My detail job on a 98' Lincoln Town Car, Opinions

[Fordiesel69]

I aquired this car ultra cheap at a local auction. It was literally never washed since 2003 when the guy bought it used at a dealer. He had dogs and smoked with the windows up as the windows did not work (coffee in the switches). There was nicotine staining every surface that was once gray making it a camel tan interior.

I spent a lot of time getting this car to acceptable but not perfect standards. After all it is a winter ride and will get dirty again.

I used 2000 grit on the paint to get rid of the medium scratches, I then used a wool wheel with rubbing compound and did the entire car. Washed and switched to a fine foam wheel and used a finishing glaze. Finally rubbed it by hand with mothers carnuba. It was all I had that was not dried up.

For the interior, I basically used a carpet extractor fluid and about 50 gal of water between everything. Wool lite on the headliner, and krud kutter on the door panels, seats, and dash.

For the headlights, they got a 1000, 15000, 2000 wet sand, followed by some buffing with a foam wheel, then waxed by hand.

I did not spend much time on the front floor mats as they will get trashed, and I also did not do any repair to the bumper covers. What do you think?

Before:
http://community.webshots.com/album/578905926VtemQD

After:
http://rides.webshots.com/album/578901249DnhRaJ

 

[hate2work]

Very nice job

I don't have enough patience to do something like this.

 

[citationxeleven]

Nicely done, sad to see such a nice car neglected that much. Those are the kind of project cars I like to clean up also.

 

[Johnny]

Darn nice job. I also don't have enough patience to do something like this.

 

[Fordiesel69]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
Darn nice job. I also don't have enough patience to do something like this.


I am very OCD about driving in someone elses filth. I don;t like to feel as if I need a shower after driving it. And the way it was you needed to wear a mask!!!!!!

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

You did a AWESOME job of cleaning that up!!!...Looks like brand new...I would have probably got one of those mobile car detailing vans that ride around here and let them to clean it up.

For a 98 T.C. that is very low mileage.

 

[Vikas]

Did you clean the engine? There are no after shots of engine.

 

[Fordiesel69]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Did you clean the engine? There are no after shots of engine.


No, I need to reomove the coil on plug modules as they are very easy to damage. It is a very hard process to detail that engine correctly without ruining stuff. I will, just letting my back recover for a bit.

 

[XS650]

Great job. Your restored her to her former dignity.

Did you get all the smell out too?

 

[Fordiesel69]

With the full day of ozone treatment using my ecoquest fresh air prior to the full shampoo and wool lite, it is now a very acceptable used carr smell. It is not perfect but not more dog or nicotine smell.

I have found with my old 91' to get the smell out 100% you have to shampoo like 3 times on the carpet, but you have to do it every few months. If you just shampoo 3 times in a row it will not work. I also find the hard stains come out after 3 times as well.

 

[Scienceman]

Excellent job and beautiful Lincoln!

 

[dishdude]

Actually the before pics weren't as bad as I expected...I have seen worse! But the after pics sure do look great! Thats a sharp looking car with a nice color combination.

 

[FastEddie]

Great job on that big car. Gotta love reflection shots of a freshly detailed car.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
With the full day of ozone treatment using my ecoquest fresh air prior to the full shampoo and wool lite, it is now a very acceptable used carr smell. It is not perfect but not more dog or nicotine smell.

I have found with my old 91' to get the smell out 100% you have to shampoo like 3 times on the carpet, but you have to do it every few months. If you just shampoo 3 times in a row it will not work. I also find the hard stains come out after 3 times as well.


Seems like another ecoquest session would help even more now. The ozone will be able to get at the source of any smell better with the crud removed.

I did pretty much the same interior treatment to a 66 Mustang I got from a heavy smoker in 1971. The smokers crud that came off the upholstery and glass was disgusting but it ended up clean.

 

[Fordiesel69]

I would be all for another ozone treamtment, but I absolutly hate that smell as much as the smokers / dog smell. The ozone smell lasts a good week anyhow. We will see in the hot sun if the smokers and dog smell come back. If it does I will do the ozone again either all night or all day.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

If that car has not been washed and waxed since 98 it looks like I am wasting my time washing my car once a week and waxing it [in jungle heat] every 4 months...Maybe I should do it every 10 years.

BTW nobody is allowed to smoke in my car.

 

[Chris B.]

Very nice job!!! Lets see the clean engine pics!

 

[crosseyedwx]

Beautiful job! If you don't mind saying, how much did you pay for the car, and how much do you think you saved by going this route? Also want to see the engine!

 

[SteveSRT8]

sweet job!

My son loves those cars, and they run forever!

 

[Fordiesel69]

PM sent for the price I paid.

I need to remove all the 8 coil packs and put in 8 dead ones (which I have) so I can really wash this engine. It is tedious to swap them all out which is why I am procrastinating. It is also very dirty and oily. I bet the PO never used a funnel.

I also need to put in new coolant, it is nasty brown.