Auto Detailing: Tips on Prepping Your Car for a Show 

One of the joys of owning a car is the opportunity to have them displayed at car shows.  Aside from bringing together auto lovers and buyers, car shows are a privilege to receive recognition for all your hard work. There are things you can do to improve the chance of bringing home the trophy or at least turning people’s heads while showcasing your vehicle works.

Remove the rust

Prior to car show, you’ll need to get rid of the rust from the vehicle.   Use a fine sandpaper to remove visible rust.  Finish with cloth and combine the sanded area into the remaining body.  Wash and rinse the area before applying an oxide conversion agent that neutralizes small rusts in hard to reach areas.

If the oxide conversion agent dries, buff the area with cloth and auto pain in thin layers. 

Wax and Polish

Give your car a wash and wax treatment prior to the car show.  Use car soaps and wash the car under a shade to prevent the sun’s heat from affecting your work.

If your car has minor scratches, apply polish first before the wax.  Polish removes the top layer of the coat and leaves the paint less prone to fading or scratch.  Apply wax after polishing in a single layer rubbing it with microfiber cloth.

Tire Treatments

Judges are perfectionist about tires.  Despite using the right tire for the model, tires must be new with several treads and no curb scuffs.  For better chance of winning, you can buy new set of tires for car show use only and reserve your inexpensive tires for daily use.

Apply a tire cleaner that will allow the black rubber shine and take away any dirt that are stuck to the tires during transport.

Cleaning the Interiors

See to it that the interior of your car is clean and clutter free.  Use leather agents on any leather upholstery and mild metal polish on steel accessories.  Periodic vacuuming is necessary to remove the dust out of the seats and dashboard crevices.  

Engine Bay

Car show fanatics recommend cleaning the engine bay first to get much of the grease and dirt before you proceed to more delicate work.  Engine bay needs a great deal of work.  Apply degreaser to remove thoroughly the grease then add a metal polish to shine the material.

Use soft cloths to cover the fenders in front to prevent the paint job from any drop of grease or degreaser chemical.

Glass

Cleaning the interior glass is the last step in preparing your car for a show.  Use glass cleaner and soft cloths to remove fingerprints and streaks visible on the window glass especially if the show is held under the heat of the sun.

Bring with a small cleaning kit during the show for touch ups.  The kit should include clean cloths, glass cleaner, mini vacuum and tire polish.
