[codyyy]

The clear coat on my car is pretty much gone. Whatever is left is flaking off. It will be a while before I decide to paint it. So in the meantime, I am looking to make it look more presentable I guess, if it is even possible. The "patina" look is probably the closest I'll get.

My plan is to sand off whatever clear is left and then go over the whole car in stages with fine sandpaper. Hopefully this will leave it looking like a single stage flat paint job. I hope that it will look uniform and not a bunch of swirl marks everywhere, but at this point I doubt I'll make the paint look worse than it does now, especially with very fine grit sandpaper. I know I cannot re-clear this paint so what I was thinking was using something for flat or matte finish paint to maintain it, such as Ratwax or Chemical Guys stuff. I have tried the boiled Linseed look on a fender once, it wasn't exactly what I hoped for. The main thing I'll want to do is bring back the black color, right now it is charcoal gray.

Basically I am looking for options if anyone has done this before. I do actually kinda like the paint job with the scallops and two-tone but I know I cannot "restore" the paint, so I figure the method I might do would at least be a band-aid until I actually decide to paint it. Below is a picture of the car. If you look above the trim you'll see a band going down the side of the car, that is the clear coat. Thanks.

[MUSLCAH]

Just take it out on rainy days...it will look great.

[whiskeychick]

If you sand it, you will burn through the colour as soon as you start. Your best bet is to hit the flaky clear with a pressure washer then give it a polish and/or wax. Will make it look better at least. The base under the clear is super thin and has no UV protection, which is why its grey and chalking out, so be gentle if you polish as well as you can burn through easy.

[codyyy]

Would it be better to use a polishing or rubbing compound with a buffer?

[400 4spd.]

That would look worse.

[mslcarpaul]

I would just hit it with 800 DA and blow it off and put a coat of "Wet Bed down and put just a cap or 2 of hardener in it and think it will suit your needs and will hold up. Wet bed meaning 50/50 with Base coat binder and reducer. Wont be as shiny as a rainy day but same effects Also will take off your clear scale and might be able to walk your edges back with the 800. Just keep in mine IF you do that, dont wipe anything off with thinner ect....