Perfecting a 2021 Ferrari F8 Tributo
The Ferrari F8 Tributo – the epitome of poise, performance and design excellence.
We were kindly invited to Ferrari Brisbane’s workshop as per our customers request, where we were to spend two days preparing the vehicle for its application of partial paint protection film coverage.
There it was, in the flesh as striking as ever and quite frankly had me lost for words! This was the first time I had seen the car and boy was I excited to admire such craftsmanship! After picking my jaw up from the ground, we pulled the car into Ferrari’s paint correction bay and began the initial assessment of the vehicle to determine, just how much work I had cut out for me and what would be the best angle to approach it from.
But before I could properly examine the condition of the vehicle and the paint work in particular, I first had to remove the thick layer of dust that had accumulated on the Ferrari throughout its journey from the factory in Italy. In this particular instance I used a waterless wash method to safely remove the dust from only the panels that were undergoing a paint correction at this point in time. My thought process behind this from my based off of my previous experiences with supercars, were I was required to perform extensive and aggressive paint correction methods to remove sanding marks and deep abrasions. However the byproduct of this particular method creates a substantial amount of dust and mess which results in the vehicle requiring a very thorough safe wash after receiving a paint correction, this was going to be no different.
It became apparent quickly that there was a layer of overspray (from what I can only assume was obtained at the factory) covering the paint on the car, it wasn’t heavy by any means but it certainly was substantial enough to be felt by rubbing the back of your hand over the surface (overspray has a very distinct feel). I then focused my attention on decontaminating the surface to prepare it for the paint correction process that would follow. To decontaminate the surface I used a mechanical decontamination method in the form of an AM Details Clay Bar to lift what overspray and little contamination there was before scrutinising the paint and paying particular attention to any dust nibs that may be present in the clear coat itself. Because the vehicle was receiving an installation of partial paint protection film (essentially a clear wrap that is designed to protect your vehicles paint work from stone chips and abrasions) any sharp or high points in the clear coat would significantly stand out and would result in a sharp high point in the film. Thankfully there wasn’t much dust present, but the few that nibs that stood out were sanded flat and we began our paint correction process.
As we began the initial stage of the paint correction, it became quite obvious that there wasn’t a great deal of swirl marks present in the paint, but as with most supercars from my previous experiences, they do generally have a considerable amount of sanding clusters. There were sanding clusters throughout the panels and oddly some sharp abrasions on panel edges, along with a few isolated blemishes in the clear coat the required rectification. We performed a Major paint correction to level out these imperfections, meaning we machine polished the surface multiple times and quite frankly as many times as necessary to remove the imperfections and refined each panel as we went.
What causes these sanding clusters and why are they present if the car is brand new? This is where either the factory or dealership wet sands isolated or localised areas to remove dust or debris from the clear coat that are unsightly at the best of times. A more advanced method for when you are striving to achieve a particular finish is known as texture removal (texture is commonly referred to as orange peel effect in a vehicles paint work). Texture removal is wet sanding entire body panels to removal the texture in them and leaves you with a sharp flat finish free of any texture. Essentially the flatter the surface the better the light refracts off of the surface, which results in a much sharper and reflective finish. You’ll often find sanding clusters or remnants of them on new cars or cars that have had paint repairs because quite honestly many people don’t have the right equipment, products and knowledge to safely and effectively remove them (it can be a very time consuming task).
The first 10 hours on the Ferrari were spent machine polishing the paint to remove the imperfections from the clear coat of the body panels, that would be protected in paint protection film. We then drove the F8 to Ferrari’s wash bay where it had its first meticulous safe wash, with particular focus spent on the removal of any polishing dust or polish residue from the paint correction process. We then dried the car and blew out any trapped water before apply a pre-wax cleanser to the paint. The pre-wax cleanser essentially strips the paint of any residue that may be on the surface and leaves it naked and primed to accept protection whatever the form may be.
When having paint protection film or vinyl wrap installed on your vehicle it’s crucial to the long term performance of the film that the paint is naked and free any waxes, sealants or protection as they will interfere with the adhesion of the film (waxes, sealants and coatings are designed to keep the surface they are protecting super slick and repel dirt and contamination).
Lastly we went around the panel edges and gaps with a toothpick wrapped in a microfibre and cotton ear buds to clean out any left over polish residue or dirt that may have been trapped. The Ferrari F8 Tributo was now correctly prepared and ready to accept the paint protection film application, which Ferrari Brisbane had installed.
Fast forward two weeks, the Ferrari F8 Tributo had received its installation of paint protection film and Ferrari Brisbane had the vehicle delivered the car to us on a tow truck, to complete our services and apply our top tier ceramic coatings to every surface as requested by the customer. We began where we left off and gave the F8 Tributo its second safe wash to prepare it for its second round of paint correction to the body panels that did not receive paint protection film.
