How to proceed on a heavily oxidized old vehicle

[bladerunner]

I recently picked up a 79 Chevy pickup that is heavily oxidized. It is pretty much rust free as it has lived its whole life in Tucson. Now I know why they store airplanes there.
What products should I be using to get the oxidation layer off yet minimally removing material? Not looking for a show car shine but want to get it looking good for its age.
I currently using Menzerna and Wolfgang sealer from Autogeek.

[BillyJack]

Your paint sounds like a perfect candidate for Mike's single-stage paint restoration process. Get comfortable, grab a beverage and take the time to read this:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/25304-secret-removing-oxidation-restoring-show-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html
I have an '87 El Camino with original paint. Following the process detailed in this article was by far the most significant improvement in my vehicle's appearance. Here's a split shot of my roof as testimony:
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee388/kaminokids/ElCamroof1.jpg

Bill

[bladerunner]

Thanks BillyJack. Can't wait to get off work today and sit down and review that page. Took a quick look at it.

[Mike Phillips]

I recently picked up a 79 Chevy pickup that is heavily oxidized. It is pretty much rust free as it has lived its whole life in Tucson. Now I know why they store airplanes there.


Nice find. I own a 1978 3/4 Ton, I really like the classic look and heavy gauge steel still used to build truck back then plus simple design anyone can work on them unlike modern trucks.


Here's your picture inserted instead of attatched...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/1979ChevyTruck.jpg





What products should I be using to get the oxidation layer off yet minimally removing material?


Billy added the link to my article here,

The Secret to Removing Oxidation and Restoring a Show Car Finish to Antique Single Stage Paints (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/25304-secret-removing-oxidation-restoring-show-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html)



THe above article is basically about how to restore paint like you have on the truck above, the major point going over how to do it without using aggressive compuonds because when paint gets that old it's very dry and that makes it brittle and it's too easy to remove a lot of paint quickly and possibly destroy a paint job that could be save if a less aggressive method were used.


It also goes over revitalizing old single stage paint before you work on it to make it more workable, kind of like applying skin lotion to dry skin.

Here's a picture from the above article that explains how the step works...






This is key...
Saturation Application --> The First Application
This is a mostly unknown technique and that is to let the first application penetrate and soak into the paint for up to 24 hours before wiping the product off. The idea being to really apply the product wet and work it in really well and the walk away.

The idea is to allow the heavy concentration of oils to penetrate and seep into the paint for maximum saturation before removing the product and continuing with the process. In this case I finished applying the first application of #7 around 9:00 pm and then left the #7 to soak in until the next day. I started wiping the product off then next morning right about 10:00am.

Some will argue if this works or not but my experience is that with a porous single stage paint it does in fact help. One thing for sure it can't hurt.

Paper Test for Capillary Action
If you place a few drops of #7 onto a piece of paper and then monitor it over a few days you will see the oils in the #7 migrate or seep away from the actual drop of product. It does this through capillary action and the same thing can work to your car's paints' advantage if it's a single stage lacquer or enamel paint.

I placed a few drops about the size of a nickel on a piece of standard printer paper around 3:00pm.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/859/7CapillaryAction01.jpg

The next day I took these pictures at approximately 10:00am, (19 hours later), note how the oils in the drops of #7 have migrated outward via capillary action.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/859/7CapillaryAction02.jpg

Feeder Oils penetrate or feed the paint
This same effect can take place in a single stage paint but not only will the oils travel horizontally, they will also travel vertically, that they will penetrate downward "into" your car's paint and this is where the term feeder oils comes from as the oils penetrate into or feed the paint. The result is they will condition the paint restoring some level of workability as compared to just working on old dry paint, and they will also bring out the full richness of color, something that will showcase the beauty of your car's paint.


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[QUOTE=bladerunner;652345]
Not looking for a show car shine but want to get it looking good for its age.
I currently using Menzerna and Wolfgang sealer from Autogeek.



You can get show car results, single stage paint buffs out like no other as long as you do it right and use good products. If you don't have some #7 then get some as it's the only product like it that I know of...

Then what do you have for compounds and polishes?

