older paint... make her shine

Brainstatic911 · 02-22-2006, 11:55 AM

I've got an 88 blazer and i was wondering how (besides painting it again) to make her shine like new. i've been told it has a lacquer finish.. what products/ technics can be used? i did a search but couldn't find anything on this topic.

Dan Plante · 02-22-2006, 12:03 PM

If it is the stock original paint you are pretty much screwed. But buy a buffer and some compound and compound the truck and then wax it and it will shine better than it did before.

NOTE: Don't press to firmly with the buffer or you will melt the paint and keep the speed of the buffer in the middle. Most range from 1-6 and I keep mine at 3-4 and it does a great job on the paint.

mat1583 · 02-22-2006, 12:18 PM

There are also probably a lot of contaminants and dirt in your clear coat. To remove these, use a clay bar, preferrably something like Mothers California Gold clay bar. Make sure to follow the directions carefully. I can guarantee that you'll notice a big difference after you finish that up and wax it with a buffer. It may not be perfect or close to stock, but it will be a lot better than it is now.

monkeymouse · 02-22-2006, 05:51 PM

If you still have plenty of clear left (I'm guessing that its pretty thin on that old of a truck by now) you could lightly wet sand the entire truck then buff it with a light compound, then polish, then wax...Would look better then stock. But on an older car/truck you have to be extremely careful to not burn through to the paint or you'll be re clearing the truck lol.

viper-reds10 · 02-22-2006, 09:11 PM

all these guys are right but buffing like he said let the buffer do the work and if ur gonna wet sand be VERY careful i personaly wouldnt wet sand because of the age but if u do make sure its light

black4.3 · 02-22-2006, 10:17 PM

Its probably a single stage paint so a good chemical cleaner product should help out bring back the shine. Not guaranteed though. Depends on how bad the paint is. Even if it does come back, it doesnt mean it will stay that way for a while. Try using mothers or Megs 3 step system for easily obtainable products. A buffer will help but isnt a necessity (sp?).

Brainstatic911 · 02-23-2006, 02:25 PM

a buddy of mine said something about orange peal?? what is that and is it even safe for my paint? and if so how do you use it?

mat1583 · 02-23-2006, 02:51 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Brainstatic911

a buddy of mine said something about orange peal?? what is that and is it even safe for my paint? and if so how do you use it?

sorry, had to chuckle a second. Orangle peal is the bumpy surface that you often see on painted surfaces, especially vehicles. Most factory paint jobs should not have orange peel in them. It's mostly custom jobs that you find orange peal in, and it's almost unavoidable in urethane finishes. It's called orange peal because it looks similar to the surface of an orange...bumpy and rough.

***HAWK*** · 02-23-2006, 04:56 PM

not true ^ my stock paint is full of it,

monkeymouse · 02-23-2006, 05:17 PM

Yeah prety much every stock vehical is FULL of orange peal. Its sad when you pay $40k for a car and get a $300 macco style paint job lol.

mat1583 · 02-23-2006, 05:33 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by xHAWKx

not true ^ my stock paint is full of it,

Yeah, I should have corrected myself. I knew that wasn't true. What i meant is that on newer cars, the factory paint shouldn't have orange peal...at least if it's an expensive car it better not! lol.

But yeah, orange peal is almost unavoidable in any paint job, but it CAN be avoided, it just takes a lot of work.

