Ruby finish

[Jughead]

I guess I have two questions about my Ruby convertilble. First some background. This car has 13 K on it and has NEVER seen rain. Until I got it had never been washed...only dusted, glazed (Meguiar's Show Glaze)and covered in the garage. I cannot adequately descibe the amazing condition of this paint. I've dealt with cars for 35 years and this finish amazes me...absolutely no chips, scratches or swirls. I recently washed it with water only, carefully wiped it down with a high quality micofiber and placed it in the garage under a cover. I have several "premium" polishes and waxes...Zaino, Zymol, Liquid Glass and Meguires. I know I'm opening a can of worms, but....

1. To keep a true show finish which system or product would be recommended for this color car?

2. The previous owner installed gold plated letter inserts on the rear bumper. What paint friendly process or product would be recommended for removal of the letters and the adhesive I'm sure to find?

[Aurora40]

Just my thoughts.

1) Use whichever you find the most enjoyable, and whichever you think looks the best. They are all fine products. Keep in mind glazes alone don't offer very much protection, but maybe you don't really need any.

2) You can use dental floss and a hair dryer to soften and cut the foam. Then use the hair dryer and some 3M Adhesive, Wax, and Tar Remover to soften the adhesive. It should roll off carefully with your fingers (don't use your nail as it may scratch).

And a suggestion. If you want to just wash with water, I'd suggest using this instead. Any time you are washing, it's for a reason. So whatever you are washing off has the potential to scratch. Car wash makes the water slicker and better lubricated to help prevent scratches: http://www.protectall.com/qelg.htm

[Jughead]

Aurora40 to the rescue! Your suggestions about the letter removal were dead on and worked like a charm. The dental floss idea was genius. You're two for two in my book! I've been looking for the Protect All car wash locally....but have not been able to find it yet.
Thanks again.

[Aurora40]

Well, I'm glad I could help. I used the dental floss method to remove my "Oldsmobile" badge (it looked dumb as the font was different) and was surprised by how easy it was.

You might be able to find the Protect All at outdoor/RV stores. I think it's big with the RV crowd due to washing without a hose. It wasn't clear, but if you actually wash with a hose and just water, you might try a very gentle car wash like Meguiar's #00 also. It is incredibly mild and should have minimal impact on any wax. It doesn't suds a lot but makes the water very slick. And it might be easier to find locally like at a NAPA or Pep Boys or something.