Washing car water or not

[73Motion]

Each to his own way of thinking. I bought my 78 Camaro to drive and have always washed ( with car wash soap and water) and waxed it regularly. Had it repainted in1993. Its not a show car and never will be as long as I own it. I get compliments on how good it looks. Its about a 5 footer.(looks perfect from 5 feet away) Now if I could just keep the rubber from building up on the rear Quarters.

I love the statement about the rubber on the rear fenders. Just installed a new big block in mine and am having the same problem!! Bought this the other day and it works great. Even with rubber stuck on for a couple weeks.

 

[RS79]

My car has not been washed in 30 years, but I do not drive it in the rain. It is not a perfect show car although the lacquer paint job ( I re-painted the car about 30 years ago) is still in nice shape. The only water it sees is inside the wheel wells and that was because a wet cruise night field splashed a little mud.

After I take the car out I blow the bugs off the front with compressed air. Go around it with a California Car Duster or a quick detailer. Clean the windshield with glass cleaner and clean the tires/wheels with a damp sponge. Vacuum the mats with a dust buster.

Some times I get a little more thorough. Once a year it gets a complete detailing with a coat of wax and a coat of Armor All on the interior. But I never “wash” it.

 

[severum17]

No water here for the last 30 some years. I dont drive it in the rain. California Duster and Final Finish spray if needed.
I also use a light mix of rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle if needed. This is from my painters advice. Works for me.

 

[severum17]

I've been thinking about this as well. I have the California duster but not sure what product I should use beyond that. the car is newly painted and colour sanded but I have not waxed it yet.

Dont wax it until the paint has time to cure

 

[Dave Nelson]

Over 20 years no water, if I happen to get caught in the rain I use spray detailer and good microfiber towels, in between I use a California Duster. Driving to shows/cruises I put on about 1500 miles a year. For clean windows inside and out I use Spray Away and microfiber towels, also use it on the chrome. Once a year I do a coating of Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant.

 

[green1971]

I’m the original owner of my ‘71 SS350 (36k miles) and I clean my car using both methods. It was my daily driver the first year (12k miles) and my weekend fun car after that. It’s always in my garage when it’s not being driven and I rarely put the cover on anymore. So, before taking it out for a drive, I use a California Duster, but once every couple of weeks I give it a careful wash using water and car wash soap. I’ve done this for as long as I’ve owned it (50+ years) and the paint looks almost as good as the day I picked it up in 1971. No rust, either, since it was stored in an unheated garage each winter while I lived in New Jersey (I moved to Austin, TX in 2011).

I realize it’s a personal decision, but anyone who says one way or the other is the only way obviously hasn’t owned an original car as long as I have.

 

[PBZ28]

I never flood mine with a garden hose either. I use Optimum wash and shine in a 5 gallon bucket mixed at 1 ounce per 2 gallons of water and put about a dozen fluffy microfiber towels in the solution. When lightly wiping and drying panel by panel always changing to a clean towel to not chance scratching or marring the paint. If a section of a lower panel is to dirty I spritz it down with the same solution in a pump up spray bottle before wiping it clean. I also use Optimum spray wax as a drying aid to reduce friction when drying off the cleaned panel. Then a nice coat of ps21 carnauba. Done!

 

[70-camaro]

My car will never be on a trailer. I will be driving it 1000 to 1500 miles a year. To shows when I choose. Mostly just cruising around. I’ll try to keep it out of the rain though.

 

[formulabruce]

All GM F cars developed by Fisher Body have what is called a "Flush and Dry" system. This uses a few things to work. I had this in GM school when I first started.
1. The cars were designed to sit a little lower in the rear, for Handling, AND for Drainage.
2. Pressure at the base of the windshield ( which gives you vent air) also travels down
the cowl air horns and funnels into the rocker. WATER makes this trip as well.
3. At the REAR of the rockers is a rubber "flap". This flap opens when the pressure in the cowl
is high enough.
4. IF you car sits down the factory 3/4 " or more in the REAR, the water is pushed out and
the system will self dry. This means, as some say above, you SHOULD Highway drive after a car wash.
5. IF you are a "Stance is everything" and your back end is UP in the air, ( popular in the 70's), you
can easily figure why rockers and fenders rust out up front. That back fender bolt in the body is a great test to how much water sits there.
So, How are your flaps? Clogged, missing? Put a vacuum on that area when dry to clean out crap.
Keep Driving !

 

[CDesperado]

I wash my car with water - but when I am done, I dry everything off. I also use an air compressor to blow water out of the nooks and crannies, especially around the trim, the engine bay, and the trunk.