Helping "tired" paint...

[MrZero]

85 FJ60. Sat unmoved and in the elements with no washing for 4 years. It could use some help, but what kind? Do I need to compound it? Just a good wash and wax? What kind of shops can\will do this kind of work?

thanks

--ZERO

 

[hammerhead]

My FJ40 sat for like 5 years before I rescued it and looked terrible. It now looks awesome. All I did was to wheel the heck out of it in the woods and brush. All the built up grunge scratched right off in the oak brush. Hehehe

 

[OzzieFJ62]

Mr Zero, it depends how much effort you want to put into your paint. I'd start with a good quality car wash, Mothers or Meguairs. After that, try a slow buff speed with a pre paint cleaner, again a good quality brand... Mothers have a pre paint cleaner with an oxidation remover and a very light abrasive in it. After that, go for a good car wax, maybe some Meguair Gold class..... Or some Calfornia Customs M-Ron glass finish... a truly amazing polish...

Just an aussie opinion

 

[Gumby]

My mini was oxidized to a pink color and looked terrible when I got it. An afternoon with rubbing compound and wex shined it right up to looking brand new. All those commercials with the miracle paint restorers are just rubbing compound. Any of them will remove the oxidization and leave you with great looking paint.
It's really not all that hard to do it by hand. A buffer helps, but you can screw things up with a buffer.

 

[MrZero]

Thanks for the advice guys! I kind of wonder if all I really need is a good wash and wax. Is it unheard of for carwash places to do polishing\compounding, or is this something a body shop would be better suited for? I just don't quite trust myself to do it correctly, as I have no experience with it at all.....


--ZERO

 

[Degnol]

Zero.
Try what Gumby says, you really don't need a machine for everything. Orange rubbing compound is more coarse and white is finer. Buy a can of each, about $3 each, and go to town , preferably a flat horizintal one like the hood. Use a piece of old bathtowel or an old washcloth, wet it first and wring it out. If you can bring that back to a color and shine you like, then you take it to a detail shop and tell them that is what you want. Unless of course, you're having fun at that point, then finish the job!
Ed

 

[Jman]

[quote author=Degnol link=board=1;threadid=10589;start=msg95285#msg95285 date=1075065702]
Zero.
Try what Gumby says, you really don't need a machine for everything. Orange rubbing compound is more coarse and white is finer. Buy a can of each, about $3 each, and go to town , preferably a flat horizintal one like the hood. Use a piece of old bathtowel or an old washcloth, wet it first and wring it out. If you can bring that back to a color and shine you like, then you take it to a detail shop and tell them that is what you want. Unless of course, you're having fun at that point, then finish the job!
Ed
[/quote]

What he said, but don't start with the hood--if you fawk it up you'll be staring at it all the time! Try the roof--it's the toughest spot to reach, so if you do it right there, you'll be able to do the rest no problem, and if you mess it up, no one will see!!!

Oh, and I use old undershirts--a bit softer than terrycloth, less likely to gouge any soft paint out--and don't rub too hard. Just let the fine abrasives do with work.

It's amazing what a little elbow grease can do.

 

[Pinion]

I used some Color Back from Turtle Wax. It removes ALL of the oxidation. Just wash it all well first and let it dry. Try the color back and then wax it again.

It has worked wonders on every oxidized vehicle Ive ever owned.