The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Paint restoration

I want to keep the original paint on my firetruck and try to shine it up as well as possible. From what ive found online I am thinking my process will be: good wash with a soft sponge, clay bar, Maguire #7, and then ceramic wax. I am a little nervous about the clay with all the checking in the paint. Any ideas or just (carefully) go for it? Also I believe the gold is real leaf with some kind of black shadow. Any ideas on cleaning either of those?

Are you wanting to preserve its current state (with some shine) or try and recondition it?

If you want to add shine as-is, you might consider something like Poppies. These are before/after on a friend's truck.

As far as the gold leaf, I would probably clean it carefully with carwash soap, but avoid any kind of heavy scrubbing or buffing on it. Just go up to the edge around it.

When I painted my truck, I washed it with Formula 409, and then wiped down with a paint-prep wash. Basically acetone with other solvents added. during this stage of the process I found my truck had previously been painted red. Wherever any red was exposed, the red became brilliant. It really brought it out. You could wipe down with acetone in a hidden spot to see how it reacts. Just a quick once over, don't linger or it may remove paint. Could also work to clean the gold.

Those patina products like Poppies look kinda interesting (says the guy with shiny new paint) . Vice Grip Garage also has a line, as well as a very entertaining youtube channel and Roadworthy Restorations tv show.

My goal is to bring it back to as close original as possible without a repaint. Bring back as much color as possible and shine it up! Some of its pretty textured so it might have to scrub off but we will see!

I understand what you are trying for, Matt.
I am of the same feeling with the 54 Fire truck I own.
Yes, the gold is delicate.
I’ll be following along with your progress!
Hope to see pictures.
Also, the pictures of the GMC from Fib remind me
of the 87 Chev we are presently driving on Hawaii Island.
I gave it to my friend when we moved away a few years back and
borrowed it back, as we are fortunate to be having a mid winter vacation here!

How does one move from Hawaii to Montana?

If you are trying to return original shine and not just coat it with a shiny patina product I would carefully follow the steps you proposed but before adding the ceramic I would by hand, not with a buffer, test some spots with a something like Turtle Wax Color Magic Color Restorer. They make one specifically for red paint. The wax/polish has red color in it. There are other brand color match waxes out there.

Not on a train.

Well , we also moved from there to BC, Canada, lived in all places in the past as well.
Following our kids!
No, no trains !
I like the sound of that Turtle Wax product. Elbow grease sounds essential.

When they finish building the bridge to Hawaii I'll drive, until then I suspect I'll stay on the continent.

Well, the doors stayed on the plane this time over!