The Soul of a Race Car.

Yesterday, I attended the Historic Races at Laguna Seca Raceway.  What a hoot!  I was able to see the Can-Am cars run through the gears at 8/10th’s or 9/10th’s speed, which was something I had not seen before.

The winning car of the Can-Am race I witnessed was number 5, a McLaren.  We wanted to sneak a peek of this beauty at close range, so we headed to the paddock.  The first thing I noticed once I turned down the lane the car was parked in was… it was being wiped clean using a bottle of Meguiar’s Cleaner/Wax.  Instead of the obvious thought, “Cool- they’re applying a coat of wax to the car”, my mind wandered elsewhere.

I just couldn’t help wonder if I was witnessing much more.

“Perhaps some payback for a job well done?  A definite possibility.”

“Maybe this is a ritual of sorts, thanking the soul of the car for keeping its driver safe throughout the race?  Could be…”

“Is this a reward for delivering a 1st place finish?  You know, I think it is!”

“Oh, wait!  This must be a tradition, not to be broken by any man.”

In the end, I suppose it’s reasonable to assume that my imagination had gotten the best of me.  As I walked away feeling confident that what I had witnessed was nothing more than a guy throwing a coat of wax onto a much-respected car, I stole a final glance of the orange beast.

Wouldn’t you know it?  I coulda’ swore that its number placard winked at me.

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KBM – The Kevin Brown Method – How It All Began.

Far be it for me to name a “method” after myself.  I suppose it would be okay, but I didn’t do it!  In fact, the designation Kevin Brown Method (or simply KBM) eventually grew to encompass three different methods; a procedure designed to deliver increased cutting and better final polishing using a random orbital; another method designed to maximize the cutting power of a Surbuf Microfingers Pad paired with a random orbital; and still another designed to improve the cutting potential of a rotary polisher.

My now good friend (and high-end detailer) Todd Helme inadvertently coined the phrase while writing a thread about several cars he had recently detailed.  In the thread, he simply mentioned that he had used Kevin Brown’s Methods of Madness to polish a 1948 Lincoln Zephyr.  It was a big deal to him at the time, because he was able to achieve results using the random orbital that he simply did not envision were possible. Immediately after posting his statement, people wanted to know: “Who is Kevin Brown, and what is his method?”  I was certainly happy to share the information with others, and eventually wrote two additional articles.

Check out the the Kevin Brown Method for yourself.  Perhaps there are few tips listed in the articles that will help you, too!

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Want High Performance Polishing? Choose the Correct Backing Plate.

When we polish automotive paint via machine, the buffing pad and compound we use plays a large part in determining polishing performance .  Of course, the machine’s speed setting, user applied pressure, and the type of machine we are using are also very important factors.

Did you know that the backing plate (the part that connects the buffing pad to the machine) also plays a large part in overall polishing performance?  It most certainly does, yet most people use whichever backing plate they have available to them, or simply use the one that comes packaged with the machine.  And why not?  If the backing plate holds the buffing pad safely and securely, its main purpose is being fulfilled.

However, to be certain that you are maximizing cutting power and achieving great final polishing results, it’s almost always best to use a backing plate that supports the entire diameter of the buffing pad, or as close to it as possible.  Keep in mind that the closer the backing plate is to the edge of the pad, the less cushioning or safety zone you’ll have available in the event that the edge of the pad contacts a painted or delicate surface.

Although we all hope to garner maximum performance from our equipment, it is safe to assume that we also agree it would be foolish to trade safety away, in hopes of gaining a small performance edge.

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