Best method to revive original paint

[Kheg]

Now that spring has sprung I'm looking for suggestions on the best practice to restore the oxidized paint on my truck. After hand washing the truck four times the rag is no longer pulling red and white pigment from the body. I have read several articles on both buffing and clay barring. Rather than buying a bunch of stuff for trial and error on my own I thought I'd run it you folks for some first hand knowledge. As far as I can tell it is the original single stage enamel.

 

[jwalterus]

clay bar to eliminate most of the crud, then hit it with a buffer and work your way through the compunds

 

[79jasper]

^ what he said. Clay bars are awesome.
Start light. Maybe try a polishing compound first.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[Kheg]

10-4. This probably goes without saying but the paint looks nice when wet, then back to dull when she drys. I'd like to retain the shiny wet look. Maybe I'm crazy, dunno...

Thanks for the info fellas!

 

[laserjock]

A word of caution. Paint on these trucks wasn't exactly the greatest. Go real easy with the buffer. There may not be much paint left to start with.

 

[Kheg]

A word of caution. Paint on these trucks wasn't exactly the greatest. Go real easy with the buffer. There may not be much paint left to start with.

Duly noted thank you!

 

[jwalterus]

10-4. This probably goes without saying but the paint looks nice when wet, then back to dull when she drys. I'd like to retain the shiny wet look. Maybe I'm crazy, dunno...

Thanks for the info fellas!

maybe try a hidden spot, clean REAL good and hit it with a little gloss clear?
like inside the bed on the side or something, then if it works, do the whole truck

 

[Clb]

Clay bar
Mek
?!

 

[laserjock]

maybe try a hidden spot, clean REAL good and hit it with a little gloss clear?
like inside the bed on the side or something, then if it works, do the whole truck

I'd be nervous doing this but it might work. I know on my dad's 91, the rags were always maroon when we washed and waxed it. His was a little extra special because shortly after it was new it got rubbed down with thinner to remove Imeron paint from overspray from a belt structure painting. My point being, that if it's enamel, it may not appreciate the clear coat solvent.

A good cleaning and a good wax job might be the safest way to improve the finish. You might be surprised. If you do go the buffer route, go easy and stay away from the edges and body lines.

 

[no mufflers]

I buffed my red 81 f100 and it came out pretty good. I got a lot of red on the buffer pad. I would start with a heavy cut compound and a wool pad and then go to a fine or polish compound with a foam pad. the paint on my 81 is very thin so you have to be very carful when cutting.

 

[Kheg]

All good info. I'll be out of town all next week and it's not looking good for the home team work wise for the reminder of this week. I'll take some pics as I go and share my results. I'm definitely going to start easy I have a propensity to "over do things" as my wife politely reminds me. Cheers!

 

[junk]

I've been a fan of the Wizards polishing compounds. And sure finish orange Foam pads. I normally using Wizards Mystic cut anymore. Start to finish one compound. I'm normally buffing fresh clear though that I've sanded. The wizards stuff doesn't have a bunch of fillers and silicones in it and the mess seems to clean up pretty good.

I never got in to the 3m system or other similar, because every time I priced it out it was 200-300 bucks in products to get started.