Older Ford paint... issues

[Guitarist302008]

I`m doing a truck right now for a family member, it`s a 97 Ford ranger... the paint seems to be quite hard on the truck. I`m using megs 105 on a megs red pad which is the heaviest cutting combo that I have. The oxidation is cleaning up ok, but there are still some pretty deep scratches in the paint ... they are still the color of the truck so it`s not to the primer, but it just doesn`t look good and at this rate it will take me forever.


`


Would wetsanding be an option perhaps? or would I just be better to leave well enough alone?

[Guitarist302008]

I also should add I`m using a Flex DA, not rotary.

[Accumulator]

Guitarist302008- I would absolutely leave well enough alone and *not* wetsand it.` Family member, right?` Non-autopian, right?` They won`t care about some residual marring but, down the road, they might care very much about very thin paint.` Remember that normal people don`t really care much about marring as long as a vehicle looks clean and shiny, but they will care about "what do you mean I gotta get it repainted?!?"

[Guitarist302008]

Yeah, there is some pretty deep scratches on the hood, and what is the start of clearcoat failure (the paint starting to rise up and is very rough) on the roof. I guess all I can do is smooth it out as much as I can and put a good topper on it. I was thinking of collinite fleet wax on top of Powerlock.

[Accumulator]

Guitarist302008- I`ve never used it, but isn`t Powerlock supposed to be *very* durable?` Or am I thinking of something else?` But yeah, a topper of the Collinite oughta work fine if that`s what you want to do.` I`d just give some thought to leaving it untopped if you like how it is with the Powerlock alone.

[Guitarist302008]

Powerlock is excellent for durability yes.`I have also had the fleet wax on my Wife`s Honda for about 4-5 months. It stays outside all the time, driven daily and it showed me excellent durability as well. This is why I feel it would be a good, durable combo.


`


On another note... the paint on the truck is free from oxidation, it has marring, but I`ve tried Meg`s 105 with the Meg`s red pad, I`ve tried it with the yellow pad, I`ve even wetsanded it with 1500 grit... the marring just isn`t coming out. It`s one of the hardest paints I`ve worked with. I`m afraid to cut it down anymore though. All`I can figure is that the paint is old and sat in the sun for so many years that it`s gotten harder and harder. Is this common with older paint? I`m not doing anymore than that though.. it`s just not worth it and has taken me all day to do one side of the thing and even then there are small sections I need to do. Pretty disappointed in the results though.

[Accumulator]

Guitarist302008- I`ve never worked on older/"aged" Ford paint..the clear on my mid-`80s LSC wasn`t all that hard though.


`


Eh, I wouldn`t be too Autopian-fanatical about the marring.` Wetsanding?` I wouldn`t do that on a daily-use vehicle anyhow.