Best approach for W&G in intricate areas?

[Evil_Fiz]

I have a bare metal VW Karman Ghia that is waiting for epoxy. It has been hand-sanded with 80# and blown clean with a leaf blower and compressed air. I have a gallon of 700 that I bought to clean the metal. What would be the best approach to clean the REALLY hard-to-do areas (of which the care is mostly made of)? If you have ever done an all-over on an ACVW you know what I mean. It is nearly impossible to spray, let sit, and then wipe off in one direction on most of the car. The exterior is the only exception.

I am considering spraying the car down with a strong ZEP Purple solution then thoroughly rinsing it, 2 or 3 times, letting it fully dry in the sun, and then wiping it as best I can with 700 before spraying epoxy. Is there a better way? What am I missing?

Cheers,
Emil

 

[MJM]

My tech tip for the day is, do "not" dry the metal off with a gas powered leaf blower. Most two stroke leaf blowers use premixed gas/oil. You don't want any discharge of mixed gas/oil coming out of the leaf blower on your prepped panel before paint.

Electric blower, no problem.

 

[Chris_Hamilton]

If you want to do it right you need to properly clean it. It may not be easy but it needs to be done, there are no shortcuts. Use good non linting prep wipes, wear disposable gloves like nitrile gloves, do a section at a time. Use a spray bottle, spray it on and wipe off. Fine if you go if any direction. If you have areas where it's very hard to reach, then flood the area with 700.

Might not be easy but you have to do it.

 

[Toolin]

Chris Hamilton has a good post on this.

The proper way to wipe down a vehicle prior to paint

I've written this a while ago but never posted it. Maybe this will help some folks and help to clear up any confusion someone may have over how to wipe something down. The proper way to wipe down a vehicle prior to paint. First before the wipe down stage you want to have as clean a vehicle as...

www.spiuserforum.com

Be sure to do a thorough job with the Dawn dish soap it will pay dividends later on.

 

[Evil_Fiz]

What (little) I know about this subject and painting, I have learned here. And yes, I have read Chris's post several times. It is trully an indispensable resourse.

If you want to do it right you need to properly clean it. It may not be easy but it needs to be done, there are no shortcuts.

I agree, which is why I want to make sure I am doing it correctly. My questions are born of the knowledge that I am unaware of what I don't know. I know that improper cleaning will lead to bad outcomes but after reading many posts on this site, I am unsure of what is acceptable vs what is best practice.

Use good non linting prep wipes, wear disposable gloves like nitrile gloves, do a section at a time. Use a spray bottle...

I am using:
- "One Tuff Cloth" towels that were recommended here
- Nitrile gloves, a long sleeve shirt, and long pants to prevent skin contact with the metal
- An electric leaf blower as well as properly cleaned/treated compressed air
- A 32 Oz. ZEP trigger bottle

spray it on and wipe off. Fine if you go if any direction.

Does it matter if I wipe back and forth in tight areas? There are spots where wiping in only one direction will be nearly impossible or ineffective

If you have areas where it's very hard to reach, then flood the area with 700.

To clarify: Are you saying to flood the area and let it run off, wiping what I can? Or are you saying to flood it and wipe it all off?

Might not be easy but you have to do it.

Understood and agreed

- A Dawn solution was mentioned above. I have both ZEP Purple and Dawn. Should I use one or the other, or both in succession?
- How many treatments of the above solution should I apply? I do not have a pressure washer so it will be rinsed with only a garden hose attachment and an engine cleaning wand in hard-to-rinse areas.
- Is one gallon of 700 enough to properly clean a small car after pre-washing with Dawn/ZEP? If not, how much more should I get?
- Do I need to follow the 700 with 710 if I am pretreating with detergent?
- One last question out of curiosity; why is cleaning bare metal with acetone frowned upon/not recommended? Evaporates too quickly to be effective?

I realize I am asking a lot of questions and I thank the forum for all its help so far. I hope to one day know enough to be able to give back.

Cheers,
Emil

 

[MJM]

.

 

[Evil_Fiz]

@Chris_Hamilton:
I could really use your input on my follow-up questions to your reply above.

Plus one more question to those who have done so:
For a pre-wash solution that will only be sprayed with an engine cleaning wand and rinsed off (no wiping or scrubbing due to access issues), what mix ratio should I use for ZEP Purple or Dawn Ultra and tap water?

Thanks again for all the good advice I have received,
Emil

 

[Lizer]

I feel like I say this to you all the time, but don’t overthink it (you are…really bad).

You don’t need long sleeves or long pants…just wear some nitrile gloves when you clean. If your arm touches a spot just clean it again. You SHOULD wash your hands well after you’ve eaten anything so you don’t have grease on them from that.

I personally don’t like to use water in bare metal because I don’t want to have to mess with cleaning up the flash rust. I just start with 700 in a ZEP squirt bottle.

One gallon 700 will be enough.

Give a few squirts to a several square feet section of a panel so it’s wet. I fold my rags in fourths and wipe the 700 all over the panel. I’ll switch to a clean part of the shop towel when it starts to get dirty. Then, while the panel is still wet, take a second clean shop towel folded into fourths and wipe it again. The first wipe has spread the WGR over the panel and has lifted the contaminants from the metal, now you’re wiping them away. In tough spots, give a few squirts so it’s wet and just get a towel in there as best you can. Even if you can just soak it up that’s fine because you’re also soaking up the lifted contaminants.

Then repeat with 710.

Again, don’t make it rocket science.

 

[Evil_Fiz]

I feel like I say this to you all the time, but don’t overthink it (you are…really bad).

I kno I iz.
You have a knack for talking me down from the tree; thank you.
Advice taken, cleaning will begin shortly.
My wife will be doing the painting so hopefully her schedule pernits spraying and brushing within the next few weekends. This will be her first car paint job so I am sharing all the info I have collected here with her. Team effort.

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Emil

 

[Lizer]

Very cool that your wife is helping! I wish I had a helper like that.