gt50035 Posted January 15, 2018 Report Share Posted January 15, 2018 (edited) Well, after moping for 5 years since selling my original 2007 Vista Blue/White Stripes, I finally pulled the trigger on this 2010 Kona Blue/Silver Stripes. Snagged it last month from the original owner with 15k miles on it. Just had it detailed with a coat of Optimum Opti Pro Ceramic Coating. This is my daily driver in the Charlotte, NC area. It's great to be back in the game! Engine built by Vito Douba and Robert J. Skovran Jr. E Life is good. Edited January 15, 2018 by gt50035 Misspelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted January 15, 2018 Report Share Posted January 15, 2018 Congrats. Where are you in CLT? I'm in Weddington. Join me for a drive soon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt50035 Posted January 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2018 ViperNC, absolutely! I am in Cornelius but commute to uptown. Still running the GY F1 Super Car rubber so driving like a grandpa until the weather breaks. Especially on days like today! Good grief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted January 15, 2018 Report Share Posted January 15, 2018 Oh boy.... be careful with those. I have an extra set of wheels/tires I'm selling that might suit you if you're looking for an alternative: https://charlotte.craigslist.org/pts/6379778618.html I looked into power coating cost which is quite reasonable if you don't like the current color. Tires are almost brand new and so are the wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sd550hp Posted January 16, 2018 Report Share Posted January 16, 2018 Congratulations. I would say welcome back but it sounds like you never left. Those F1's didn't work on a cold day here in Arizona, so I cant imagine someplace that has winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt50035 Posted January 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2018 sd550hp, thanks. You're right in that technically I never left Team Shelby, I just took a 5 year sabbatical after parting with my original 2007 in 2012. On a side note, I later found out that the guy who bought my car wrapped it around a telephone pole and totalled it 2 months after he bought it. No one was killed but serious injuries from what I understand. The car survived the salvage yard as another Shelby enthusiast tracked me down to tell me that he acquired my "ex-car" and was rebuilding it. That is how I found out about the wreck. Anyway, I am back with the 2010 as my daily driver and loving it and this forum! Charlotte, NC does have its share of challenging winter days so basically during December through February I have to be very gentle on the throttle. But I will take that any day of the week as this car is just plain fun no matter how you drive it and of course respecting it at all times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smbullett Posted January 17, 2018 Report Share Posted January 17, 2018 Congrats and I have one question for you gt50035. I'm looking to apply the ceramic coating as well to give my car a little more protection from regular use. I wasn't able to see your pictures, but wanted to know when you applied the coating on the car, did you coat over the stripes, or just went around them? If you applied the coating over the stripes, did it make them more glossy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt50035 Posted January 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2018 (edited) smbullett, yes, the ceramic coating was applied over the stripes for more protection. The ceramic was applied about 1 week ago. The key to any coating whether ceramic or traditional wax is the preparation. My detailer was very meticulous to make sure the paint and clearcoat were scratch free. He did a thorough cleanse and clay bar prior to applying the ceramic resin. He was able to achieve about 95% paint correction. There are several ceramic coating products in the market but he used Optimum Opti Coat Pro as he is a certified Optimum installer. He also applied the ceramic to the wheels and the plastic trim. The stuff is amazing. You will pay a little more than a regular wax up front but the ceramic is warranted for 5 years by Optimum. I also will wash the car myself using a rinseless/no dry wash system so no more hand drying on the paint. I would highly recommend it but make sure you know your detailer well! Hope this helps. Edited January 17, 2018 by gt50035 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smbullett Posted January 18, 2018 Report Share Posted January 18, 2018 Thanks for the feedback. A few more questions. When you applied the ceramic coating to the plastic trim, are the black trim pieces high gloss now or is there a ceramic coating that is more satin like the parts themselves? Also, you mentioned that you wash your car with a rinse less/ no dry system. How is this achieved? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt50035 Posted January 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2018 The exterior plastic trim has a nice sort of flat sheen but maintained its satin/flat finish after the ceramic coat was applied. The wheels definitely have a higher gloss after the ceramic coating was applied and look amazing. For the rinseless wash I use this... Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shinehttps://optimumcarcare.com/product/optimum-no-rinse-wash-shine1 1 ounce for 2 gallons of water. I lightly hose the car down first, then using this product, wash one section at a time starting with the top, then work my way down. My detailer gave me a special detailing sponge to use for the wash step but you can use a plush microfiber too. You can literally let the car dry on it's own if ambient temp is 70 or higher but can also use a high quality microfiber waffle towel to pat dry. Ideally, you should wash the car before you get any significant build up of road dirt. The first rinse is done outside and then I pull my car into the garage (out of direct sun) to finish the wash so the surface remains somewhat cool. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt50035 Posted January 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 (edited) First official wash one week after ceramic coating applied ...I know I am biased but this Kona Blue just looks striking in the sunlight. Edited January 23, 2018 by gt50035 Uploaded photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted January 24, 2018 Report Share Posted January 24, 2018 I'd like to see it in person soon. BTW - your photos are not uploading properly for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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