OG paint restoration question. see pic

[ExtremeBean]

What would you guys do to this? The PO used some pretty harsh grit to prep for his new paint job so there are some pretty deep scratches in there. I don't mind the patina, rat rod look, but I want to do it correctly. I figure worse case scenerio, I'm getting it ready for a "real" paintjob. I've got some color matched primer and paint and all the sanding/polishing stuff. I just don't really know where I should go from here. I've got about 10 hours into just the decklid removing the crappy repay so I'd like to figure this piece out before I move on.
Any help, suggestions, or ideas would be greatly appreciated. By the way, it's a '59, one year only color fjord blue, so I don't mind trying to preserve what's left of it.

[ExtremeBean]

Wow, 60 views and no replies. So much for the so called "experts" on here that have restoring original paint down to a science. At least we can probably say this "fad" is coming to an end. I guess if you have a barn find with original paint would be the only reason one would attempt such a time consuming task in trying to preserve it. Or maybe it's just for those bus guys. Well...at least I know now before moving on to the rest of the car lol

[EverettB]

60 views is nothing but I'm not sure what you are asking.

On Buses and Bugs I have seen different things:
1. People just leave it the way you have it right now but buff it out, usually by hand to prevent any serious additional paint loss
2. #1 plus they clear coat it, which I personally do not like as now you are stuck with it being clear-coated.
3. They touch up the areas that are down to bare metal with the primer and paint you have (color-matched). I have seen this done on some Buses and a lot of them look very good. A casual observer might know what has been repaired.

So it depends what look you personally want.
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[ExtremeBean]

Thanks for the response. I should have been more specific in what I was asking. Basically, I'm curious of the process used. Don't you have to rough up the surface to prime and paint? Do you polish everything first, then touch up the spots? I guess I'm just confused because it seems contradictive. You shouldn't use anything less than 1000 grit because you'll start removing paint, but yet the surface needs to be prepped with 400-600 to touch up. Are the small spots done differently than the large spots? Also, as far as the scratches in the original paint, should I just keep using the appropriate grit until the scratches are gone. I'm not talking about swirl marks, but more like the previous owner used like 80 grit or something and it went all the way down into the paint.

[jspbtown]

A panel that small should not be "touched up". Anything will stick out like a sore thumb. You either paint it all or don't paint it.

if you insist on painting just those small parts then send out the heavier scratched areas with increasing grit (ie: 220, 400, 600, 800, 1000) and then paint those areas.

Areas you don't want to paint can be sanded with 1000 and then the whole things buffed out.

It won't look good...but maybe that's what you are after.

[Alan Brase]

[buguy]

I cant see the pic so im no help. But any sort of blending is tough. Then blending into/onto old sun faded paint is even harder. Then mixing different products adds extra challenges. Then trying to spray thinned material so its not solid......ugh....all I can do is wish you luck. Where there's a will, theres a way.