OC,SH NETWORK|members HERE
CD Consulting Services HERE
CD Showcase website HERE
Elgin Chamber website HERE }
What’s old is new again. A standard cliche, yes. But, it works here in multiple ways.
I hadn’t detailed a car myself in a few years, but this week, I did my 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS for the 1st time. This sparked a “Mystery Monday” Facebook post on my personal wall (which you can see HERE). Writing a response & explanation of the clues I gave led me to this OC,SH entry. [FYI: if you scroll through my FB wall, you’ll see a vent-rant status I posted 02/20/2021, complete with some rather personal news; check it out if you are interested in a discussion.]
“…It don’t matter how many miles down the road … you’re always with me, written in the history of my heart…”
First Time
Clue 1 in my personal FB status: “I haven’t done this in ~6 years, but today, I’m doing it for the 1st time.”
Back in the day, you could find me detailing a car every single weekend, as long as the weather cooperated. I either detailed 1 of my many cars, or those of family members or friends. I can’t remember exactly when the last time I personally detailed a car was, but my guess is during the time I owned the 2 Caprice Classics (1979 “winter warrior” & 1989 “summer cruiser”), probably ~2015.
When I bought the 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS October 2016, I had a (now closed) detail shop clean it for me, partly because it was already so late in the year. I planned to detail it myself that next spring, but health & other factors kept me from doing so. I had OC,SH NETWORK member Euro Details detail it a few times since, including twice last year (08/09/2020 originally, with a touch up 10/14/2020).
Since I’ve detailed all my other cars, I decided it was time to make ownership of my best-ever car official & finally detail it myself. The results of which you see in the pictures accompanying this post.
Days Time
Clue 2: “I used to do it in 1 day, but it may now take 2 days.”
When I detailed cars every weekend in my “younger years”, I was able to complete any car in 1 day. I’d mostly detail on Saturday, but sometimes would also detail a car on Sunday, particularly if I was getting ready for the MC Nationals or trying to squeeze in others’ vehicles before the end of the warm-weather season.
I’d start sometime between 8a & 9a (usually closer to 9a), & usually be done by 5p or 6p, sometimes later, depending on how hot it was.
My 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS took me parts of 2 days to complete.
Monday, 07/19/2021, I started washing it (including the tires, wheel wells, door jams & floor mats) ~7:15a. I was done with that by 10a. After a bit of a break for more coffee & a bite to eat, I waxed-polished the roof, trunk lid & hood from 11:10a to 12:20p. I waxed the front clip & driver side, 12:50p-2:10p. I waxed the rear & passenger side, 2:30p-3:55p. I waxed the door jams (all 4 doors, trunk & hood), 4p-5:10p.
Tuesday, 07/20/2021, I cleaned the interior (wipe down the seats, dash, door panels, sweep the cabin, sweep trunk, wipe off the floor mats) from 7:30a to 11:15a. To be fair, tho, that time included finding some original paperwork from both prior owners, some of which was stashed in the glove compartment & some of which was stuck “under” the smaller visor on the passenger side. BONUS! I have yet to review that paperwork, but I will & file it with my papers for the car. During the interior detail, I also discovered some cool storage compartments that gave me new places to put things.
For those keeping track, total time to detail my 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS: 11 hours, 35 minutes.
Fun Chore
Clue 3: “Some consider it fun (+ exercise), but some think it a chore.”
In my younger years, detailing vehicles was definitely fun with an added benefit of exercise. I was bummed if the weather wasn’t cooperative any given weekend day. Cleaning cars kept me out of trouble (well, for the most part), busy & from feeling lonely.
Detailing my 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS was definitely fun, but given the time it took, also felt like a bit of a chore. Plus, the silver-tan color is such that it hides dirt TOO well.
Weary Invigorator
Clue 4: “It is invigorating, but it is wearing me out.”
Cleaning my 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS was such a rush. It was awesome seeing it “transform” before my eyes. Finding the paperwork & the storage areas were value-adding bonuses. All that combined kinda makes the car brand new to me, again.
But, the work wore me out in terms of aches-pains & energy.
Older Young
Clue 5: “It reminds me I’m older, but it takes me back to younger roots.”
The aches I felt Monday night made me wonder if I’d be able to even get out of bed Tuesday morning, let alone have energy to clean the interior to finish the job. Luckily, I felt OK enough to get going … & some coffee Tuesday AM helped. I then had a lot more pains Tuesday afternoon & evening, such that it was difficult to even move. But, a good night sleep, & I felt much better Wednesday, tho I’m still being reminded of muscles I forgot I had, ha.
As for those roots, well, a ton of memories of days cleaning cars, cars I’ve owned, past summer events, even road trips & family members & friends, popped in my head as I vigorously cleaned my car. You might say that work on my car was a great “memory sparker”.
Best Reveal
Additional Clue A: “It brings out the best, but it can also be very revealing.”
I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with detailing vehicles. I absolutely LOVE how detailing a car will make it shine & sparkle & even feel like it runs a bit better. However, I HATE how scratches, dents, dings, rust issues, etc. are revealed under the microscope of a “deep clean”.
Sunny Rain
Additional Clue B: “It’s best done on sunny days, but it can spark rain.”
If I had a penny for every time I’d detail a car only for it to rain the next day, if not later that same day, I’d probably be rich. Or maybe not.
This time, as of Sunday evening, 07/18/2021, the Chicago area forecast called for no rain until the following weekend. Of course, that changed Monday night, with possible rain yet this week. Oh well. My 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS won’t stay clean forever; it sits outside & is my daily driver.
Cruising Time
Now detailed, my 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS is ready for tonight’s OC,SH official Cruise Night at Mozzafiato along Historic US 20. I’m hoping the weather cooperates enough that it is still mostly clean for Sunday’s OC,SH official Cruise Day. By the way, for those thinking about traveling to join us for either of these, dates for both the Cruise Day & Cruise Night have been extended to the last full week of October 2021; check out the details, as well as events across all 50 U.S. states HERE.
My 1981 Monte Carlo SC would be better-suited to attract people to stop at the Cruise Days & Cruise Nights, but it is with friends near Effingham IL. If I can find a good place to store it here, I might try to bring it up yet this year. Course, then, I’d have to detail it. I hope to detail the 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS a second time this year before the snow flies … like I used to do every year to whichever car was my daily driver.
Final Vignette
While I was washing my 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS Monday morning, a guy out walking his dog called out to me. After I greeted him & returned my focus to washing, he said: “I see you don’t have your GM boxes anymore.” I looked at him again, and then recognized him. I’d originally met him through an area car club that has since disbanded; he loved seeing a different MC of mine at each club event. We chatted a little while as I continued to wash. He was genuinely disappointed to learn I no longer have my Caprice Classics, but he was glad to know I still have the ’81 MC, the last remaining car of my MC family … & the car that connects me to every car from my life, including the car that started my automotive interest, which has sparked so many memory-making experiences.
heart matters POSTS HERE
music monday POSTS HERE
tuesday treasure POSTS HERE
wayback wednesday POSTS HERE
thursday thought POSTS HERE
fun friday POSTS HERE
saturday story POSTS HERE
screen sunday POSTS HERE
daily cruise POSTS HERE