A lot of elbow grease and more...

Trying keep to keep a car show look for your daily driver could be quite a challenge. Going to the auto detailer every so often is a viable option. But the time you spend going there and the cost can be a struggle for some car owners. If you want to have a car show look but can’t go the detailers all the time, then maybe this can help. Lets start under the hood. My definition of a detailed look is cleanliness… as if a vehicle just came out of the factory: not the showroom look where you see some rubber and metal parts shining like the sun. Don’t get me wrong, I love to see cars with engine bays all shiny and everything, but I find it more of a challenge to keep the factory look even if there were some accessories added or some fabrication done. It must look as if it came from the factory.

Now, how to get started. Make sure you have the whole day free as things like this can take a while. It would be better if you had an air compressor to help you dry the engine bay. It makes life easier and it would pay off for itself in the long run. If your engine bay is just dusty and there are no signs of fluid leaks, then you could start by wiping off the dust around the engine. Make sure you disconnect the battery when the engine is cold. You may have to disassemble some things around the engine bay, say for example the air filter, to access some areas. If there are stains on the engine and on the body, you could apply Wipe Out. This product is very easy to use. I use a paint brush to apply it and a disposable rag to wipe it off. You could also use an old toothbrush to help remove those stains. For heavy oil stains or sludge, you can use a degreaser to loosen things up.