i wanna hear from all you guys who are good at detailing a car. my great grandpa's old '87 (that i recently acquired) wears it's original red paint...the years have not been kind to it. it has clearcoat peeling in various spots (others the clear is just gone) but i have seen miracles with some paint (i don't expect it to look brand new, i'd just like an improvement over what it is)...so...look at this picture and tell me what you think. if you know of a way to help me rejuvenate it, please tell me how! thanks in advance!

 

probably could be wetsanded and re clear coated, other then that probably wont be able to help it much

 

yea I really wasn't expecting to be able to save it...I was just trying make her look better until I get her painted...

 

I doubt very much that the original factory paint was base/clear. Most likely a single stage. Try a power polisher, and a cut polish to start. It should do wonders. That said, red is the absolute worst for fading and sun damage. The red pigment in paint is the first to be affected by UV light.

 

yea I was wondering about that...I didn't think the original paint was a clearcoat...but it looks like clear flaking off of one of the doors...I wonder if it was repainted?

 

If it is original paint, it is single stage, and should polish out nicely, as long as there is no checking or cracking.

Are you wanting to do this yourself, or have it done? A good, emphasis on good, detailer should be able to help you.

Here is an easy way to check and see if it is single stage paint. Pick up some cleaner wax (meg's or mother's), and try a small spot in a couple of different places. If it pulls off a lot of color when you apply the cleaner wax, it is single stage. Work a very small spot 6" x 6" or so, to see what it does. once you remove the wax, you will get a small indication of what type of restoration is possible. Then decide your course of action, either doing it yourself, or finding a pro/

 

thanks Doug, ill try that! oh, and I'm planning on doing it myself...