My 99 Ram spends most of it's life sitting in the driveway. The hood is starting to look a bit rough and I wouldn't doubt that the roof is about the same. I just haven't climbed in the bed to look at it.

The paint is faded as well as alot of dark small spots on it. Not sure hwat these are. Maybe rain that has dried and baked onto teh paint from the sun?

What's the best method to help restore some of the color or am I screwed?

 

Try hitting it with a buffer (circular motions) and see what you can get out of it. If its already faded really bad tho your looking at a new paint job. If its just your hood and roof, thats something thats easy enough to do.

 

I do have a orbital buffer that I have never even taken out of the case. It's a cheap walmart one. Will it be OK to use? I have never used it because I thought I read where they can do more damage than good if you don't know what you're doing. And I have never used one.


Also, if I do use it (or even just by hand) what product would I use??

 

Your gonna be there forever trying to do it by hand. Get a good buffing pad and some good buffing compound. 3m makes a pretty descent line of buffing accessories. Just read the box of your buffer and all the instructions on the compounds that you buy AND TAKE YOUR TIME. Its a pretty straight forward process but it just takes alittle time to do and do right.

 

Do you know if 3m is carried at walmart, etc? I have some Meguire's that I bought but I'm not sure if it's the right thing to use. I know it said Step 1 on it. They had 2 other steps/products but I just got step one to see if it would do anyhting.

Should I try it with the meguire's or just return it?

 

http://www.autozone.com/selectedZip,.../selectZip.htm

Hope it shows up for ya, but this stuff works real good for the minor oxidation you have going on.. use the power buffer, and go easy on it, just a little pressure as you go, and let it do the work.. It will make it look like new, after you do this, wash it down good, then put a decent wax on it, and you really will fall in love with her all over again...

JimK

 

thanks for the link. Funny thing is I went to auto zone this morning after I posted and the guy told me not to get that. He recommended this stuff.

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/produc...p?T1=MEG+A3016


Do you think I should go back and get the 3m stuff instead?

 

If you have light fading, you can use that Mequires stuff. I have never used it I will say that. I use the professional garde 3M products when doing buffing or rubbing out a new paint job. You can use a FINE CUT compound with the buffer to start out if you are not familiar with cleaning up paint. The fine cut will take longer since it is a fine grade of compound but it will let you learn without cutting your paint down faster than you want n end up paying for a paint job when you wouldn't necessarily have to. Clean your truck first..... then use the buffer then wash again when finished. You should be sittin' alright then.

Dont press down on the buffer too much, just let it do the work, your arms will be happier trust me. You also have to find what back & forth rate of movement works best with your buffer, if at all you should move it back n forth or up n down. You could just go in circles with the buffer like you would by hand (mentioned prior). So there you go in a nutshell of buffing.

Is your buffer a variable speed buffer?

 

Thanks for all the info Hela

If the meguires doesn't work I can always go and get the 3m, right? I guess I need to open the bag with the buffere in it and see what all kinds of cloths it came with. I'm sure I'll have to go back and buy more I would imagine. Not sure if it's variable speed but I am pretty sure it's an inexpensive walmart one so I doubt it.

 

Also, since I am just doing the hood, is the one pad it comes with going to be enough to apply the stuf?

Then, I guess I would need at least one more (maybe 2) to remove it????