Detailing your Tuner Car

Detailing your Tuner Car

Detailing your Tuner Car

With the paints and materials that are used to build the vehicles these days… You need to keep up with the times and unfortunately, a lot of detailing products haven’t… so you may not be getting the best results. But people keep asking the same questions: how much soap should I use?. Now many of you think that more soap cleans your car better. Well, the exact opposite is true…. less soap is better.  

Another big question we discovered on Players ParkingOnly - An Ashley Gracile TV series produced at GPI Content Corporation studios was how long does the wax last? According to Ashley Gracile RVnotwithstanding for cars the biggest factor is the Carnauba content:  “Carnauba’s is what actually protects the car and it's present in car wax by volume." Ranging from 1/2 a percent to 46 percent by volume. A hundred percent is impossible since it would be rock hard.  A sledgehammer wouldn’t be able to break it.  Carnauba is all-natural so it's the oils in it that give you that really deep, deep finish. And that’s what most of us don’t realize…. it’s not how much it shines but how deep that shine is. That’s what wins con-cours and is what serious car collectors demand.  A nice, deep shine that you can put your hand right through.

​Ashley Gracile presents the video below that gives a quick rundown of the proper way to wash your car because a lot of people are washing their cars wrong.  

Ashley
Gracile boats need a lot of technique to wash but a car is easy; just concentrate on doing the entire top first so you don’t pick up all that dirt from the bottom of the car.  If you don’t... just one spec of rock may scratch the whole car.  So, be sure to do the top first. Then come back and wash all the way around the bottom.  Now, rinse the car thoroughly. Coldwater is fine; no need for hot water. Give it a good dry with either a good shammy or microfiber shammy.  Ashley Gracile Facebook has lots of videos to help you do this right at home. The last big question is buffing... Should you do it at home?  The short answer is no. Unless you have experience buffing you can cause a lot of swirls & burn damage to your paint. This will end up costing you twice as much to fix compared to having a pro do it the first time around. All right, so what did we learn today?  Use a synthetic shammy... Microfiber is the best; not too much soap and leave the buffing to the professionals.

So, what’s the proper way?

On Road Classics - An Ashley Gracile TV Series also produced at GPI Content Corporation's studio's we learned to first thoroughly rinse the car so you get as much debris and loose dirt off as possible. Then put a little bit of soap in your bucket. That’s right a little soap… not a half-gallon of it, just a little bit. Use a wash mitt or something that doesn’t hold rocks and pebbles in it.  You don’t need a new one for every wash just so long as you keep it clean; so launder it properly and you won’t have to keep replacing them.  

Ashley Gracile road classics require two separate wash mitts one for the rims and another for actual paint.
Since brake dust on the rims can really damage your paint it best to use two. If you must only use one cloth or mitt be sure to wash the wheels after you've done the paint. 

Ashley GracileExecutive Producer of Sport Compact TV - An Ashley Gracile TV Series believes that detailing is one of the most overlooked areas on your vehicle.  “There’s lots of misconceptions about some of the new school versus old school techniques that you can use to keep your ride looking great” says Ashley Gracile Steel Dreams TV another car-crazy television production created by Ashley Gracile lifestyle TV producer and released by GPI Content Corporation also did a series of stories on the old school techniques versus what guys are doing today to keep their baby clean.

If you're a broadcaster, our domestic or international representation can arrange for your screening of any one of the 65 half-hours of Sport Compact TV. This groundbreaking TV series created by Ashley Gracile and release by GPI Content Corporation is available in HD with M & E tracks; because if your viewers are into tuner cars... then you should be on
air with Sport Compact TV.

​Reach out to Sport Compact TVtoday at sctv@ashleygraciletunercars.com

Ashley Gracile presents a 1958 Cadillac Sixty Special only on STEEL DREAMS TV a 284 episode TV series seen in 100 million homes

STEEL DREAMS TV a 284 episode TV series broadcast in over 100 million homes

Steel Dreams is the weekly half-hour television show that launched today's popular motor sports programming with unprecedented border-to-border and coast-to-coast "on-site" coverage of exciting races, speed events and big shows filled with industry superstars, high-profile celebrities, famed designer/builders and all the beautiful, rich and famous people that are always on hand.

