Ask An Expert About Detailing – Clay Bars and Lubricants

While Corvette owners may be known for keeping their rides polished and ready at a moment’s notice, we know that many of you aren’t experts when it comes to detailing your rides. As a service to our loyal followers, CorvetteBlogger has teamed up with Bill Crawley, founder of Lithium Auto Elixirs. As a highly experienced detailing expert, Bill is here to answer your questions with techniques, ideas, and hacks to keep your Corvette looking its absolute best.

What makes this column different (and appealing to us) is that Lithium Auto Elixirs is offering a FREE product sample to anyone who submits a question to the detailing experts. When you ask a question about washing or detailing your Corvette, you will not only get world-class advice, but the good folks at Lithium will send you the product you need to solve your detailing issue at no charge.

Featured Question

I have a 1988 C4 which is in amazing condition, with the original paint still shining like it did when it came off the line. The issue I am having is: every time I walk by the car in the garage, I have a propensity to run my hand along with the paint. However, this last year I started noticing that even though the finish looks great, it does not feel smooth to the touch. Hard to describe but almost like there is a layer of tree sap or something like that on the surface. I have washed and waxed the car multiple times, however, it still feels like sandpaper. Do I need to get it professionally corrected? Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks, Daryl

Lithium’s Answer

Hi, Daryl, and thanks for reaching out. This is a great question – one which often leaves car owners perplexed, as to why – no matter how hard they wash or wax their paint surface still feels scratchy. This is because the problem is only partially superficial. Paints and clear coats are fairly soft by nature and your C4 is even a bit more vulnerable, as it has a single-stage paint job. (i.e. no clear coat) what happens is brake dust, iron shavings from the road and a host of other pollutants that microscopically are quite sharp and jagged collide with your paint while you are driving and become embedded into the finish. It is the tips of these particles that you are feeling when you rub your hand across the surface. No amount of washing or hand waxing will remove them. And power buffing has a tendency to just cut the tops off and leave the rest in the paint. Fortunately, the answer is a very simple one and is probably the best thing you can do for the overall health of your paint. It is called the Clay Bar treatment and it is super inexpensive also very easy and satisfying to do. Starting out with a quality kit, which consists of clay bars and spray lubricants is super important. From there it’s just about the same amount of time and effort as using an instant detailer on your car. Lithium happens to make a phenomenal kit which we will send you as our gift for submitting your question Daryl.

The Solution

Exclusive offer for CorvetteBlogger readers: Save 20% when you use coupon code VETTE20

Lithium’s Clay Bar Kit with Ceramic Clay Lube is the fastest way to remove iron, brake dust, sap, and other pollutants from your Corvette’s exterior, and it’s one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to ensure the continued health of your car’s paint. It’s a process that only takes a few minutes and should be done before any sealants, waxes, or ceramics coatings are applied so that you do not seal in or cover up all the contaminants that are embedded in your paint.

To give the readers an idea of how much iron can get into your paint this is a piece of detailing clay that we used on just one-quarter panel of one of our cars (this was done after thoroughly washing the surface) and this much grime was removed. The best part is the paint not only healthy but baby smooth:


Lithium’s Clay Bar Kit includes the Fore Clay bar which weighs 200 grams and is made from natural volcanic mud. The natural white color allows you to see when it’s time to knead the clay bar or replace it. Luster Lube comes in a 16-oz spray bottle and it’s a Si02-based lubricant that will not only protect your paint when clay barring, but will also leave behind an incredible shine every time you use it. Lithium’s Clay Bar Kit is priced at $28.00. CorvetteBlogger readers can save 20% from Lithium Auto Elixirs using promo code VETTE20!

Got a detailing question for Bill for next month’s “Ask The Expert” column? Send us your car wash and detailing questions to [email protected]. Lithium Auto Elixirs is sending out free samples for your questions, so make sure you include your mailing address (USA Addresses Only). Bill will then select the topic for the next Ask the Expert column.

Source:
Lithium Auto Elixirs