3M Scotch-Brite Blending Pads
The 3M Scotch-Brite (#7446) blending pads are the correct pads for hand blending the stainless steel finish on the DeLorean. They provide similar performance as steel wool grade 3 without shredding during use, rusting after use, or leaving fine metal splinters to rust in the grain of the stainless.
Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser
Tried, and true… the liquid Bar Keepers Friend soft cleanser does a great job finishing the stainless. You can also use the powered stuff, but the premixed bottles make the already work-intensive process a bit easier. Only work on “small-ish” areas at one time, as the liquid often dries faster than you want, which means more work to clean it off. If you start one the right (or left) half of the hood, always work WITH the grain (obviously,) by either wetting the surface, then squirting on a healthy amount of BKF, and giving it a good, deep clean. You can also squirt it right onto a wet cloth and work one area at the time, between wash-downs. Keep in mind – after you do a good cleaning with the BKF, you’ll still want to wash the car afterwards, and/or use some stainless steel cleaner to bring out the final shine. It’s quite amazing how much better the stainless looks after BKF.
Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus is Magic on DeLorean Rims
Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus is magic! Well, it’s magic for any DeLorean owner who has ever spent hours with rags and tooth brushes trying to clean between every fin of the DeLorean rims. Why is it magic? With very little effort, 98% of the brake dust that gets caked onto the rims comes off, leaving them surprisingly clean. With a few sprays of the bottle, a few minutes of waiting, and a hose, your rims can look pretty amazing. And if you want to get that last 2%, break out the brush and the remaining brake dust comes off easily. We used a home pressure-washer when cleaning off the Sonax, but many people on YouTube who recommend Sonax use hoses. We took all four rims off the car to install DeLorean Go’s Brake Dust Shields, so figured we’d ‘super-clean’ the rims – outside and inside. The Sonax did an amazing job cleaning the inside, which had decades of baked-on, caked-on brake dust. (Who ever cleans the INSIDE of the rims… other than Col Bennett?) We did try a large scrub brush for a minute while cleaning the inside, but it didn’t seem to do any better than the pressure-washer. Check out the before-and-after photos below. The instructions specifically say to spray the rims when they are cool and DRY. Do NOT wet them first. Within a few moments of spraying a dry rim, you’ll see the liquid turn a deep purple and start dripping down the rim. As most of us know, in order to get into the nooks-and-crannies of the fins, you need to get some weird angles. Of course, taking the rim off the car made it much easier. And I would say, don’t be shy when spraying. Get a good coat of the liquid on the rim. The instructions then say to wait 2-4 minutes before hosing it off. Another interesting note – Sonax is acid-free! Which means it won’t damage your rims. As of this writing, Sonax Wheel Cleaner Plus is about $18 for a 16.9 oz. bottle. Based on our usage, I estimate that one bottle will clean (just the ‘outside’) all four rims, two times. Check out the photos and video if your skeptical – then gamble $20 on buying a bottle and give it a try – THEN, share your comments below.
303 Aerospace Protectant
303 Aerospace Protectant is quite amazing. It brings back the ‘black’ of the rubber and plastic on the DeLorean, and protects it at the same time. It’s especially noticeable when you give your louvre / sunshade a good spray-down, then LEAVE IT for a day or two to soak in, then wipe it down. Although it isn’t cheap, it’s a great product that many DeLorean owners recommend. Made by 303 Products
Optimum Opti-Bond Tire Gel
If you’ve been looking for that ‘clean’ tire dressing that doesn’t make your DeLorean tires look like they’ve been dipped in a swimming pool, try “Opti-Bond Tire Gel.” “This stuff is friggin amazing. Balances out the rubber, hides discoloration imperfections, and makes them look like showroom-new tires – with a very low-gloss, eggshell-like finish.” – NorCal DeLorean Club Member [flickr_tags tags=”DD11267″]