The scenario at right probably has been played out in many parts of the country, with many of you as the stars. However, cleaning for a show is not the only, or even best, reason for a good wash job and interior detail. There are other reasons to spend the extra time on the car--one being personal satisfaction. Even though cleaning is hard work, it does make you feel better about your Mustang. It gives you a chance to get to know all the nooks and crannies of the car's body as well as the potential problem spots that could cause worries later on. There also is the jaunt around town when it seems you always get the folks who look the car over and lament the one that they had some connection with. If the car is clean, these moments can be a source of pride.
Another place clean is "in" is at resale time. Oddly, some folks don't prepare their car for the most crucial show of all--the one in front of a potential buyer. It is much better to pull a pristine Mustang out of your garage than one with bug splatters on the nose and dirt encrusting the quarters. This sends the wrong signal to the potential buyer. But what to do? We consulted with two businesses that we have had some dealings with in the past. One is Classic Custom Car Wash here in Lakeland, Florida, and the other is California Car
Cover Company. CCC has been our supply source for some of our detailing items and carries a full line of waxes and cleaners.
It's 7 a.m. The dew is still on the grass as you stumble out of your motel room to your Mustang. The car cover glistens with the early morning wetness. You see others, much earlier birds than you, already putting the final touches on their favored steeds. You find a curb and set down your breakfast of hot coffee and a cold doughnut.
You roll back the cover slowly, keeping the dew inside as much as possible.
Looking skyward for signs of rain, you smile as the fellow in the room next to yours fires off his Boss 302. Already finished with the job that you are about to start, he is heading over to the show. You look around at the subdued crowd of Mustang owners. They speak in low tones and are busy with preparations--just like you. Occasional laughter breaks the early morning quiet. Soon you will be at the show, probably redoing some of the work done here. You sip the steaming cup of joe and look over the clean lines of your steed, obsessively wiping a water streak that escaped you in the removal of the car cover. The paint feels creamy smooth under your cloth baby diaper. You smile and nod to yourself. All that work, sweat, and toil has paid off in a Mustang that looks as good as any glamour model you've seen.