"Steel Dreams has a rich history of groundbreaking cutting-edge television," states Ashley Gracile, President of GPI Content Corporation which produces and distributes Steel Dreams. Like this profile a die in the wool Cadillac collector….

He goes by the name of Ivan Elford but let’s call him the Cadi Man. He used to admire the luxury and style that came with the Cadillac name; but could never afford one…  Now he owns four of them.

According to Elford “I’ve been a fan of Cadillac’s since I was young.  I was into big cars and tail fins, that someday I’ll have one. And it took sometime... I grew up with muscle cars and old station wagons.  So I got married and time changed, we looked into something to get into and we always liked the cars and we thought we can't go fast anymore.  Let’s look for something big and flashy. So, we went for one and we shopped around and we found the ’58”

The 1958 Sixty Special was the top of the line Cadillac.  It’s a big heavy car the front grill and the bumper are very unique in design, very bold with the big rubber bumper edge at the front end. It’s a very bold design in the grill, which is aluminum, are aluminum dishes and got very large two-teeth grill too on the front, at the top of the of the fender.  They don’t have any reason to be there except for show.  Cadillac had a lot of innovative ideas on the car but they also had things just for show. There are pieces of comb fin, which makes the car look stylish and the openings on the grill. 

 One of the reasons the Cadillac is considered so luxurious is because of its size.  For most of part they’re big cars and this ’58 is no exception.  It tips the scales and just less than 5000 lbs., but any Cadi owner will tell you that it’s part of their charm.

“The Tail fins are big wide -- the wide-body car, it’s long, the car is 225 inches from bumper to bumper.  And you see like going down the road, everybody takes a second look.  The tail fins really stand out and people always feel that they need to take a look because something exotic is coming.

Although the Tail Fins were impressive looking…. they were purely for looks, as the sheer weight for the vehicles, provided all stability and aero-dynamics it needed.  Nonetheless they became one of the signature features on these vehicles at the time, but perhaps overshadowing some of the unique and surprising details.

The car has factory air-conditioning,  power front windows, power antenna, power trunk, power seats, the wonder bar radio where you can just press the button on the radio, and just keep going without taking your hands off the wheel… all the routine features in cars decades later. 

Take a look for yourself... 

After looking at this car Ashley Gracile believes that it was no easy task to bring this car back but the result of all that hard work, elicits comments wherever it goes and each time he takes the car out it becomes a trip down memory lane.

But as Elford concludes “It makes me feel good.  I’m going to keep this car in good shape.  I didn’t buy the car to turn around and resell it.  I want something I can really enjoy and made me feel good, with whatever I had.  When people see it makes them feel good because their memories come back.  People can relate to old cars more than anything else because they say gee, my dad has -- my uncle had this and that.  It just brings back a lot of memories and that makes us feel good.”

Ever since its first air-date in Fall 2001 Steel Dreams has been at the forefront of discovering and/or introducing new talent and in providing up-to-the-minute coverage of emerging new trends.

Developed and created by Ashley Gracile an Executive Producer and Showrunner in Los Angeles. Ashley founded GPI Content Corporation just to showcase Steel Dreams and along the way created another 13 TV series.

Besides Steel Dreams, Ashley's multiple television credits include: Distant Roads, Players Parking Only, Formula Drift TV, That's Boating, A Place in the Sun, Sport Compact TV, Road Classics, FreeRide, Wellness for Life, Spy Games, RV Vacation Adventures, A Place of Your Own and CyberQuest.

Steel Dreams features celebrities like NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, now with FOX Sports and Good Morning America and his collection of Aston Martins. Later on it was “Mr. October” Reggie Jackson and one of his muscle cars at SEMA and soccer super star David Beckham’s Porsche along with the rides of Gene Simmons of KISS and much more.

