Technical Paint as a “Preservation Tool”….

OK these photos may give you an idea of what I have to work with.

Please this is not a debate about patina vs paint. This about trying to preserve and enhance what’s there with limitations.

My daughter’s first vehicle was a very nice early 90s truck. Honestly I would have loved to have it. It was a red SWB standard cab Z71.
As you know red fades badly. Early 90s GM paint was not the best.
On a very close inspection the roof top and hood were resprayed.
It looked wonderful.

A full restoration is out of the question for this old truck. It’s not going to happen and honestly, I like it like it is, but with just a little more durability as far as the finish.
Again, it’s not restoration it’s preservation.
I’m not talking about cleared pickled rust either.
I like to eat pickles, not drive them.

The only major body work I’m planning on is welding in a new drip rail above the passenger door. I’m not worried about crumpled fender on the driver side.
It also needs some metal work on the bed top.
The hood and the top of the bedsides need repainting.
The 90s truck I mentioned, it looked like it had a very thin mix.

I was thinking, repainted hood, and bed tops with maybe a very thin mix on the sides.

Do you see what I’m going for?
Any ideas or recommendations?
Thanks.

 

You might try to come up with a paint "scheme" that allows you to paint all the areas needed while leaving the rest alone and giving a more natural look. Like some sort of two tone even if the same color.

 

Or maybe even some scallops with a sort of two tone