Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

[GotToyota?]

Hey guys, I have a 95 Toyota Pickup that I just bought. The paint is faded, and I'm looking to bring back the color and shine it had before, or as close as possible. Here's a picture of the truck to give you an idea.



I made a trip to the store and bought some Ultimate Compound and Gold Class wax. I'll be doing this by hand (I know, it *****) so if there is any advice or something you'd recommend let me know. Will these products help me do what I need?

[Murr1525]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Oooh.. that will be fun. Do you know if it is single stage paint?

If so, I would want to add:

1. Wash Gold Class
2. Clay - Smooth Surface Clay kit
3. UC
4. #80 Speed Glaze, or at least Ult. Polish
5. Wax
6. Wax

If you see a lot of tar or anything, you might want to consider something like the TRIX or TarX from Car Pro also. That would go after the wash.

If the paint seems very dry, lots of red coming off, you may want to UC first, then Clay.

[Nick Winn]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Welcome to Meguiar's Online! Ultimate Compound and Gold Class Wax are great choices to get you going. When working by hand, it is best to apply Ultimate Compound with a soft foam wax applicator pad and remove with a high quality microfiber towel like our Supreme Shine. Work on a clean and cool car in the shade in small, 1ft square areas at a time. We would recommend doing a test spot and apply the product in tight, circular overlapping motions, with moderate pressure for about a minute to a minute and a half, keeping your hand flat. The product should break down to a light wet, translucent film which you wipe directly off. If you are going to wipe the product off and there is a thick coating of white product, you are either using too much or not working it in long enough. The product should not dry on the surface as it can become more difficult to remove, but if it ever does you can simply re-apply a small amount of more product and remove. A lot of users will also put down a piece of low tack painters tape for the test spot, apply in the shade, and then take the tape off and pull it in the sun to see your results! You may also want to consider using a clay bar like our Smooth Surface Clay Kit after washing, to remove any bonded contaminants, then moving on to the Ultimate Compound. More information on these steps can be located here:

5 Steps to Paint Care Cycle

This section also has some great before and after pictures of this process:

Pictures from Saturday Classes

[GotToyota?]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Went over part of the front end tonight. Here's a comparison.



I agree with you though, once it dries (and it does quickly) it's somewhat difficult to remove by hand.

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Isn't it fun to see the transformation? Gotta love oxidized single stage paint!

Try a slightly shorter working time and/or smaller area and removal should get a bit easier.

[Murr1525]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Was that just with UC? How many applications?

[BillyJack]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Outstanding results with your UC!
Like Murr, I agree with using M80 when time permits. I did a similar job years ago on a Celica and the single-stage red paint reacted very well to the M03 I used at the time. M80, IMO is more aggressive than M03, but still finishes LSP-ready in most cases.

Bill

[GotToyota?]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Was that just with UC? How many applications?

Roughly 1-2 applications on small areas with UC. I didn't get to get any pictures after applications of the Gold Class because I ran out of daylight.

[GotToyota?]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Alright dudes, just finished the whole front end.



Newer vs. older




The bed will have to wait until Monday, but I'm extremely happy with how it turned out!

[Murr1525]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Looking good so far.

If you are waxing right after, you wont want to go back over it right away. But a cleaner/polish with a lot of oils I think will improve things even more next time. #80 is always good for single stage, though Ult. Polish is an option that may be easier to find.

[SVT Lightning]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Nice work! What part of "Portlandia" you live in?

[GotToyota?]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Are you saying don't wax right after use of the UC or don't wax again after these initial coats of Gold Class?

I plan on waxing once a month, if I can help it. Rainy season is coming up.

Nice work! What part of "Portlandia" you live in?

Southeast.

[SVT Lightning]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

You should wax right after the UC but not after the initial coats of GC. Once a month is ideal. Milwaukie for me!

[Murr1525]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

Are you saying don't wax right after use of the UC or don't wax again after these initial coats of Gold Class?

Well, 2 coats of wax is recommended as a good base.

I meant that it sounded like you were using UC then Wax right away. #80 after UC may help things look better, and the polishing oils will be good either way, but it would remove your wax. So perhaps wait till the next detail to try the #80, or Ult. Polish, then do you regular liquid/paste was after.

I plan on waxing once a month, if I can help it. Rainy season is coming up.

You may want to look at Ult. Quick Wax after your future washes. It seems to be quite durable for me, and easy to use while drying.

[James McEwan]

Re: Faded red paint on Toyota Pickup

After Ultimate Compound, if there is any hazing (not reflective) or swirls, you could use SwirlX, but you may not need it and it's you call on how reflective you want the finish.

Before you wax, put some glaze on, to put oils into the paint to make the paint look wet, using #7 Show Car Glaze or Deep Crystal Step 2 which is similar but on the consumer line and easier to find & use. Ultimate Polish won't be as good for this paint, as it doesn't contain as many oils as the #7 & DC2 products. #7 is considered better by enthusiasts, but DC2 will give great results to your single stage red Toyota paint - it did to mine.

How to use #7: Basically rub into the paint with a microfiber, then afterwards buff off a little a time, do one panel, then the next, then back to the previous panel, etc.
Key piece from Mike Phillip's article:
"Use a typical 16"x16" microfiber cloth, fold it in quarters, then fold it one more time for a 4"X8' size. Apply a stripe of M07 down the center and have at it. You can roll up the sides, gripping with your thumb and little finger and use your palm for pressure. Rub it in with some "passion", leaving just a thin film of residue. Removal should be much easier. I've been able to leave it soak in for as long as I care to, even overnight, without difficulty in wiping off, even in a cold garage. #7 also prefers to be wiped off differently than many other products. If it hasn't set up over a long period of time, don't try to wipe it off all at once. #7 "skins" as it dries, kinda like homemade pudding. Knock off the "skin" with a slow, determined pass and continue to the next panel. Return to the first panel and wipe more away, again with a slow motion. Once the #7 is wiped off completely, applying and removing most LSP's is usually not a chore."
http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...20car%20glaze*


After putting on the glaze, put on your choice of wax. I'd recommend Ultimate Wax for shine & definitely longevity. On an old single stage paint, you need a durable wax or waxed frequently to keep the oxidation (fading) at bay. If you're going to wax once a month, then Gold Glass would be fine. Ultimate Wax will darken the paint slightly, as well as making it very shiny, adding sharp gloss & crisp reflections. Some say Gold Class will provide a slightly deeper, warmer shine, but it's very subjective.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?54493-meguiars-ultimate-paste-wax-vs-gold-class-wax