faded truck
 

Hey, my truck is really faded and was wondering what is the best product to try and shine it up. thanks

Try a good polish (not a wax)... what year is this truck - is it from the pre-clearcoat days of assembly line painting?

Wash & dry her really thouroughly, then give it a good rub-down with a quality polish, and then follow up with a good wax if one application of polish gets the luster back into the paint to protect it, or give it another rubbing with some polish if it doesn't.

A lot of guys here prefer more expensive products, but make a stop by the local auto parts store, and grab some Meguiars polish, and some of their Gold-something wax. The polish will be in a burgandy squeeze bottle, and the wax in a black metal tin with yellow text.

I just used some of Meguires color-x on my 72 that has factory paint.....it worked really well and restored alot of the brilliance and removed alot of oxidation. Two thumbs up from me.

After I brought my '67 home I didn't think the paint would EVER come back. Red is the worst color in FL for oxidation and it really looked horrible. It was almost pink. I got some 3-M rubbing compound. Started with the medium grit and an electric polisher and then moved to the fine grit. If you're not familiar with a high-speed polisher, stay away from one, or just use an orbital or you can damage the paint. I heated the paint up in a couple places and it leaves "burn marks". Took me a while to get them out. I followed up the compounding with Meguiar's Cleaner Wax, and it is looking really good. I can't believe I resurrected it, but I'm still going to put on some Meguiar's NXT to give it the brilliance. Good luck with yours!

Before you waste time and $$ repainting an old truck (they are NEVER as good as when they come from the factory), try this. Wet sand w/1500 grit wet/dry paper. Go to an auto paint store and buy some 3M 5970 buffing/ rubbing compound and then start rubbing. Goes alot faster if you have a high speed buffer, but a low speed orbital will work just fine, especially if you've never used a high speed one. Keep the buffing pad clean and make sure you use plenty of water. Just do 1 section at a time. I have resurected several old mid 60s to mid 70 GM cars and trucks this way w/simple OUTstanding results.

Just because there is some oxidation on your paint is does not automatically mean you need to repaint. Try this method, and I guarantee that you'll be amazed w/the results. It can be a long, messy and tedious process, though. I don't believe that there is some magic formula in a bottle that that will match these results. If you're uncomfortable w/trying this, many body shops offer this service for a fraction of what a quality paint job will cost you.

There are good instructions on the bottle of the GM 5970 that I first used when when I started doing this. I've done at least 30 cars this way, and it always works.

Re: faded truck
 

I have never wet sanded, but am willing to try. Can you give any tips? My paint has a lot of oxidation, I dont seem to be getting very far with hand applied rubbing compound or polish.

Re: faded truck
 

wet sand wet sand some kind of polish we did a 53 chevy all by hand looks great lots o work

Re: faded truck
 

Any pics of the truck?

Re: faded truck
 

If paint is real faded and clear coat is gone, wash with Ajax cleanser or something similar. Rinse and dry real good. Then apply paste wax. First pic is when I got my truck home. second is after Ajax scrub and wax.