Before the introduction of paint-saving systems utilizing a clay bar, the process of removing particulate debris and contaminants (paint overspray, rusted metal shavings, oxidation) from a truck's paint job required a rubbing compound applied with a buffer, a process called "wheeling it out." It was a major undertaking that required the skill of a professional detailer with the ability to correct the problem without cutting through the paint into the primer. Next in line to the perils of the wheel was the appearance of swirl marks, a condition that only the most skilled detailers were capable of eliminating. Needless to say, it would be extremely risky at best for an amateur to attempt any level of reconditioning the surface of his vehicle's paint job.
That's the beauty of using a clay bar system to repair the damage done to a paint job from the elements; whether it's years and years of natural exposure or a careless house painter, one doesn't have to be a professional to use clay. All it takes is someone with a vision of how they would like their paint to appear and the willingness to invest some labor. Clay is far less invasive (how's that for a contemporary term?) than rubbing compound, and it's almost impossible to produce bad results or damage the paint.
Our subject vehicle is the '72 Ford F-100 introduced in this month's Zero Clearance. Amazing as it might sound, when we discovered the truck in Dunsmuir, California, it still had its original paint and wasn't showing any signs of surface rust. To our utter horror, as soon as we relocated the '72 to Southern California's coastline, it was like 35 years had passed overnight. In addition to three-plus decades of oxidation, rust particles and who knows what were attaching themselves to the '72's surface. We knew that if we didn't do something about it soon, our paint would end up looking dingy, faded, and almost as bad as the paint on Classic Trucks' '68 F-100 that we intend to beat. CCT
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 Normally, one should use about...  Normally, one should use about 1 ounce of car wash soap, and it's best if it's one that won't remove the existing wax. |
 Not caring about what wax...  Not caring about what wax might be on the '72, we used an excessive amount of soap to fill a 5-gallon bucket. |
 Our intentions were to create...  Our intentions were to create a thick lather that would help to soak off the dirt and surface oxidation. |
 After thoroughly flushing...  After thoroughly flushing and washing the soap off, ensuring that we did not leave a film, we used a soft micro-fiber towel to dry the truck. |
 Before using the clay, the...  Before using the clay, the paint surface felt rough. We sprayed Showtime instant detailer onto the clay bar and worked a small area. |
 As the clay bar did its job,...  As the clay bar did its job, we felt less drag. This indicated it was time to move onto an untouched area. Before the Showtime dried, we used a soft towel to buff it off. |
 Trouble spots containing embedded...  Trouble spots containing embedded rust particles required additional labor with a heavy dose of Showtime's cleansing ability and the clay to restore the finish to its original smoothness. |
 Unlike using a wheel, the...  Unlike using a wheel, the clay easily contoured around body lines to perform a thorough job. |
 Here's a good shot showing...  Here's a good shot showing the amount of oxidation and debris on the clay that was lifted from the '72's paint. |
 After claying the paint, we...  After claying the paint, we had to seal it with a good cleaner wax. We used Mothers California Gold Carnauba Cleaner Wax. |
 The hot ticket to making short...  The hot ticket to making short work of any wax job is to use an orbital polisher. Mothers wax polished off real easy-in other words, it wasn't a mother to use. |
 The '72's paint came out so...  The '72's paint came out so nice that it made the chrome look bad. We used Mothers chrome polish to bring it back to life. |
 In our opinion, using #0000...  In our opinion, using #0000 steel wool to apply chrome polish is absolutely the best way to do it. Do not use anything coarser, as it will scratch the chrome. |
 Except for a few missing teeth...  Except for a few missing teeth (we'll fix that in an upcoming article), our '72 looks like a brand-new truck. |