57 Year Old Paint, HELP with Paint Correction

Alright guys, let's make this the go-to thread for guys dragging forgotten cars out of barns or new owners who have rods with old, neglected paint. I searched my *** off and came up with one truly useful thread on all of the HAMB:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=708534

I couldn't believe how little has been posted on here about real, step-by-step, paint correction from barn to show field. Can anyone with expertise please give a detailed, step-by-step procedure (including tools, materials, and product names) for taking a car from hazy, neglected, and oxidized, to a shining example of its' former glory?

I'm not just asking for the hell of it, I'm receiving my new-to-me 1955 Plymouth station wagon, and the paint has seen better days after having been slow cooked in the California sunshine for 57 years and counting.

Here are a few pics. How would you correct this old paint, from start to finish?

 

Ok while I'm no expert I took a "barn find" to something presentable NOT showroom quality mind you.

About as barn find as it gets before

To this
I used a WOOL pad with medium cutting compound - and foam with mirror glaze


I wax the truck and try to avoid rain. Please keep in mind the cleaning and buffing will make the car shiny but really shows the flaws. I have less than 100.00 in my finish. It needs paint at some point but works for now

 

Well I polished mt chrome trim and repainted the painted areas of them..

 

That came out great, thanks for sharing the process!

So, only one guy on the HAMB has brought a dead paint job back to life? Interesting...

 

*crickets*

I guess you guys just spray them with a hose and drive off to the nearest rat rod show?

 

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...w-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html Here it is!

 

I just wish it was mine!!!

 

Well nothing in the world short of a repaint is going to make either of those cars any more than driver quality, certainly not show quality.

That said I drive beaters and pretty much always have, if the paint is solid I use Dupont rubbing compound if the pait is real bad and if it is just lightly oxidized I use a good past wax and elbo grease.

One thing that I have discovered is that if you are not real good with a buffing pad you are more likely going to burn it then fix it, if you must use a power tool get one of those orbital polishers and donot lean on it hard until you learn how hard you can lean on it.

 

i've used a heavy rubbing compound mixed a pint in a bucket of warm soapy water and scrubbed it out. might take doing it a couple of times then wax with a cleaner wax. works great if you don't have a buffer,and doesn't remove as much of the old paint that a buffer will

 

Thanks, I've been to the AutoGeek site before. I asked the HAMB because I figured the experience with old paint was here, if anywhere. I don't really care about getting orange peel out of a brand new 2013 Subaru, as that's what those sites mostly cater to.

You're close enough to drive it when it's done! Keep your eyes peeled for a build thread!

Thanks for the tips! I'm going to invest in a Porter Cable dual action. I've heard it's much easier to burn through paint with a non DA buffer. I'm nowhere near comfortable enough yet to use a non DA.

So you did it by hand? What did you use?

 

I have been at this a long time and I am still not comfortable with a buffer. Orbital is the way to go. I have one in the ba*****t that I have never used but I guess I will eventually.

 

I too, am intrigued with the "AutoGeekOnLine" method (which was specificly intended for old weathered paint). Getting the paint in the best condition you can before "attacking" it with anything abrasive makes sense to me. Or, it may all be just a commercial for their "#7" polish. I think I'll try it on the 30 year-old repaint on my '51 to see how it works. I don't see how that method could hurt anything, even if it's not effective.

 

You DID NOT look at the link I sent you did you? It RESTORES old paint with a system that works. Your smart *** Subaru comment was lame. Work the paint (manly) like the link shows you you will have success. There is NO easy way out other than paying me to do the work. That #7 works. The clay barring is work. Damn I wish you lived much closer. That old wagon deserves better. Your welcome ~crickets~

 

It works. It has everything thing in the video a man need except AMBITION. I would have loved to had this hands on demo when I was 24 yrs old. Thank-you for seeing the value in its content.

 

Been polishing paint since I was 18. I'm 41. For existing paint, that bit autogeek does with that gold Lincoln is great for a noob, that doesn't have a lot of gear. I agree they sort of cater to shining shiny new cars, but if you watch the whole thing with the lincoln, he really brings it around without eating the paint off it. Meguiars Super 80 and #7 is the shiznit, if you just want it to shine. Hell, good 'ol Turtle wax has a bit of abrasive in it, and you'd be surprised what a very detailed, careful aternoon with an orbital and TW will do!

 

Holy ****, calm down man. I wasn't intentionally being rude or cr***. I viewed the link you sent and it's helpful. I even thanked you for posting it, didn't I? I watched their videos and even purchased some products from them-- pads, clay bar kit, cleaner wax, etc. All I'm saying is that the site panders and caters to much newer vehicles the majority of the time. I'm sorry if my comment came across as rude, but you interpreted it all wrong.

 

Yes. And after filling or loading that surface with #7, come back with a gentle polish to further enhance the paint. Even Perfect It 3 will cut a bit. An 'toy' like the Porter will gain some yes. Porter's are helpful for beginners and for laying some glaze/sealants for us.

 

Sweet, I'm gonna try it on my Buick

 

Aside from the entry-level Porter Cable, what's the favorite orbital of the gurus on here? I want something I can grow into that's also user friendly in the beginning. I'd like to spend the money once and have a tool I can use for a long time.

 

Thanks for the link. Great info

 

Nice Subaru..... My '62 Dart is next.......

 

But this is the one that amazed me.........

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=667085

 

THIS: http://youtu.be/FfwbVzsphzs
How big is your wallet? I have a Flex (German engineered, German made) brand orbital that is hight end $. BUT, the Porter Cable sounds like it has small rocks in it's gears compared to the FLEX. YouTube has plenty of How To videos to give you a head start. And yes, everyone is trying to sell you something. BUY that #7 (sleaze-bay $34.00/64 oz jug) and bury that wagons still useable paint.

 

Please do not go hacking away at the paint with a heavy compound. The Megs #7 works AMAZING. It takes some time, but it will have the paint looking great again. It's the only thing i'd use on a single stage paint.

 

Awesome, thanks very much. I think I'm going to invest in the FLEX. I'm excited to see just how much this old paint can be brought back to life. I'm going to SOAK this thing in #7 after it's cleaned up.

I found a good AutoGeek vid clip on the FLEX also: http://youtu.be/Arn_kVH3BVc

Yeah, #7 seems to be the way to go. Thanks for the advice!

 

Get a magnifing gl*** and look at the paint. You might want to do more than rub it out.

 

Can you elaborate a little bit on what you mean? I planned on a good cleaning and clay bar first and foremost. From what I've read, the clay will pull a lot of the surface contaminants out of the old paint.

 

yes i do this by hand. it works well for me i don't like to remove too much of the old finish...Dave

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Meguiars-M0...781&pid=100011&prg=1080&rk=1&sd=330838071420& This is the best buy. One more thing, really take to heart what the dude in the Auto Geek thread means by working the #7 into the surface with much effort. Its hard work. Take pix as you go. Re-read his thread to stay on course.

 

Thanks again. I'm going to do***ent the progress I make along the way and post pics in this thread. Maybe guys in the future can search and find this thread instead of asking the same stupid questions I did, haha. I'm going to need a few bottles of this #7 to coat this land yacht