How'd you like your Syclone to look like this?

We all know how to wash and clean an automobile. However, there are a few tips and tricks to get that "brand new" look for your Syclone and Typhoon.

Obviously, first wash the truck with your favorite car wash concentrate. No abrasives! Wash the cladding along with the truck.

If you live in wintery areas, use a good wax (Meguiar's)

Specifically on the Syclone, the black cladding is prone to "fading". To restore the cladding to its black luster, hand rub Westley's Black Magic onto the cladding (quite heavy). Wait roughly 30 minutes, and start rubbing the excess off. Repeat the same for the mirrors and door handles. The end result should make your cladding as black as new!

Submitted by Ron Gregory.

For the cladding, Turtle Wax Black Chrome also seems to work. Rub it in with your fingers, then let it dry for 15-20 minutes. Buff with a terrycloth towel or power buffer.

Under the hood, silicone spray seems to work well to shine up hoses and cables. Miracle Polishing Cloth (That's really what it's called) works very well to polish aluminum surfaces. Takes a little persistance, but it looks professionally polished when you're done.

Submitted by Dig

Interior/Exterior Maintenance

Exterior

1. Pre-Wash
   The pre-wash stage is one of the most important stages in maintaining your showroom shine. You need to use a hose and nozzle attachment which will provide a strong stream of water.

   With the tightest diameter stream possible, spray the whole truck down, making sure that you get all of the loose dirt off the truck. This includes the cladding and front area, where bug guts may be. You may want to repeat the procedure a second time, just to make sure. If at all possible, DON'T RUB DIRT OFF WITH YOUR HAND!!! This is very tempting, but the result could be a nasty scratches in the paint.

2. Wash
   This stage is the most important stage in the process; if step one wasn't performed thoroughly, step two will be more work and it will show, once the whole truck is finished.

   For soap, I like to use Auto Wash, by Zymol. It provides a nice sudsy bucket of water to work with; but any type of automotive car wash will work as well with equal results. Adding 1 teaspoon of salad oil to your bucket will help prevent dirt from scratching your paint, by lubricating it. For those of you who like to use dishsoap, and soften your hands while you wash your truck, please STOP!!. Dishsoap is made for what the label says it's made for, dishes; it will strip your countless layers of wax from your paint in seconds.

   For an applicator, I use a wash mitten; it keeps the dirt away from the surface of the mitten, and your paint. A sponge is a good second choice, providing good distribution of the soap. While applying soap, dunk your applicator in the bucket as often as you can; the more the better. This will ensure that the dirt is in the bucket, not being smudged around by your sponge.

   For the wheels, a bug sponge works nice to get the brake dust out from the crevasses. If your going to use a wheel cleaner, make sure your wheels are cool. Spraying chemicals on hot wheels will shock the metal, wrecking the finish.

   Remember, the wash stage is the most important, so it doesn't hurt to repeat again.

3. Drying
   This is the fun part. I found this new product in the store called The Absorber; it's an excellent alternative to the smelly chamois. This thing literally sucks the water right off your truck. If you use it, the dry stage will be fun and fast.

   Note: If you have a typhoon, water likes to hide in the rubber seal of the rear windows, the backside of the door handles & mirrors. I found that if I press the absorber against the seals, the water doesn't leak out on you while your in the wax stage. For the door handles, wrap your hand in the absorber, and simply open the door.

4. Scratch Management
   If your like me, a scratch is like accidentally hitting your thumb with a hammer; very painful. A couple of tips that I have gathered over the years, will help reduce those minute scratches from when your dad takes your truck over to the automatic scrub wash.

   For this step, I found Griot's Garage (Catalog Company) to have excellent products. Their Fine Hand Polish is super for the job. I found that Rubbing Compounds and Polishing Compounds can produce additional scratches, so I use the Fine Hand Polish. After this is applied and buffed off, I then use their Paint Cleaning Clay to take additional contaminants out from the paints surface.

   These products play two parts; they help take off calcium from dried up water, and other impurities from your paint, and yield a super slick surface that will make the wax step a breeze.

   Note: If you have a Black Typhoon or Syclone, your cladding may need to be rejuvenated. For this, Turtle Wax's Black Chrome Polish or Westley's Black Magic can be used to reverse the oxidation process.

5. Wax
   This is where you will see the results of your hard work; the step that I look forward to the most.

   There are two ways to wax your truck; by hand or by machine. Waxing by machine is way faster, but does not give you the ability to get into tight spaces. I always wax by hand.

   For wax, I love using Zymol's Carnauba Wax. Meguiar's Mirror Glaze or Medallion series is also known to be a favorite; your preference. When applying the wax, use a foam applicator for best results. Cotton applicators only will soak up the wax, resulting in an un-even distribution of product. When applying wax, using multiple thin coats, as an alternative to one thick coat, will be easier to take off and ensure an even spread. Divide your truck into 3rds; front, middle & rear; applying one section at a time. You may want to start on the next section, allowing the first section to dry to a haze properly.

   For Wax removal, 100% Cotton cloths are a must! Polyester will only produce those hideous swirl marks, so be careful. Constantly turn your polishing cloth, exposing a clean area. This will ensure that you don't re-apply the wax.

   If you're the type of person who can't help but to be sloppy with the wax, don't worry. If you've gotten wax on plastic parts, that you just can't seem to get off; use peanut butter! By using All Natural peanut butter (must be all natural), the chemicals contained inside actually break down the wax, allowing easy removal!

6. Tires & Wheels
   This final part is easy. First, I use the same wax that I used on the paint, on my wheels. This enhances the shine on the metal and also helps keep the salt from breaking down the clear coating.

   For the tires, Any tire treatment will do, they are all basically the same. The only trick to tires is the application of the treatment. Using a sponge to apply the treatment will ensure that the correct amount of product goes on the tires only. "No more spray-on and watch it splatter all over the side of the truck when you speed up."

Interior

1. Wipe-Down
   By using a damp cloth, you can easily wipe down your interior, getting rid of dust and other fine particles; preparing the interior for treatment. If you have a Typhoon, any cracked or dried out leather can be rejuvenated by wiping the areas with the damp cloth.

2. Carpets
   First start by removing mats from truck. If your mats are only dirty, simply shake them out. If grease or other liquids are stained into the fabric, ProSolve Carpet Cleaner works excellent to remove these stains. Follow by vacuuming the all carpets in the truck.

3. Detail
   This final step is only for the perfectionist.

   For the leather seats, I use Lexol Leather Cleaner & Conditioner. The Cleaner takes away the dirt and soil that has built up over the years; the Conditioner brings out the original look and luster of the leather. The conditioner can also be used on the leather covering of the steering wheel and the leather parts of the gear shift knob.

These steps should result in an absolutely flawless Typhoon or Syclone.

Submitted by The MerkMan