Old paint help?

[Brian VT]

I like having the original, honest, paint. But it is kinda dull/faded. Is there something I could I do/use to brighten it up a bit or is it likely too far gone? (from 1987)

 

[ugredydrtbag]

You could compound and polish it, but you must clean it very well before (wash with dish soap, clay bar, wash again) afterword make sure to apply some kind of wax to prevent it from fading again. I personally use northstar car care's firefly paste wax. Try to use only microfiber cloths and polishing bonnets to prevent scratches

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The above is good advice as long as there's enough of the original paint left. If it's too thin, you'll go through it. It's hard to tell, but the hood in your profile picture looks like the paint's faded pretty thin. It might just be the way light is shining on it too.

 

[Brian VT]

The hood and roof paint is toast from the sun. Just hoping to pretty up and save the rest for as long as I can.
Or I guess I may just have to give in and have it all painted. I just think that would take away so much of the flavor of it.
I like old stuff. ;-)

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The rest might be savable. It doesn't get as much direct sunlight as the hood and roof do.

 

[Greenie]

I've had good results with liquid glass.

 

[BeastMaster]

I've had good results with liquid glass.

You piqued my interest.

Apparently, the company who made the liquid glass went out of business, then someone resurrected the brand, but it doesn't seem to be the same stuff. This is what I found on Amazon reviews .. Note the dates...it's the new stuff

Amazon Sign-In

I have already experienced businessmen buying good reputations only to quickly monetize it as fast as they can, knowing the brand will be destroyed. I am convinced the glow plug relays I had been buying seemed to have suffered the same fate.

( Below Offtopic - but thrown in as this one bit me )

It also happened to electrolytic capacitors in the 90's and those are still showing up.

bad caps of the 1990's played havoc with car ECU's - Badcaps

the Nichicon PF (M) series from the late 1980's through most of the 1990's had leakage issues, these caps played havoc with many automotive ECU's, especially high end Japanese cars. (i.e. Lexus LS400, Toyota Supra, etc.) The problem was the use of quaternary ammonium salts. the following...

www.badcaps.net

 

[Nero]

Original paint should have been single stage. Give it a good wash, let it fully dry, then hit it with some turtle wax, should shine right up.

 

[Fredrickson]

Depending on what the truck looks like, you could always use the lazy man's clear coat, and hit it with pass of Penetrol Flood.