To wet sand or not.

[71step35035012C10S]

I’ve been really wanting to wet sand the C10. The truck has an old paint job and the clear coat is hideous. I did a small spot tonight on the fender and it shined up really nice, plus made the clear look way better. The only catch is that the former owner had pinstripes put on by Art Himsl back in the 90s and its on top of the clear coat. I tried a small spot to see what would happen and it came off super easy with the 3000. Obviously I would love to just repaint the truck and get the pinstripe redone, but with two small kids and limited funds, that’s not really an option right now.

Should go for the wet sand and sacrifice the pinstripe?

Any ideas that might allow to keep the pinstripe?

[Chevyland]

It’s hard to see what you sanded, and what the difference is.
Being on a budget, I’d loose the pinstripes
And make it look as presentable as possible
Whatever technique you use.

Looks like a nice truck !!

[Chevyland]

Oh yeah
Please post a picture of the spid
Thanks

[72 tigger]

Sand and buff, l wouldn’t be concerned about the pinstripes

[FRCvette]

Sand and buff.

[Happy_dan]

Can you put tape over the stripe and avoid just the striping but all the rest or will it be too obvious?

[sick472]

If I had the elbow grease handy and the time, I would polish the brightworks, but that's not your questions (by the time you freshen up the paint you'll be inclined to do that too)...lightly wet sand the hideous areas, blend those areas in with the rest with a good buffing, and then wax it. You might loose some pinstriping, but your truck already has a great lived-in look to the finish. Start with the open and free-of-pin-stripe-areas and work into the stripes. By the time you get to the striped areas, you will have learned how to finesse the finish and just might be able to pull it off. If it does not work out for the stripes...you have your answer by default. You might even end up with some ghost stripes...that could be cool too!

[Willys_MB]

Originally Posted by sick472

If I had the elbow grease handy and the time, I would polish the brightworks, but that's not your questions (by the time you freshen up the paint you'll be inclined to do that too)...lightly wet sand the hideous areas, blend those areas in with the rest with a good buffing, and then wax it. You might loose some pinstriping, but your truck already has a great lived-in look to the finish. Start with the open and free-of-pin-stripe-areas and work into the stripes. By the time you get to the striped areas, you will have learned how to finesse the finish and just might be able to pull it off. If it does not work out for the stripes...you have your answer by default. You might even end up with some ghost stripes...that could be cool too!

I think this is pretty good advice. I've tried taping over areas when wet sanding and it just never works out for me, but maybe I don't have the finesse that sick472 was talking about.

My only additional thought is that you could just tape a large band around the pin stripes and deal with the failing clear coat around the pin stripe if they're that important to you. At least takes photos to document the pinstripe thoroughly before you go anywhere near it. Art's work is legendary, you might as well take a photographic record of it in case you lose it in the future, through your fault or someone else's, God forbid.

[Chevyland]

I don’t think this is a candidate for buffing ?
That works on single stage paint
But I think on a gloss clear paint job, the color coat underneath will not shine
You might need to clear coat the thing after you sand off the old clear

Just a thought, I’ve never been able to make patina’d gloss clear look that good


More pics please.....
......spid

[siggyfreud]

There are a couple of factors at play here.

1. Your clearcoat is failing in some places. There isn't a way to "correct" that short of new paint. You can sand it out, just realize that what you're left with is essentially a single stage at that point as you'll have no protective clear where you've removed the failed clear. Just trying to ensure you don't have too high expectations. I've had people come to me with similar paint to correct and I usually talk them out of spending the money .

2. Start with the least aggressive methods and then go more aggressive if you're not getting the results you want.

3. Not really a good way to keep the pinstripes AND correct the paint under/behind it. That's why you generally want to have the art done after base, before clear. If the stripes were spaced out more you might be able to get in there with a 1". At this point you're talking about having to use a dremel with tiny polishing tips if you really want to keep the stripes.

At this point you might be ahead to wait, save up $500-1k for even a cheap Maaco job, and then spend the elbow grease wet-sanding and correcting that job. Even a cheap single stage is going to provide more protection than what you likely have now.

[72 tigger]

Just took time to look at the first pic, that’s kind of a mess. Better get Maaco

[sick472]

Originally Posted by 72 tigger

Just took time to look at the first pic, that’s kind of a mess. Better get Maaco

I don't know, it depends on the owners desires. The worn look it has is really impressive for that kind of arena. I don't think it could be turned into a 50 footer paint job by wet sanding..etc, but some sanding, rubbing, and waxing would make it pop for those who live in the worn paint and patina-look world.

