Projects What to do with older satin paint job?

Looking for some advice on how to clean up a older satin paint job, I have 38 Ford that was painted 25 years ago and the satin paint is starting to look faded and chalky in a lot of areas. I’ve read about wet sanding it down with 1200 grit, I have some gray scotchbrite pads that I thought about using with a bucket of soapy water and go over the whole truck to see it would make it better but I thought I’d see what you guys would do. I really don’t want to repaint the truck at this time, that will be a few years down the road. Just want to make it alittle better looking 10 feet away. Any advice and tips are greatly appreciated.

 

It's acquiring patina....

Sorry, couldn't help myself...

 

When my '40 Merc started looking shabby I would scotch brite it and hit it with some Lemon Pledge. easy to do every month or so.

 

I'd sand it off and put some shiny on it.The satin fad is fading fast. I participated in it myself about 15 years ago.

 

That truck is ruined. You wouldn't want to be caught driving that shabby ol' thing. I am going to do you a favor and just come and take it off your hands, no charge.

 

Have you tried using detailer or waxing it? I would be afraid the scotch Brite would leave scratches in an irregular pattern.

 

When I wash my Shoebox, I use a good car wash soap and a fine scotch bright about evry 4-5 washes. Keeps it smooth. I figure in another year or two I should be able to repaint it (finish it) in a shiny color without too much prep work.

 

Do you know what kind of paint it is?

 

Rub it down with Lemon Pledge wax.

 

Wasnt it back in the day that you used 00 or 000 steel wool to get that little sheen again on flats or satin paint?

so use grey scotch brite soap and water like others have posted. Also count your blessings that a 25 year old paint job held up.

 

The previous owner used Blitz Black from John Deere

 

Did you use a gray or white scotch bight? I believe gray is 800 grit and white is 1000.

 

I've had good results using a sponge and comet cleaner. Be careful not to get the one with bleach in it though.

The bleach was great for keeping my oil leaking white truck white!

 

I have used Comet the last couple times when I washed it, it did improve the look overall but still had a lot of faded spots, I was hoping that the next step was to use scotchbrite and lightly go over the truck to smooth the paint out and blend in the paint better. My plan here in the next couple years it to tear the body apart and give it a nice shiny paint job. That’ll be my plan when I have the truck built like I want so all I have to do is take it apart and put it back together. I like to mock it up as I drive it.

 

Grey...very lightly! I painted this thing 'temporarily' in 2012 in my driveway and it still looks decent.

 

Im serious when I say try some Pledge, It will give it a nice sheen and should even out the chalky spots. Especially if you are going to scuff it up with scotchbrite, then wax it w Pledge afterwords. Or a few years ago I saw a product called "Rat Wax" at Lonestar Roundup specifically for satin paint and "patina" finishes... (I know I know) but it worked real well and enhanced the old paint nicely.

 

You might try a product called Penetrol, it's a product made by The Flood Company and is designed to enhance oil base paints to flow when spraying or brushing, being a petroleum based product it can often restore life in dull finishes.

BTW, it is unbelievable in reviving dull fiberglass boats. HRP

 

I’ve heard good things about Penetrol, I’ll give the old truck a good Scotchbrite washing and let it dry and put some Penetrol on it and see how it turns out.

 

My Merc was John Deere Blitz black. the scotch brite, Lemon Pledge worked great.

 

I like Penetrol and have used it on old paint after buffing it up, results are simar except the penetrol dries hard almost like a clear coat would. I got a little on my stainless trim and missed it until it was dry and hard to clean off. Pledge wax doesnt do that. Either way both are good choices in my experience.

 

You might laugh but on my 2 previous satin black deuce trucks and 2 satin black deuce sedans I used aerosol Lysol basin/tub and tile cleaner. It worked for me. I always did it in the shade and there is just enough fine abrasive in it to knock off the dull. On my current Satin green deuce pu I use a Wizard product designed for Satin finishes. Only thing with Pledge is I believe it contains some silicone which may cause problems with painting later.

 

Seen, Gibbs oil applied to old paint on. 46 ford .gives it a light sheen ,last quite awhile and doesn't attract dust ??

 

Gibbs also doesn't effect painting at a later date.

 

I periodically use Pledge on the textured black paint on my OT Hot Rod. It looks great until you run in the rain, then it gets a milky appearance.