‘Old English White’ MGB Shines With Infinity Wax Hybrid Coating

Different inspirations lie behind the motivations for our customer’s car choices and as a result, a huge variety of vehicles pass through UF Detailing Studio. In the past, we have detailed classic Aston Martins, cult classics, supercars and the latest electric and hybrid vehicles. The one factor all our customers have in common is their passion for their vehicles and it was no different for the owner of this MGB.

When it was released, the MGB was innovative in its design, featuring a monocoque shell (unusual in those days) engineered to spread the load over the exoskeleton rather than through the frame. Sporty, yet offering such safety aspects as crumple zones, plus practical leg room inside and the addition of a parcel shelf, the MGB achieved a 0-60mph in around eleven seconds – rather racy for the 1960s! With all the character of a British classic, chrome flashes and wire wheels, there’s no arguing the appeal the MGB has and to this day, it continues to assert its influence over a significant number of enthusiasts.

The owner had made the decision to indulge in a high days and holidays car and spent some considerable time mulling over what form it should take. Having decided he wanted something with character, he settled on a classic British car and, following an encounter with an MGB in Old English White he set out to find a 1964 MGB Roadster in the same colour. On finding one, he made the trip from deepest, darkest Kent up to York and spent some time getting acquainted with his characterful car on the long journey home!

Enter UF! Once the car had arrived in Kent, the MGB Roadster was booked in for a Gloss Enhancement Treatment with a view to having the paintwork, vinyl roof and chrome wire wheels protected.

As the car had been driven some considerable distance when it arrived at UF’s Brands Hatch based Detailing Studio it was in need of a deep and thorough cleaning.

The first stage was to remove iron contamination, collected from passing vehicle’s brake pads, so the MGB was treated with Bilt-Hamber Korrosol. This shrinks the iron particles, causing them to break their bond with the substrate and allows them to be easily rinsed away. The next stage was to degrease the bodywork and wheels using Bilt-Hamber Surfex HD. This removes traffic film, diesel splatter and other oily contamination. The car was then pre-cleaned using Ultimate Snow Foam. This high foaming cleaner lifts larger particles of dirt and grit away from the surface of the vehicle.

Snow Foam gets into hard to reach areas, so it’s fantastic for cars with intricate wheels, particularly wire wheels! It’s also good for cleaning the fiddly areas such as under the wheel arches and around grilles and badges. – Derek Ginger, Master Detailer, UF Detailing Studio

The car was then washed using the Two Bucket Method, an Ulti-Mitt Double-Sided Merino Wash Mitt and Bilt-Hamber Auto-Wash shampoo, selected for its anti-corrosive properties: ideal for classic cars. The vinyl roof was cleaned using Renovo Vinyl Soft Top Cleaner and a soft bristled detailing brush. After the car had been carefully cleaned it was rinsed clear of suds before an Aqua Gleam De-ionising Water Filter was connected to the hose to give the MGB a final, pure water rinse. The car was then patted dry using Ultra-Soft Drying Towels and brought into the detailing studio for inspection under high-intensity lighting.

The light colour of the paintwork means swirls and scratches don’t show up as easily as they do on darker coloured paintwork. I used a high-intensity LED light to see the true condition and then took paint depth readings on each panel to determine how much paint I had to play with, prior to machine polishing. As I suspected, the MGB had been resprayed – that’s quite common with classic cars. – Derek Ginger, Master Detailer, UF Detailing Studio

The MGB was driven onto the hydraulic ramp and raised. The wire wheels were removed from the car so they could be polished, front and back, and allowed for the wheel arches to be machine polished.

To correct the scratches and swirls, Menzerna Heavy Cut Compound 400 with a 3M PERFECT-IT III Yellow Polishing Pad were used with the FLEX PE14-2 Rotary Machine Polisher.

The paintwork was quite easy to work with, of intermediate consistency although it was a bit grabby. It responded well to the pad and compound combination, though. – Derek Ginger, Master Detailer, UF Detailing Studio

To refine the paintwork, a 3M PERFECT-IT III Black Finishing Pad was used, with Menzerna Super Finish Plus 3800.

To protect the finish, Kamikaze Collection Infinity Wax Hybrid was used. As a combination of carnauba wax and ceramic coating Infinity must be mixed for sixty seconds to activate the ceramic ingredient. All the bodywork was given a layer of the wax, including under the wheel arches and then it was left to cure for two hours. This allows Infinity to bond fully with the paint surface before the excess residue is buffed off. To encourage it to set fully, the car was then ‘blown over’ using air blower. The result is a highly durable coating, hydrophobic and resistant to extremes of pH. The shine and reflection it delivers, even on light colours is stunning!

The roof was sealed using Renovo Vinyl Ultra Water Proofer. This protects against water ingress as well as UV fading and also helps to inhibit the growth of mould and mildew.

The wheels were polished using Gtechniq M1 All Metal Polish, using a microfibre towel to treat each individual spoke. The wheels were then protected using PolishAngel Supersport PTFE Wheel Wax. This will repel water, dirt, grease and brake dust, making these intricately designed wheels easier to maintain during the weekly wash. The wheels were replaced onto the car and all the chrome trim on the rest of the car was then cleaned and protected in the same manner.

As a final touch, the tyres were dressed using Gtechniq T2 Tyre Dressing to give a natural satin-look finish.

Once completed, the MGB sparkled brightly under the studio lights. The British weather was smiling on the customer when he arrived to collect his MGB, and he was certainly smiling as he drove it up the road!

UF Detailing Studio – Award Winning Detailing. Call 0333 800 8004 to discuss your requirements and arrange a free vehicle appraisal.