Stormtroooper's 06 GPW Journal
 

Hey everyone, so I've been on the forum since my first S back in 2012. I started out with a rebuilt title 2005 BB I purchased from a local dealer in Virginia Beach, VA and quickly disliked the amount of upkeep for paint correction always seeing some swirls or scratches drove me insane.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...666f50e47d.jpg

So in 2013 I started looking for either GPW or SSM on local craigslist, ebay and auto trader. Luck would have it, I found a 1 owner 2005 SSM with 20,158 miles at a dealer in TX on auto trader. After a little bit of discussion and back and forth I purchased it sight unseen and they shipped it to me in Virginia where I was stationed at the time. That car had some paint defects but was easily resolved after a 2 step correction and it was flawless. I was absolutely in love with the car. So I took the hard top off and all hardware off the BB and put it on the SSM, then sold the car to another guy on base.

The day it arrived.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...8f8c9d61ad.jpg

Mileage
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...dab72e58a3.jpg

After detail and paint correction
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...0f1d4c21d0.jpg

I ended up getting orders to Korea in 2014 for a year so I drove from VA to KY to put it up in storage until I got back.
Last detail before I stored her for a year
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...bbea2d5bb5.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...30a0880b52.jpg

After Korea I was given orders to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst where I arrived in 2015 and am now currently stationed. So I visited with family for a bit and drove from KY to NJ. Not long after being here I deployed to the middle east for 6 months where I had 2 options, put it back in storage or sell it and look for an 06+. After thinking about it for a while I decided it would be best to sell it instead of parking it for another 6 months and to make the switch to 06+. I posted it for sale and forum member akalyptos22 on here sent me a message and ended up buying it New Years Eve, Dec 31 2015.

Pic of her in her new garage/home
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...ade1b37e1c.jpg

Fast forward to October 2016 when I returned and again I'm patiently scrolling and searching Ebay, craigslist and autotrader. I don't want to rush this so i decide to take my time and look for an 06+ GPW with low mileage and a clean title. It's not until June of 2017 that I came across exactly what I had been searching for, a 2 owner 2006 GPW w/black interior and 24,500 ish miles, bone stock with OEM cover and all factory papers/books/window sticker. The car happened to be located in TN but I figured I'd make a road trip and visit family again and check it out to see if it lived up to the gem I was picturing it to be. Low and behold it was, the couple(owners) I met were extremely nice, and it was a weekend car they did not get to drive very often having 3 kids. They bought it in 2009 with 9,900 miles and it was supposed to be the wife's car but it sat most of the time in the garage under the car cover. Everything ended up checking out so I purchased it on Friday 30 June 2017 and drove it back to KY seeing as how I drove my truck down to visit family. I had to leave Sunday to come back to NJ since my time off ended so I wasn't able to get a trailer in time. So for the time being she'll be stored in the garage again until I go back next month to visit. I have a few goodies I took off from the SSM I'll throw on it, but GPW is definitely my favorite color and this will be my last S. This car isn't ever going anywhere. Here's some pics that I snapped before I left. I'll obviously update it when I pick it up and bring it back.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...dfa0deaeff.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...1157f42a79.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...5606957c19.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...b17a96b9ad.jpg

Glad to be back and I can't wait to bring her home and do the paint correction and start modding! :washwax: :argh:

Congrats on picking up a low mileage GPW, looks like a keeper! :thumbup:

im biased. GPW ftw... nice pick up

Thanks Nate, your car has always been my favorite GPW on here. She definitely is a keeper!

Yeah me too, lol. Thanks! :tipwink:

Minor update. I'm headed back to pick up the car this weekend and i'll be bringing a few minor things that i've had sitting around that came off the SSM.

SOS Hood damper kit
LHT Performance master cylinder brace
OEM shift knob
Moddiction 3" shifter extender
ASM Stubby antenna
Modifry dash and radio brackets (not sure which one i will install)

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...8059c97f9d.jpg

Great looking S2K, another 06 owner here, they are the best year (love the GPW and all black interior combo)! Look forward to seeing more updates.

Ok, so update on the detail.

I started with the wheels. I cleaned them with Adams APC. Then moved on to the engine bay. Battery needed replacing since it was the original Honda battery from the factory. So I took the opportunity to clean the tray and small area under the battery while it was out. Engine bay was also sprayed down with Adam's APC and used a soft brissle brush to agitate any dirt and grime.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...68855cc29b.jpg

After the engine bay, I went ahead and washed the car with a foam cannon and the 2 bucket method. 1 bucket for washing and 1 bucket for rinsing, from top down using a citrus wash to remove any and everything off the paint.

From there I moved on to spraying the car down with Iron X to remove some of the contamination before claying.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...eb3c0a1af0.jpg

Once that sat for a few minutes, I went ahead and rinsed it off and began to clay the car. (Sorry no pic) I used Chemical Guy's clay lube and a medium aggressive clay. As much as I like the smell of the clay lube, it turns your hand blue. So I'll be switching to something else.

After I clayed the car, it was time to move on to the first step. I used Meguiar's M105 with an orange cutting pad to cut down 95% of the scratches/swirls.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...4ec4bdf128.jpg

After M105, I had to follow up with M205 and a black finishing pad to finish out the remaining minor imporfections left by M105 and the orange pad.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...a7e5fc8def.jpg

From there the car was 99% scratch free, I found a couple scratches that went past the clear coat that couldn't be fixed. I went with Jescar powerlock to seal the paint and I couldn't be happier. Simple to apply and easier to remove.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...be350db5ae.jpg

The final step for the paint was to wax. My current choice is Collinite #845 but forgot it at home. My second choice is P21S, and my dad happens to use that as well so I did 1 coat and it was finally done.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...ecb4e254f2.jpg

A few other things I did but didn't take any pictures was vacuuming and cleaning the interior with Nextzett cockpit premium cleaner and a soft bristle brush. Aggitated all the grime and nastyness that was in all the leather. Polished the glass with Griots garage fine glass polish and sealed with RainX. Applied Gyeon Anti-Fog on the inside of the windshield. Dressed the tires with Optimum Opti-Bond tire gel. Sealed the rims with Carpro Hydro2 and polished the exhaust tips with Optimum metal polish.

Sorry for the potato pics, they were taken with my Iphone 6S+. I'll get some good pictures of the car soon and post up. Next update will have a few mods installed.

Detail came out great! I enjoy seeing these posts, the sweat equity put in really makes you appreciate the car even more.

Thanks Kenny, I appreciate it. I've enjoyed following your build as well. If you ever decide to sell that hardtop let me know. :D

Tama05, Thank you for the kind words. I agree with you 100%, the sweat equity you put in a car really does make you appreciate what you have a form a bond with the car. I absolutely love this car, even more so than I did when I bought it. :drive: