Modern car detailing processes in Melbourne are a far cry from how car maintenance first began. To accompany the diverse and interesting history of the automobile is the way to best maintain and clean them. After all, it makes sense that with each development in material and finish, a new polish or wax was needed to protect such a valuable vehicle. The tool car buffing machine can be a little expensive but when you see the results it is worth every single buck.
For almost as long as there have been cars, there have been methods of keeping them looking shiny and new. In fact, records show that in the early 1800s in a small German town, the first wax intended solely for the purpose of vehicle maintenance was developed. It was made by a carriage maker who noticed that the black paintwork on his horse drawn carriage was deteriorating, and consisted of animal fats.
By the end of the century, also in Germany, a man by the name of Friedrich Menzer was quite successful in running his own polishing business. This product was of a much finer quality and more commercially produced than the crude animal fat method. Although the polish was originally designed for gold, it proved to be very successful on a number of metals, and particular for use in the beginnings of the commercial automotive industry, which was to be launched in twelve years’ time.
The next advancement came from a safety perspective. Up until this point, there was no windscreen wiper function, and so rain presented a serious vision problem for motorists. Only just after the year 1900, a lady called Mary Anderson noted that drivers were having to pull over to manually get out of their cars and wipe the windshield clean. A spring loaded, and then finally mechanical arm was developed that is very similar to today’s devices.
In 1912, the Simoniz Company created a carnauba wax paste, and through some clever advertising, managed to standardise the term ‘simonizing’ for auto detailers waxing a car using this popular product. By this time, Walter Murphy had moved to the car capital, Pasadena, and was known as the luxury automotive styler, creating cars for several well known celebrity names. In 1915, a waterproof sandpaper was manufactured, which revolutionised the surface preparation process, allowing for a much smoother finish. With this. Polishing became all the more important, as the flawless surface of the car could be polished ot be virtually reflective.
Leather was popular at this time, but it wasn’t until just before 1930 that it could be dyed a range of colours, thanks to a resin based pigment. This allowed for a certain degree of individualisation of vehicles, where customers could customise colours, rather than simply selecting a model of vehicle. This was also the time that a very hard, enamel based paint was first successfully applied with a spray gun. The substance was much more hardwearing than the previous finishes.
1946 saw the introduction of the first automatic car wash. While it was hardly water efficient, this represented a big step forward in making car washing accessible and convenient for motorists. During the 50s, Merzerna achieved a level of polishing technology that is still used today as standard. Polymer based paint sealants were perfected in the 1960s, which meant much less everyday damage to paint finishes.
The metallic paints of the 70s matched the psychadelic obsession that was flourishing. Between this and the year 2000, it was all about perfecting what already existing and tweaking methods as technology advanced. With the new millenium came microfibre cloths which are the preferred way to achieve zero abrasions and a perfect polish. The industry is continually evolving, and the current standard of car detailing is higher than ever before. For the most stunning car detailing performance in Melbourne, make an appointment with Unsurpassed Vehicle Image.