

Wow Steve you did an amazing job on that truck!!!
The owner should be really proud to drive it now!!

When the owner comes to pick up the truck later today Lauren and I show him the difference in it's appearance especially in the engine compartment and interior, I'm going to remind him that it is easier for him to do a little preventive maintenance than to let it get so dirty. But since this is a work truck I doubt that he even cares.

These people don't think in the same terms as we do about the appearance of their vehicles. Besides, I'm still hoping that he can get his financing together in order to buy my car for his 17 year old son.

He couldn't believe how clean and sharp looking my little 2002 Mustang looked. He was also impressed that I had all of the service records for my car and that I had taken proper care of the car. This is something that a dealer could not offer him as most of their used cars come in as trades or from an auction.

Midnight Blue
MCOM Treasurer-Historian

_________________
The Red Baron

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The Red Baron

That truck cleaned up nicely. The engine bay looks almost brand new. Please let us know what the owners reaction was.

Some folks use 'work" vehicles and treat them as such. I grew up on a 10,000 acre ranch and one of my bosses had this truck that back in the 80's had to have been in the mid-20K and he just trashed it and didn't think another thing about it.

Steve did a great job and hopefully you'll have them keep it looking good. BTW did you wash the engine off as it was dusty and dieseilly.....
I saw the shine afterwards and it looks impressive.

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“Aerodynamics is for those who cannot manufacture good engines”
- Enzo Ferrari

Dave, the owner just picked up his truck and was really impressed with the results. I would say that he was not expecting it to come out this nice so I "over achieved" for him. He is still interested in buying my car for his son and should be ready in another week or so. He asked me how much I would charge to do his wife's Lexus RX as she will probably want it done after she sees his truck. I also believe that he would like for me to detail the truck again next year.

Dirk, I used a whole lot of Griot's Garage Engine Degreaser on every part of the inside of the hood and motor and engine bay and then hosed it off. After things dried out I then used Griot's Garage Engine Dressing to make everything shiny and bright again. These products are pretty expensive but they do work!

Midnight Blue
MCOM Treasurer-Historian

_________________
The Red Baron

Well that engine bay was clean enough to eat off of and that is a good thing. Steve you have a real talent and you might of over achieve a little bit. Best part is when they keep coming back

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“Aerodynamics is for those who cannot manufacture good engines”
- Enzo Ferrari

Dirk, after doing professional photography for over 30 years, my goal was always to "overachieve" and give the customer more bang of the buck. This led to a lot of referrals and people coming up to my wife and I at these events to ask for our business cards.

I try really hard to price my services fairly knowing that I will deliver a top quality job for the customer. I treat their vehicles as if they were mine and in order to be successful in doing something like detailing you have to be really "detail oriented".

It takes a little longer to do things the right way but the payoff is a superior result, one that exceeds the customers expectations.

I got a call this evening from a gentleman who saw my car with the For Sale Sign on it from the Bob Davidson Car Show. He is going to meet me on Wednesday at 4pm before our club meeting to look at the car. His Ford Ranger was totaled in an accident and he needs a new ride. So we'll see how things go and hopefully either he will buy my car or my contractor friend with the F350 will but it if he can get his finances in place by the end of the month.

Midnight Blue
MCOM Treasurer-Historian

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The Red Baron