My 99's paint looks bad, real bad. Totally my fault as I've neglected to give it the proper care. It has a whiteish chalky look to the hood and roof. The sides look decent though. I thought this was the paint that had been "bleached" out by the sun over the years. The truck generally sits in the driveway for most of its life.
So, I was out the other day and went down an old path through the woods with overhanging branches and I could hear them scratching the roof as I drove. Surprisingly when I got home I realized the branches actually scratched through the chalky top layer to reveal some blue underneath.

What can I use to get the blue back all over? I know it won't be perfect but I'd love to make it look a bit better. I attached a pic of the roof for reference.

 

That chalky white is the clear coat deteriorating. Maybe someone with more paint/body experience can chime in, but I think you can wet sand with 1200 grit and apply new clear.

 

If it came off that easy with a branch, you may want to try and buff it out. Most of it will probably come off.

 

Here is what you do:
1. Go buy a variable speed buffer (not an oscillating one). 75 bucks autozone and comes with a REAL wool pad.
2. Use a wool pad and some 3M rubbing compound
3. Go over it at about 3500-4000 RPMs with mild pressure. Keep spraying the area when it gets too dry with some water.
4. Finish up with meguiars cleaner wax.

I bought the auto body book from autozone and it said to use that stuf (meguiars cleaner wax was actually called "red bottle cleaner wax").

you can also get this from summit or your local hardware store. However, I have searched home depot and lowes and they don;t have the right pads. DO NOT USE MICROFIBER BONNETS.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SMA-85-948/

 

BTW, the example of that in the book had oxidized clearcoat that looked the exact same as yours. So you can make it look A LOT better.

 

I wouldn't use a wool pad on that. First try using a clay bar. Then if that doesn't work a foam compounding pad and some 3M perfect-it 3000 compound.
Most of that should come off with a clay bar though. I always try to start with the LEAST aggressive method I think may work and go from there.

 

But shouldn't it have a coat of clear put back on it?

 

If the buffing process yields a blue residue (in this case) then you are through the clear and in to the base color. In that case, you would want to reapply new clear. If it can be buffed out with no color coat removed you can use a quality wax over it and let it ride. The trick is to not let the buffer sit in any one place for long, keep it moving and don't bear down on it. It too am a fan of the 3M foam pads...white pad for cutting, black pad for finishing. The 3M brand compounds seem to work much better too, followed up by 3M swirl remover, then wax.

 

^^this^^
You'll know immediately if you go through the clear. But use the white pad with that compound.

 

Correct, I just realized that my pics are misleading. The white pad with the compound shown...the black pad with the swirl (fine cut) compound.