car washing question...

[kenikh]

IMHO you should NEVER spray large amounts of water on an early 911, unless you don't care about rust. Anyone who has ever taken one completely apart has seen numerous little areas where water collects and cannot drain. (in some cases the drain holes were improperly designed and are above the area where the water collects!) Many of the areas cannot be dried no matter what you do...although the hair dryer is better than nothing.

You may be long gone before the rust eats thru to where it can be seen from the outside, but believe me unless the car has never been exposed to water, it is there.

It is amusing that many people who would not dream of driving their early 911 in the rain, blast it with the water hose regularly.

90 degree summer days and sitting your car in the sun will cure any wetness, anywhere in the car. My leaky Miata (almost fixed, BTW) gets the "summer sun blast" treatment every summer to cure its mustiness.

[Kaleid]

Just run it through the local car wash. Be sure to push the antenna down though, or they might break it off...

hmm...potentially a good idea if I had a vanity plate that read "SALVAGE"

[JCR]

Don't wash with water - unless it's really dirty.
I didn't "wash" mine once last year. Just use that Meguiar's quick detailer spray. Works great - and no water running through every crevice.

[Bummler]

Aside from the small nozzle hair dryer between the door pockets...

I wash the car with mild car wash soap usually, a Meguair's product, only because I like their stuff. After final rinse I drive the car a few blocks to blow out residual water left in those cracks and crevices where it has a tendency to collect in all 911’s. I then wipe it down, sometimes using Meguiar's final inspection. Then the hair dryer goes in to make sure all is dry in there.

I typically use Meguiar’s number 7 “show car glaze” as prep before a vigorous wax. Any good quality wax will do. The fellow (Brace Robinson) who painted my car, 22 years, ago felt that Meguiar’s number 7 was a good way to “feed” the paint prior to a final coat of wax. Meguiar’s caters to the enthusiast, hence I use their products, though I find Barry Meguiar and his show Car Crazy insufferable. I'm sure any "quality" car wash and wax will do. Its more how often you do it than what products you use. If you drive it regularly you get road grime, sap, and various other contaminants on the paint, then it keepin it clean matters more. Keeping it free of corrosives and such is the most important thing. The point made earlier about phosphates in dish soap is a valid one, stay away, its not worth the pennies.

Burt Misivec, PCA past president, chose my car as one of sixty to represent Porsche’s lineage at 50th anniversary celebration at Monterey in 1998. I guess I must be doing something right.

[larry47us]

I wash my car with car soap, in the garage (out of the sun) with a washcloth, or a piece of old terry towel. Gently with enough soap to let the cloth float over the surface.

Then I rinse it with a gallon or two of distilled water (prevents water spots) and another washcloth or piece of old terry towel. Just enough water to rinse off the soap. That's why I don't use too much soap.

I dry with a full sized, old towel, just brushing the surface, without any pressure. The water will be absorbed just fine.

Wash the towels in the washing machine with soap (if you can find it, rather than detergent) since it leaves less residue in the towel. Don't use fabric softener, since it makes the towels less water absorbent.

Some people do use the "drive to dry" technique. I don't, but I don't see anything wrong with it. I drive my car too much to use a detailer to "wash" it. Too much dirt on the car, and too much chance of scratching the paint.

(Excuse me for using this picture again, but I just love it.)

larry

[2POINT7]

Larry:

I would suggest you consider a modest investment in some microfiber products for washing and drying rather than those "old towels and washcloths" you are using. They are far more gentle on the car's finish and absorb incredibly well when drying the car. I use a microfiber dogbone sponge like this one http://www.autogeek.net/the-bone.html and always dry, polish, quick detail etc. with good quality microfiber towels like these http://www.properautocare.com/micwhatbigde.html.

These sites and others, like Meguiar's have areas devoted to washing, drying and detailing tips for glass, chrome, tires, rubber, etc. etc. Really are pretty good sources of information if you can cut through the sales pitch and identify the worthwhile information.

OK, Larry. You did it and I'll follow suite. Here is one of my favorite 'shine' photos.

[larry47us]

Ed:

This is kind of like the grand old question of which wax you prefer, etc. I bought a whole bunch of microfiber towels for that reason, and then I found out that they held onto every little bit of crap that I washed off my car. The turkish/terry towels washed clean. I have to pull the little pieces out of the towel to keep them from scratching my car.

Also, a guy in our PCA chapter that has won many national Concours shows, and gives an annual class on cleaning, polishing and waxing your Pcar says that a microfiber towel will scratch the polished surface of a car. Now, I don't know if he is right or not, but I am following his advice.

And you are right, there are a number of crazy car sites out there. You have named a couple. I only have so much time. I would rather spend it polishing and waxing than reading a website.

To each his own. BTW, yer car looks grand.

larry

[Aircool]

If you have access to an air hose, you can use a straight nozzle to get water out of the really stubborn places, especially the door, hood, and window seals. I hit anywhere that there is a rubber seal. Be careful not to ding the paint though. (I have the end of mine wrapped in electrical tape.) You would be amazed by the amount of water that is in there even after the required after wash drive.