Pics of My Leon Cupra R detail.

Cupra_Clark

Full Member
Apr 18, 2005
81
0
I have been absolutely dying to get my Leon detailed and up to the standard i'd like it to be for months and months now, but due to a hectic time where we've seen the diary get mega busy with customer details I only managed to get the chance just recently to do my own car.

The car wasnt exactly bad before but the last time it was waxed/sealed was back in November(!!!), so the beading was pretty pathetic by now :eek:

So here it is, feeling all sorry for itself:

CLCRzz.jpg


The last time the car was touched with an abrasive polish was around 8 months ago i think (it could be longer) and this was the state of the paintwork (the car was dusty so it hides some light marring):

CLCRz.jpg


It just goes to show that with the correct wash & dry technique you really can keep a car pretty much swirl free for long periods of time - my car gets foamed 2 or 3 times before the mitt wash and this will obviously play a huge part in keeping the paint in great shape :)


So, onto the detail :

The engine bay had been annoying me for ages as it had managed to collect a fair amount of dust etc:

CLCRd.jpg


So, first step was to soak the engine with Meguiars safe De-greaser (4:1) and left for 10/15 mins:

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It was then Pressure washed and dried off before i dressed it with Aerospace 303 protectant (this was done much later on but i'll put it in here to keep things simple :)):

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The car was then foamed with Megs APC through the AB foam lance and left to dwell for 5 mins. I then pressure washed off before foaming again with PB Slick and Suds and then washing with the TBM & S&S.

I then Clayed the paint with Zymol Lehm Clay, rinsed it off again and then gave it a quick dry with a waffle weave to get the majority of the water off.

I then jacked the car up and removed a wheel at a time (these were sealed with PB wheel Sealant & the tyres dressed with Blackfire Tyre Gel) to get the arches cleaned out properly:

before:

CLCR.jpg


I soaked the arches with Meguiars Safe Degreaser (4:1) & Autosmart Tar & Glue remover then scrubbed with a Meguiars Upholstery brush twice and then pressure washed off. Everything was then dried and dressed with Megs All Season Dressing. I also painted the centres of my discs black (hammerite) and polished up the calipers (these are getting re-furbed when i get a chance as the laquer's flaking off in bits) with Jeffs Prime Strong before applying PB Wheel Sealant.
 

Cupra_Clark

Full Member
Apr 18, 2005
81
0
[after:

CLCRa.jpg



Before i started the polishing stage i touched in some stone chips i'd collected over the last 6 months or so and sanded them flat with 3000 unigrit:

CLCRb.jpg


These areas were then polished with Menzerna IP 3.02 and a megs polishing pad@1500rpm's to remove the sanding marks.

The rest of the car was done with Menz PO85RD and a Megs finishing pad @1500rpm's, with the lower halfs of the car and back bumper receiving 106ff & a polishing pad as the marring was slightly worse on these sections.

I then HD Cleansed the paint & glass as usual and applied Zymol Vintage by hand to all exterior surfaces including the grills/wiper blades & arms/window rubbers etc.

While this was "gassing" i polished the exhaust tip and gave the interior a quick once over before applying Poorboys Natural Look to all plastics. Normally i'd have gone for Zymol Vinyl but i decided to use the PB stuff up and save the Vinyl for customers cars :D

A couple of interior shots (no befores as its never really that dirty):

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A couple of hours later i gave the car the mandatory final wipe down with Zymol Field Glaze to remove any smears and then rolled the car outside for the afters, along with its new number plates and alloys :D

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Cupra_Clark

Full Member
Apr 18, 2005
81
0
CLCRt.jpg


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Since these pics were taken the car's been lowered another 15mm so i'll try and get some more pics up at some point :)

thanks for looking! :thumb:
 

Willie

LCR Track car
Aug 6, 2004
8,939
1
Sunny Scotland
Now thats more like it!!
Looking sh#t hot there Clark, bet your glad you got to the back of that stone chips.
Like the alloys and the ride height. Did you change all the bushings?
Did you change the anti roll bar also?
I spoke to Jim at Star seemingly our cars fitted with an older version and this is prone to flaking and leaving play on the bushings. i'm getting mine changed in two weeks with polyflex bushings, will be interesting to see what difference it makes.
Hows the handling now...can you keep up with Richard yet;):lol:
 

LCR User

Stage...
Jan 17, 2006
57
0
Mate top work going on there!! Especially the before and after of the engine bay :) 10/10 for that lovly 210 :clap:

Did you "only" use the degreaser and 303 protectant for the engine bay to give it that effect? Also a general one, do you leave the engine running whilst pressure washing it?
 

Cupra_Clark

Full Member
Apr 18, 2005
81
0
changed all the bushes for powerflex ones including the ARB ones but didnt change the ARB, i cant decide what kit to go for and if i'm even going to change the front ARB at all, mine is in good condition anyways :)

Car handles like its on rails now, although i may raise the back ever so slightly :)
 

Cupra_Clark

Full Member
Apr 18, 2005
81
0
Mate top work going on there!! Especially the before and after of the engine bay :) 10/10 for that lovly 210 :clap:

Did you "only" use the degreaser and 303 protectant for the engine bay to give it that effect? Also a general one, do you leave the engine running whilst pressure washing it?


yup, just de-greaser and 303 mate :)

Generally if its slightly older engines or non VAG engines i leave them running but i did mine when it was switched off :)

The car aint 210bhp either ;)
 

LCR User

Stage...
Jan 17, 2006
57
0
Ahhh, I ment 210 version going by the mirrors......with that engine bay looking so good (and the addtion of the filter) I can only assume it's tuned in more than one way. But if it is a 210, def one of the best examples i've seen in a while :)

Off to halfrauds now....
 

Cupra_Clark

Full Member
Apr 18, 2005
81
0
Ahhh, I ment 210 version going by the mirrors......with that engine bay looking so good (and the addtion of the filter) I can only assume it's tuned in more than one way. But if it is a 210, def one of the best examples i've seen in a while :)

Off to halfrauds now....


cheers mate :)

its 270bhp & 275lbf :D
 

cupra_brown

Full Member
Jul 27, 2005
324
0
looks awesome m8!!!!

engine bay is stunning.

dont know if i would have balls to pressure wash my engine though. Is it risky.. water/electrics etc or am i being a pratt?
;)
 

Murdered LCR

Wide mouthed mofo
Sep 9, 2006
6,646
8
Murder Inc.
must admit thats the best looking red lcr i have seen on hear love it in every way wheels look spot on ..think i need to do my engine bay like that as well was just worried with putting water on it
 

ikhlaq206

Its all about the .:R
Jul 25, 2006
347
0
beautiful

what tyre shine you got on?

also did you put polish on your wheels?
 
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