How to restore original paint on a 1991 Toyota Pickup Truck

[Mike Phillips]

How to restore original paint on a 1991 Toyota Pickup Truck




Good afternoon. I have a 1991 Toyota pickup and it was passed down from my grandpa. It’s special to me and I want to fix the paint.

It’s a single stage white. It has quite a bit of surface contamination and paint stains.

I don’t have much money to pay someone to do this for me or to buy a polisher so I want to do this by hand.

I was really hoping that I could get some tips for getting a good shine back and getting the stains out by hand. I have attached some photos for you to view.
Respectfully,

Elijah




Hi Elijah,

Cool truck. Cool to see you appreciate it and want to restore the original factory paint.













There's a million ways to do this , I'll outline 2 options.


Option 1

Step 1: Wash and dry the truck.

Step 2: Use detailing clay to clay the paint. You're paint is going to load up with dead paint and you should plan on throwing it away after this truck.

Step 3: Hand apply Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. Work small areas at a time. Massaging this product over the paint will require a LOT of elbow grease. If you tackle to large of any are you simply wont' do a good job and the end results is the paint will look SPLOTCHY. So work an area about the size of a 16" x 16" microfiber towel. To do this, use a microfiber applicator pad. Meguiar's makes a really nice one with a thick foam core that will spread out the pressure from you FINGERS. The microfiber surface will work with the compound to chew off the dead, oxidized paint.

Step 4: Seal the paint with your favorite wax or sealant. If you use the Meguiar's Compound, might as well get a Meguiar's wax or sealant.





Option 2

Step 1: Wash and dry the truck.

Step 2: Use detailing clay to clay the paint. You're paint is going to load up with dead paint and you should plan on throwing it away after this truck.

Step 3: Use a one-step cleaner/wax and apply like the compound I referenced above. Apply the same way. With this approach, you'll still do a good job and you can do it in one step. Also, if you repeat this process, say like once or twice a year, the paint will get better and better until it looks like you compound it first.



Working by hand is a skill most people don't possess and most people don't have the muscle and energy for. Consider ONLY tackling ONE PANEL at a time. This way you'll be fresh and do your best work and you can take your time restoring the paint.


All the products I've mentioned are on the Autogeek store, you can call our Customer Care Staff and reference this thread and they can help you to get it. You can also find it at your local auto parts store. What you can't get at your local auto parts store is this kind of customer service i.e. me typing out how-directions that are bonafide accurate.



Hope this helps, can't way to see the after pictures.

[Mike Phillips]

More,

I'll share another technique I've used on paint like this, BUT I don't recommend it to people that don't have a lot of skill hand polishing or machine polishing.

See how I do this below and then DON'T USE AS MUCH COMET as I show myself using on this old Cadillac. A little comment will help to remove the surface oxidation.




The COMET Technique by Mike Phillips - 1965 Cadillac - Original Single Stage Paint - Slam job by Mike Phillips


The COMET Technique for oxidized single stage paint



NOTE: The COMET technique is ONLY for oxidized SINGLE STAGE paint.

Do no try this on a modern clearcoat paint you will likely scour the finish.



Back Story
This classic Cadillac is a true survivor car with only 63,000 miles and the original paint. In fact, the body panel fitment and alignment is so even and true, I'm confident to say this car has never been in an accident. It has the original single stage white paint, which in 1965 would be some brand of enamel.

I'm leaving Wednesday morning to teach our Roadshow Car Detailing Class in Tacoma, Washington at Griot's Garage.

Roadshow Class - Tacoma, Washington - July 27th & 28th at Griot's Garage with Mike Phillips at Autogeek


So the only time I can carve out to tackle this car is early tomorrow morning. I'm going to use a secret technique that I've shared on this forum in the past to tackle this car and knock this out in lightening speed. I teach classes but I also detail cars, I think it's important for anyone that calls themselves an "instructor" to also walk the walk and even better, share their work for others to see how they tackle projects via a write-up with pictures. I have hundreds if not thousands of write-ups for the cars I've detailed and this will simply be one more for the list.


BEFORE















Iron Decontamination







The COMET Wash Technique for Oxidized Single Stage Paint

The Cheater Technique for quickly removing oxidation

















Here's AFTER washing with COMET - The paint is still dull but the majority of the loose oxidation has been removed and the paint is a much brighter white color.

[Mike Phillips]

One more thing,


And thank you for letting me answer you on the forum - it's really difficult to share this kind of information and this volume of information in an e-mail.

[Mike Phillips]

The owner of this truck updated me with the process used and an after picture.

Mothers Speed clay 2.0
Rewashed to make sure of no loose contaminants

After claying it really looked good. It didn’t seem the paint was as bad as I had thought. Since I discovered that and it is a single stage paint, I actually used Meguiars Ultimate Polish.

I used a 5” microfiber pad to apply. After polishing I applied a wax.

Really turned out nice.





Nice work!


Looks like new again! And now this truck should look good as long as you do a little regular maintenance.

[Mike Phillips]

More....

For those reading this into the future, a LOT of Toyota's that are white have a SINGLE STAGE URETHANE PAINT SYSTEM on them. It's a modern paint, just not clearcoated.


Here's a similar truck we did an extreme makeover to here at Autogeek.


RUPES EASY GLOSS System - EXTREME MAKEOVER - 2006 Toyota Tundra - YEARS of neglect!



BEFORE





AFTER





How it was done --> RUPES EASY GLOSS SYSTEM

[Dr Oldz]

Awesome thread. Turned out great. Really cool truck. I always liked those. A friend of mine had one that was just a regular cab which had over 400k ticks on it. It basically fell apart but was still mechanically sound.

[Mike Phillips]

Awesome thread. Turned out great. Really cool truck. I always liked those.

A friend of mine had one that was just a regular cab which had over 400k ticks on it. It basically fell apart but was still mechanically sound.

Agree.

The build-quality of those trucks for the price was a super value.

Take a look at what a NEW truck costs today and it makes it totally worth it to take care of what you have.