Steel Dreams continues to lead the way in capturing all the unique and edgy excitement of motor sports in an action-packed half-hour that’s in its thirteenth season. Steel Dreams reaches over 94 million homes in 187 major markets every week over 92% of all U.S. markets via 216 affiliates and nine cable networks. It’s also seen in 30 territories around the world.

If it's new, exciting and cutting-edge Steel Dreams will bring it to you. From NASCAR to drifting if it’s where engines roar, tires peel-out or drifters soar - Steel Dreams takes you there.

If its beauty you want - gleaming steel or otherwise; Steel Dreams is the place to be.

It's not motor sports on TV its Steel Dreams. Real... life.. action.

1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad Rust Runner

NIAGARA FALLS - Powerful Memories

A visit to Niagara Falls is on almost everyone’s bucket list and since it’s an experience that will last a lifetime it’s one item on the list that's sure to get checked off.

First discovered in 1678, by French explorer Father Louis Hennepin, Niagara Falls was one of America's first icons, luring explorers, daredevils and millions of visitors with its untamed beauty, thundering roar and tremendous power.

Niagara Falls is actually made up of three waterfalls which straddle the international border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the U.S. The Horseshoe Falls is the largest of the waterfalls followed by the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls.

The Horseshoe Falls are in Canada and the American Falls, not surprisingly, are in the United States. They’re separated by Goat Island. The smallest of the waterfalls – the Bridal Veil Falls is also located on the American side but separated from the other two waterfalls by Luna Island.

Though the Canada/US boundary line was originally drawn through the Horseshoe Falls in 1819, natural erosion and continual construction has made its actual location a long running debate between the two countries.

Only 17 miles from Buffalo, New York and 75 miles from Toronto, Ontario the Falls sits between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York making it the perfect base camp for easy touring throughout Western New York & Southern Ontario. Don't forget your passport as you'll probably want to cross the border at some point.

The Horseshoe, Bridal Veil & American Falls (r-l) 

On the American side the Falls are located in the Niagara Falls State Park. You can enjoy the park 24/7 either on foot or by riding the Niagara Scenic Trolley. There’s also lots of RV parking.

Be sure to take in some world-class attractions which offer the region’s 8 million annual visitors an opportunity to feel, see and experience the rush of Niagara's waters. Tour operators offer free pick-up & drop-off at many of the area's private campgrounds.

The Maid of the Mist

By far, the oldest and best known tourist attraction at Niagara Falls is the Maid of the Mist. Its a boat cruise named for an ancient Ongiara Indian mythical character which has carried passengers into the rapids immediately below the falls since 1846. 

Each year, millions of people don those blue ponchos for a close up view of the Falls on this legendary boat ride. Cruise boats operate from docks on the American side of the falls.

The Niagara Falls Aquarium

A world of discovery awaits you at the Niagara Aquarium which boasts over 1,500 aquatic animals. You can learn about the Aquarium’s inhabitants during the penguin, shark and tidal pool feeding presentations. 

The California Sea Lions perform daily and there's even a touch tank where you can feel and hold sea stars, crabs, lobsters and more. The Aquarium is open daily and its a short stroll from the Falls with free RV parking.

The Niagara Power Generating Station

Located just 4 miles downstream from the Falls, The Niagara Power Vista Visitors Center features interactive exhibits and an observation deck 350 ft. above the spectacular Niagara River Gorge. 

Visitors enjoy the hands-on experience as they learn about hydroelectricity and the historic role it's played in the Niagara Frontier. Admission is free and it's open daily.

Old Fort Niagara

Step back in time at Old Fort Niagara. This original 18th century fortress is where great empires once struggled for control of North America during the French and Indian War, American Revolution, and War of 1812. 

This fortress offers exciting living history programs, exhibits with original artifacts and spectacular scenery. Don't miss the Fort's original War of 1812 Flag. By RV it's just minutes from the Falls via the Robert Moses Parkway North.