I recently acquired my 51 Ford Tudor sedan back. Sold this car in 2014 to build my house (long story how I got it back). The car was stored in Berkeley from 1976 to 1989 then driven to Fresno and stored inside until I bought it in 2013. Paint is not original but I am sure over 50 years old. I trying to figure out a way to preserve and protect it as the valley sun tends to really eat it up. Anybody have any experience with clear coat? If so how do you prep it and what did you use? Wax and polish won’t cut it it faded after about 3 days.
Just keep polishing it. You need to get chemicals in the paint to stop it from fading. There was a wax called Color Back, made in the 80's, that had a lot of silicone in it. A couple applications and a car would stay shiny for a month or so. I do see it occasionally at those stores that sell buy back type products.
This worked out very well for me & many others : https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...w-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html
This shows a good before & after on my car : https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...-my-survivor-garage-find-hot-rod-model-2.html
With some patina can be a point of contention.. I might phrase it how do I keep my paint from deteriorating further..
Carnuba wax. That is what I used on my trucks when I lived in the rain forest. It is work to apply but once a year and you're golden.
The way less than ten year old lacquer paint on my 51 Merc faded in less than a week when I waxed it back in 1962 when I bought it. The reason they sold so damned much wax back in those days I think. If you like the damned paint be like we were in 1962 and polish and wax it every week. That is what we did then and it was just part of owning a car that was 11 years old at the time. I wouldn't use anything with silicone in it though as that is the best way to piss off a painter in the future you can ever come up with. Truthfully I am not a fan of tired old dead paint or the nonsense about having to preserve it, I'd sand it down and paint it back close to the exact same color in modern paint and be done with it it were me. Every rig on my place has tired old dead paint that looks just as bad as the paint on that Ford does and the paint on my rigs sure isn't special.
Not really an answer to your original question, but $300 and a trip to Maaco will make it look brand new!
Leave it alone and PLEASE don't clear coat it like the recent fad as I've seen on a few old trucks in my area, I threw up in my mouth a little when I saw them.
I would get a scotchbrite pad and go lightly over any rusty area's and use a car wash- wax like this, once a week. I think the wax in the car wash would probably hold up for a week and wouldn't really add anything to the basic upkeep of the car assuming you plan on washing it once a week. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Meguiar...d3cb2cc45295&dclid=CO6O2bOQ2dwCFb0CrQYdTwoBkA
I'm thinking about using Gibbs oil on my '39 to keep the pain/rust from deteriorating any further. Anyone had any experience with it?
If you clear it. It wont look like preserved paint. Wipe oil onto the paint Let it sit in the sun for a few days. Revives the chalked up paint...some of the time...or it just makes a mess. Run it thru a drive thru car wash. Then hand wash. Hand waxing probably wont do it, buff with the mildest grit compound you can find. 3M imperial hand glaze is great for dried out paint.
Ive got a Maaco paint job in about 1990, light blue metallic. It was dull and chalky in a year and I kept it waxed. Ah it was awful. Things may have changed since then.
Only way to fix bad paint is with good paint. I never understood wanting to drive around with shitty dead thin peeling paint. That's what people who couldn't afford better vehicles {read dirt poor folks} drove when I was coming up. They didn't have much, and something like that was all they could afford. I'd rather coat one with rattle can primer and drive it than ride around with paint that died 30 years ago. Good paint makes even an ugly car look better. Even that too much used flat black is better than crappy paint. To each his own I guess....
mother nature has been perfecting your paint for 50 years. patina is a natural state. clear coated patina is a bad paint job.
buff and wax it linceed oil it a couple times a year car looks cool drop and enjoy clear? just standard prep. clean and red scuff pad the gloss off
Yeah, I guess foot in mouth right there, I actually like the bus like it is! But at least you didn't put clear over it!
Mixture of oil and kerosene works well attracts a little dust but penetrates rust and seams to stop corrosion and only takes five minutes to rub over. Patinas fine but dont like seeing active rust thats abuse
Obviously you don't live in SoCal. Buying any type of paint is a royal PITA if you can buy it at all.
Lord no! I have buddies down south that say buying automotive paint and hardener is more difficult than getting opiates. I do know the local maaco squirts water base coats and catalyzed clears if you use their stuff. The times they are a changing. Back to the OP query, I would prep and spray it in catalyzed satin clear. Easy maintenance, looks like freshly waxed and it last a long time. I'm not into it personally but I have seen a few I like a lot.
I like the Maaco "bene sug"! I had them do two vehicles and was happy with both. "FOR THE MONEY" they are hard to beat. "Beware".............all Maaco's are not the same! Check the quality of work of the Maaco in your area. The one in West Ashlet, Chasn. (for example)did excellent work.
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