That's what I'd do if a full paint job is not desired. Clean it up some, try to save the pin striping, wax it to help preserve it until new paint is an option and look good cool all the while!

[scott123]

I'd get two car seats and ride.

Scott

[72c20customcamper]

Most base coats have no uv blockers . I say most because sometimes clear is painted over a single stage paint. Once the base is exposed to uv it goes fairly quickly so anything you do is just a bandaid .

[71step35035012C10S]

Originally Posted by sick472

If I had the elbow grease handy and the time, I would polish the brightworks, but that's not your questions (by the time you freshen up the paint you'll be inclined to do that too)...lightly wet sand the hideous areas, blend those areas in with the rest with a good buffing, and then wax it. You might loose some pinstriping, but your truck already has a great lived-in look to the finish. Start with the open and free-of-pin-stripe-areas and work into the stripes. By the time you get to the striped areas, you will have learned how to finesse the finish and just might be able to pull it off. If it does not work out for the stripes...you have your answer by default. You might even end up with some ghost stripes...that could be cool too!

Thanks for the advice. This sounds like my best bet at getting it to shine while maintaining the pinstripes.

I wouldn’t be so hard up on keeping the pinstripe if it wasn’t Art Himsl.

Who doesn’t love a new paint job, but I also appreciate the patina/ “lived-in” look and not opposed to go in that direction. If that was the case I’d keep the pinstripe for sure and clear coat the whole truck as is. Plus, I’d really like to keep the ability to actually use my truck and have it look pretty cool too and I know a new paint job is going to deter me from haphazardly chucking objects in the bed or letting my boys climb on the stepside etc.

I went digging around and found out today the original owner of this truck operated a welding shop next door to Art’s in Concord, CA. Putting that with SPID. I’m guessing he went to Art about redoing the factory stripe after the repaint and Art talked him into more.

[Chevyland]

Very Nice truck
And pretty rare
Good luck, which ever way you go
If you ever end up in the north bay ( Sonoma)
Hit me up

[71step35035012C10S]

Originally Posted by Chevyland

Very Nice truck
And pretty rare
Good luck, which ever way you go
If you ever end up in the north bay ( Sonoma)
Hit me up

I’m pretty close to you. Once I get some new tires and things settle down, I will make my way up there.

Originally Posted by FRCvette

Sand and buff.

Your absolutely right. I’ve never had so many women comment on a vehicle until I started driving the truck.

[CG]

Id take what ever piece it is that you showed the striping with Himsl's sig (hood?) and use if for wall art. Then do whatever it takes to make the truck the truck you actually want.

[Magicalzoomer]

I don’t know if this helps, but I had an old motorcycle gas tank that was in similar shape as your paint. I wanted to retain the original pinstripes and esthetic of the worn stripes, so I taped them and then sanded and puttied where I needed to, then I sprayed with some flat black and then finished it with 2k clear which you can buy in a can. I think it works well. If i was going for a straight patina look, I may have just sanded the clear coat and sprayed with 2k clear, but had a lot of scratched and putting to do. It sprays a really fine nice mist.

[71step35035012C10S]

Originally Posted by Magicalzoomer

I don’t know if this helps, but I had an old motorcycle gas tank that was in similar shape as your paint. I wanted to retain the original pinstripes and esthetic of the worn stripes, so I taped them and then sanded and puttied where I needed to, then I sprayed with some flat black and then finished it with 2k clear which you can buy in a can. I think it works well. If i was going for a straight patina look, I may have just sanded the clear coat and sprayed with 2k clear, but had a lot of scratched and putting to do. It sprays a really fine nice mist.

That tank turned out nice. There might be hope.

[71step35035012C10S]

I went through and did the passenger side. I had to go down to #600 to get the clear smooth. Im wondering if I need to remove all the clear coat or can I clear over what’s here and polish/buff.

[siggyfreud]

You need to get rid of the failing layer before painting over it. Your bond to the body is only going to be as strong as the weakest layer. So putting paint over a layer that is warping/pulling away is going to be a short-lived success in my opinion.

[71step35035012C10S]

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

You need to get rid of the failing layer before painting over it. Your bond to the body is only going to be as strong as the weakest layer. So putting paint over a layer that is warping/pulling away is going to be a short-lived success in my opinion.

Agreed. Is it possible to just knock down the failing layer of clear to a point where it is smooth and will adhere?