Ceramic Coating Saves Racer’s ’97 Dodge Viper from Father Time
For a Viper that has been daily driven for 10 years, Avalon King’s protectant has proven invaluable to race driver/designer Casey Putsch.
There’s a lot of talk about ceramic coating these days for paint and finish protection. Some claim it is greatest invention since sliced bread, others believe washing and polishing is all you need. For Casey Putsch and his 1997 Dodge Viper, the answer is pretty clear.
Putsch, who is a veteran racer in IMSA, Can-Am, Indy, LeMans prototype and more, pours a lot of time and energy into his philanthropy, automotive community outreach and his YouTube channel. His passion for cars is undeniable but having a tight schedule and sparse time can be challenging to keep them properly detailed. That’s why Avalon King’s Armor Shield IX comes in clutch for him.
“I have not buffed or waxed this car in years,” Putsch admits. “I’ve had it for 10 years and I’ve probably only done it twice since I’ve had it, which is a shame.” He even concedes that he was so busy last year that he actually ran out of conventional car wash materials and ended up using dish soap once. “It helped get the wax off.”
The Genius Garage founder first uses a quick detailing spray and clay bar to get rid of any road particulates on the finish. He stresses heavily how clean your car has to be before applying the coating; even the smallest contaminant can disrupt the finish. Thus, going over the vehicle with isopropyl alcohol is a must. The same applies to windows, plastics and any decals, as the product also works on those surfaces as well.
Moving along, Putsch proceeds with the Armor Shield application. He puts on the nitrile gloves included in the kit and puts a moderate amount on the cloth. He remarks how smoothly the Armor Shield goes onto the surface, and how much easier it is than he initially thought.
“I’ve been around cars for a long time. I can remember as a teenager spending days waxing old cars, wet sanding, polishing,” said Putsch. “This is just amazing. Very pleased with this.” So much so that he plans on doing the wheels and wheel wells, too.
After finishing up the wipe down process, he then mentions letting the coat cure for four to seven days afterward. “It’ll cure really quickly initially but if you want it be a rock hard, ceramic ‘oh my God’ perfect, you need to leave it alone,” Putsch explains. So basically, you’d need to keep the car in the garage and schlep around in your beater for a bit. Also, soaps that have any sort of wax or silicone in them are definite no-nos.
We imagine for someone like him, who gushes over his Viper every chance he gets, this would be rather hard. We’d have the same problem too if we had a 23-year-old V10 super Mopar that still looks brand new.
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