:xyxthumbs:

[Mike Phillips]

Also, I like to share this article with anyone doing an extreme makeover and especially when working on a single stage project like yours...



The power in the after shots is created in the before shots (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/21216-power-after-shots-created-before-shots.html)

In my life I've had the good fortune to work on a lot of cool cars and with a lot of cool people for which I'm always very thankful for. I've also had the good fortune to work on a lot of very neglected cars, some special interest and some not but to the owner it was alway important and when it's important to the owner then it's important to me.

One of the things I've learned when doing dramatic extreme makeovers, whether on oxidized single stage paints or swirled-out clear coats, is the importance of capturing great before shots.

One of the biggest problems with capturing a great before shot is someone, not understanding the value in the before shot and all it's ugliness, will take some kind of paint polishing product and make a clean, shiny spot in an otherwise really neglected and ugly panel like the hood or the trunk-lid. These types of panels make the best before and after shots because they are usually large, they are usually in the worst shape, you can look down on them, or in this case take an overhead shot of them, and the hood is specifically the panel that gets the most attention from car enthusiasts.

So over the years when I've discussed doing future extreme makeovers on project cars with the owners I've always stressed the importance of not touching the paint till AFTER we get the before shots.

It's just so uncanny that if you don't bring this topic up, then sometime before you arrive at the car's location or the car is brought to your location, someone and their good intentions will do you the favor of rubbing something smack dab in the middle of the hood and make a shiny spot and ruin the before pictures.

Anyway, a couple of years ago while scheduling an Extreme Makeover, I wrote this little sentence that I think states the concept very clearly and wanted to post it in it's own thread with a time stamp for others to learn from and hopefully explain the "why" behind the idea...

So here it is and you can quote me on this,


"If you ever do an extreme makeover on a car or some other project, remember the power in the after shots is created in the before shots"


So do your best to get GREAT before shots before bringing your hand or your polisher down onto the paint and making a shiny spot. And try to educate the owner if there's going to be time passing before the project is scheduled to also not take any action until after the before shots area captured. Just as a precaution. Better safe than sorry.


Often times I'll see a great write-up on a spectacular and dramatic before and after project and the detailer will say something like,

"Sorry I didn't get any before pictures"

This happens all the time. It's happened to me because I didn't have a camera handy or the batteries were dead.

So just a note to anyone reading this, if you ever do an extreme makeover on something cool or special interest, remember, the power is in the before pictures, so make plans to capture them before buffing on the car.


Here's an example,

I met this gentleman at our local Autozone and mentioned to him that his car was a great candidate for an extreme makeover; explained the process and gave him my phone number and in our conversation I let him know the importance of not making a shiny spot on the hood.

I figured like most people he'll never call. A few months later this guy calls me and reminds me of the car and asks if I still want to use it for an extreme makeover? Let's me know he's going to take his Dad along for an upcoming car cruise and car show.

I asked him,

Have you worked on it at all?

He said no

So I said, bring it on over and we'll buff it out till it shines like a diamond, which he did. Anyway, it's just a nice old Ford and it was fun to polish out. I was just happy he didn't rub some kind of compound in the middle of the hood in the months between when I met him at Autozone and the day he brought it over.

He purchased this 1960 Ford Ranchero off eBay in running condition for $900.00 and has been tinkering on it in his spare time while using it as a daily driver back and forth to the cement plant where he works. So the paint sits out in the Mojave Desert sun and bakes with a coating of all kinds of dust from the cement plant landing on it.

Before
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/763/1960Ranchero01.jpg

One half covered and taped-off
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/763/1960Ranchero02.jpg

Before and after results
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/763/1960Ranchero03.jpg

After
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/763/1960Ranchero06.jpg



:)

[Mike Phillips]

Here's the link to the write-up for the above extreme makeover, one of the last cars I buffed out before moving from Southern California to Stuart, Florida...


1960 Ford Ranchero - Extreme Makeover - M105/M205 Tag Team (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/31839-1960-ford-ranchero-extreme-makeover-m105-m205-tag-team.html)



:xyxthumbs: