How to help a hopeless paint job?

[n/a]

('70 2280) So I've resigned myself to wait 2-3 years before I jump into $8-$12K of repainting and body work but until then, what can I do to get the best "finish" out of my tired, dull, glossless and wearing thin paint?

It still has the original maroon but just a bit of pressure with a rag removes paint when waxing. That being said, what product can I use to wax and achieve the best result? I dont care if it will further ruin the paint - its going to come of regardless but I am not interested in hours of work nor $50 pastes so what can someone recommend? Anything out there that actually adds a material or compund when applied that improves the shine other than just using a basic wax?

thanks!

[bob66542]

go to your local auto paint supply store(usually ppg or dupont in most us cities) take the car with. ask the older guys that work there- not the pimply kid at the counter- what they reccommend. i personally have had very good luck w/ meguiars products- they have a hand polish i have had very good luck with on old, faded paint. if you have primer peeking through,no pain or polish will fix that.

65 SL 230 4-sp. purchase 12-08-03

[rwmastel]

If you're getting color off the car and on the rag, that means there's no clear coat.  Most of the Pagodas that were not a metallic color had no clear coat.  You can use any of the good brand name paint cleaners & polishers to remove some of the bad (oxidized) paint.  Do it by hand, a power tool (random orbital polisher) could take too much paint off.

Going to a auto paint supply place (or an actual painter/restorer) is a great suggestion.

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420