02-22-2006, 11:55 AM	#1
Brainstatic911 Registered User Age: 27 Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 257 Location: Maryland User is: OffLine	older paint... make her shine I've got an 88 blazer and i was wondering how (besides painting it again) to make her shine like new. i've been told it has a lacquer finish.. what products/ technics can be used? i did a search but couldn't find anything on this topic.
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-22-2006, 12:03 PM	#2
Dan Plante Registered User Age: 33 Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,850 Location: Franklin, MA User is: OffLine	Re: older paint... make her shine If it is the stock original paint you are pretty much screwed. But buy a buffer and some compound and compound the truck and then wax it and it will shine better than it did before. NOTE: Don't press to firmly with the buffer or you will melt the paint and keep the speed of the buffer in the middle. Most range from 1-6 and I keep mine at 3-4 and it does a great job on the paint.
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-22-2006, 12:18 PM	#3
mat1583 Searching no more Age: 26 Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,458 Location: Madison, Alabama User is: OffLine	Re: older paint... make her shine There are also probably a lot of contaminants and dirt in your clear coat. To remove these, use a clay bar, preferrably something like Mothers California Gold clay bar. Make sure to follow the directions carefully. I can guarantee that you'll notice a big difference after you finish that up and wax it with a buffer. It may not be perfect or close to stock, but it will be a lot better than it is now.
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-22-2006, 05:51 PM	#4
monkeymouse I hate my truck. Age: 21 Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,741 Location: Buffalo, NY User is: OffLine	Re: older paint... make her shine If you still have plenty of clear left (I'm guessing that its pretty thin on that old of a truck by now) you could lightly wet sand the entire truck then buff it with a light compound, then polish, then wax...Would look better then stock. But on an older car/truck you have to be extremely careful to not burn through to the paint or you'll be re clearing the truck lol.
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-22-2006, 09:11 PM	#5
viper-reds10 Registered User Age: 20 Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 76 Location: good ol' wisconsin User is: OffLine	Re: older paint... make her shine all these guys are right but buffing like he said let the buffer do the work and if ur gonna wet sand be VERY careful i personaly wouldnt wet sand because of the age but if u do make sure its light
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-22-2006, 10:17 PM	#6
black4.3 Registered User Age: 31 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 39 Location: where s10s where made User is: OffLine	Re: older paint... make her shine Its probably a single stage paint so a good chemical cleaner product should help out bring back the shine. Not guaranteed though. Depends on how bad the paint is. Even if it does come back, it doesnt mean it will stay that way for a while. Try using mothers or Megs 3 step system for easily obtainable products. A buffer will help but isnt a necessity (sp?).
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-23-2006, 02:25 PM	#7
Brainstatic911 Registered User Age: 27 Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 257 Location: Maryland User is: OffLine	Re: older paint... make her shine a buddy of mine said something about orange peal?? what is that and is it even safe for my paint? and if so how do you use it?
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-23-2006, 02:51 PM	#8
mat1583 Searching no more Age: 26 Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,458 Location: Madison, Alabama User is: OffLine	Re: older paint... make her shine Quote: Originally Posted by Brainstatic911 a buddy of mine said something about orange peal?? what is that and is it even safe for my paint? and if so how do you use it? sorry, had to chuckle a second. Orangle peal is the bumpy surface that you often see on painted surfaces, especially vehicles. Most factory paint jobs should not have orange peel in them. It's mostly custom jobs that you find orange peal in, and it's almost unavoidable in urethane finishes. It's called orange peal because it looks similar to the surface of an orange...bumpy and rough.
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-23-2006, 05:17 PM	#10
monkeymouse I hate my truck. Age: 21 Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,741 Location: Buffalo, NY User is: OffLine	Re: older paint... make her shine Yeah prety much every stock vehical is FULL of orange peal. Its sad when you pay $40k for a car and get a $300 macco style paint job lol.
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-23-2006, 05:33 PM	#11
mat1583 Searching no more Age: 26 Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,458 Location: Madison, Alabama User is: OffLine	Re: older paint... make her shine Quote: Originally Posted by xHAWKx not true ^ my stock paint is full of it, Yeah, I should have corrected myself. I knew that wasn't true. What i meant is that on newer cars, the factory paint shouldn't have orange peal...at least if it's an expensive car it better not! lol. But yeah, orange peal is almost unavoidable in any paint job, but it CAN be avoided, it just takes a lot of work.
	[Reply w/Quote]