Much like when we first worked on the car there was no shortage of sanding clusters, however this time round there was a significant increase in the amount of sanding required on our behalf, with a number of runs located in the clear coat and further dust nibs in the paint to be taken care of. We did also find some more deeper abrasions throughout the panel edges again and some rotary buffer trails from incorrect polishing methods with a machine polisher.
A major paint correction was performed once again to remove these imperfections over the next two days, once the initial heaving cutting stages of the paint correction had been completed we washed the car for the third and final time to remove any polishing dust, or residue left behind. We then lightly machined polished the paint one final time to clear up any haze from our initial paint correction process to ensure that the paint was displaying the best possible clarity levels and was ready to accept our ceramic coatings.
We then moved onto the engine bay, which was absolutely full of carbon fibre and really did look the part! However there were significant sanding clusters and more buffer trials riddled throughout all of clear coat on the carbon fibre. In this instance we removed what carbon fibre panels we could from the engine bay to machine polish and remove the imperfections from them. We also protected all of the components that were hidden underneath the carbon fibre panels before reinstalling the pieces. Once reinstalled we ceramic coated all of the engine bay carbon fibre with Kamikaze Zipang Coat to compliment what was already a stunning place to admire.
From there we moved onto the interior where almost an entire day was spent machine polishing every piece of carbon fibre we physically get too and finger polishing what we couldn’t reach with our polishers. We then cleaned the interior and applied protection to each individual surface with all of the leather and arm bolsters receiving an additional layer as they are the most prone to wear being a high traffic area. Finally the interior carbon fibre was treated to a glaze to ultimately add protection but also further enhance the appearance of the distinct Ferrari carbon weave.
The plastic trims surrounding the windshield and inside the bonnet were cleaned to remove left over polish from the factory and we applied out trim coating to not only enrich the plastic trim but also preserve the finish. We then moved onto protecting the glass and applied three layers of our window coating to increase the long term performance of increased vision in wet weather all whilst providing a significant barrier to water spotting.
Finally it was time to apply the holy grail of ceramic coatings in the form of Kamikaze Collection Enrei Coat (undoubtedly my favourite looking ceramic coating)! A truly spectacular looking ceramic coating and the only true fit for such an extraordinary Italian styled car! We applied the base layer and allowed the chemical reaction to take place before removing the residue, some hours later it was time for the final top coat of Kamikaze Collection Enrei Coat which we applied to the entire vehicle including the door jams and inside the bonnet, everywhere except for the paint protection film as it requires its own unique ceramic coating.
In regards to protecting paint protecting film, you have to be very selective in the ceramic coating you are applying as many ceramic coatings contains solvents which can react with paint protection film & vinyl wrap, causing the adhesive to dissolve and the film to peel. For this reason we used a specific paint protection film ceramic coating in the form of Kamikaze Collection Film Surface Coat where we applied two layers to further enhance the gloss of the film, but primarily to add protection. We see it all too often where people have paint protection film applied to protect their paint, but don’t have anything protecting the film itself. Look at it this way, the film is exposed to the same elements as your paint would be and its essential for the long term performance of the film that it’s protected from the elements, ask yourself this, the paint protection film is protecting your paint but what protecting your paint protection film?
We then moved onto what we consider the most crucial part of any detail, the final finishing touches where we scrutinised the entire vehicle and rectify anything that stands out, at the same time we applied of a wheel specific wax to the wheels. With new wheels on the way there really wasn’t any point in ceramic coating these at this point in time, as they would be stored away and see very minimal if any driving use. However the new wheels will be treated to our protection services upon their arrival.
I’d like to take the time to thank Tim deeply from RetouchedVisions where he spent the final day with us a photographing and filming the process of applying the ceramic coatings and as we put the finishing touches on the car. His work truly is exceptional
It wasn’t actually until I pulled the car outside and watched Tim photograph the car for hours, that I learned just how truly special this stallion was to admire! I reflected on the past 8 days I spent with this car, how far it had come and just how stunning it truly was to behold!
We pulled the car back inside where it spent the next 4 hours being infrared cured to ensure the ceramic coatings cured evenly across the body panels and had the best possible bond to each surface. It sat over the weekend in the garage and during this time I may have sat in awe on more than one occasion.
Before I knew it, it was time for the Ferrari to be loaded up and headed back to Ferrari Brisbane to be delivered to my customer, where it would be looking it’s absolute best and delivered the way a car of this calibre should be, sitting amongst some of the finest Italian supercars in the world!
It was a true honour and privilege to be given such an opportunity, it’s not something I take lightly but something I cherish very much and there’s no denying I’m itching at the bit to get my hands on another supercar, but the big question is what will it be….
