My '68 has it's original paint, so needless to say it's faded in several areas. Mainly one the rear surface. Anyone have any luck with a product they used that brought the paint back from the dead? Maybe some high quality rubbing compound? I want to keep the original paint on the car, since the car is a true survivor.

Thanks,
Steve

Steve,
Personally I would not want to use anything too aggressive on the paint. Afterall, that paint is 35 years old and a lacquer paint at that. In some repects a lacquer paint is good since it hold its shine better, but, it has its disadvantages also. Lacquer will crack from extreme cold. Don't ask me how I know this. My 73 had spider webbing all over. I was somewhat able to hide the cracks using liquid glass. I began with meguier's fine cut cleaner and in the spots that didn't clean up using that I moved up to the medium cut cleaner and then followed up all over with machine glaze and then show car glaze. Each step did take off a little paint, so I would caution you that if you know you paint is thin in spots to be careful. After that you can apply liquid glass or any wax of your choice but you must start with a good base for the wax to protect. That is the reason for buffing the paint first. I did all those steps except the liquid glass using an orbital buffer. Hope this helps, and if you have any questions please ask, as I work as a detailer.
Nikki

Warning!
Do not use a buffer on the car unless you have experience at it.
And I mean a pro at it.
A buffer will cut right through you paint and your paint is almost too thin to buff anyway.
The products mentioned above are great, but I prefer 3M products.
I have had great luck with 3M Imperial Hand Glaze. This is not a wax but a polish that removes all dead paint and old wax. The surface must be cool and not in the sun when using the product.
Be sure to get some before and after pics to show to all of us

Check out zaino bros site here is the linkhttp://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc
see waht they have to say about their z5 polish and advice column. I have used pumice polish but you have to be careful not to over polish with it because you can take the paint off

the website below has excellent directions for restoring paint finishes this is thanks to Bill in the interior forum


an excellent site to visit when restoring paint also


http://mywebpages.comcast.net/vettfixr/page14.htm

|UPDATED|12/13/2003 4:36:47 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Steve,

I had the same problem with my red '81 which was one of the last of the lacquer cars from the St. Louis plant. I tried a variety of cleaner/waxes and while they did help, they also took more paint off each time. A friend of mine had a product that has a petroleum distillate base and no wax that he let me try and the results were amazing. I was able to locate a similar product called Auto Shine in the parts store where I work. The company that produced it is no longer in business but I was able to buy a gallon of it at the time and would be glad to send you some to try if you forward me your mailing address at my e-mail address, lakeside@alltel.net. There are other products at auto supply stores but I never found one exactly like this one. I did buy a product at Carlisle called IBIZ which is not bad but not exactly the same thing. The petroleum distillate is the key. With this product, it works into the paint rather than remove it and the shine is incredible. Everyone thought I had just had the car repainted. I currently have a red '73 with basecoat/clearcoat, but it is not the same. Keep the lacquer as long as you can! Let me know if you are interested in trying some of the Auto Shine. Bill, '73REDVETTE