Paint or polish?

super99 · Apr 17, 2020

I'm close to getting my Oliver 550 done. The hood and fender are good original paint that's faded, lots of paint gone on the frame and motor. I know they are only original once, don't really want to paint over the whole tractor. I have been looking at paint restore products to try to save it. I guess the big questions are should I paint the engine, tranny and frame and leave the tinwork and try to bring back the original paint on the hood and fenders? If it doesn't work and I have to repaint the whole tractor, what kind of prep would be necessary to remove whatever I would use to restore the paint? Clear as mud?? Thanks, Chris

Tony in SD · Apr 17, 2020

My vote site unseen is polish.

Dachshund · Apr 17, 2020

"Original condition" would have been painted.....
"As found" would be with what's left of the paint and rust added in....

Janicholson · Apr 17, 2020

Appearance is the key. What I like is either a work clothes stabilization, or a factory sheen that approximates the original crummy paint job but with much better paint. A personally don't like extreme paint jobs with wet look clear coat an inch deep. Preserving existing paint is my favorite. There are waxes, but they combine with surface paint chemistry and can make shiny. There are also spray on coatings that are simigloss, and uv inhibited. That is the direction I would go. Engine and castings included. Jim

tomturkey · Apr 17, 2020

The EASY way would be to leave it as is. Sooo many hours are involved in new paint prep. Removal of everything that can be taken off then stripping down and prime and paint and reassembly. The pay off does come at the end, it looks better than brand new. So, like I said, the easy way is to leave it as it is, wax it and proudly proclaim, she is all original, except the motor has been redone, and the axle seals are new and new clutch and brakes. So is it really Original. You decide. gobble

glennster · Apr 17, 2020

i like my polish boiled with sauer kraut, barley, cut up potatoes and a chopped onion.

dzc3 · Apr 17, 2020

I prefer them in their work clothes. How would clearcoat work on it? Never tried it just wondering

David G · Apr 17, 2020

Let me tell you a story.

When I was young and working in the food processing equipment business, our cabinets were polished stainless steel. One of my other young coworkers was perplexed. All the drawings stated that all cabinets should have a polish finish. He loudly asked what the "h e l l" is a polish finish, only to be quickly informed there are two polishes.

HFP · Apr 17, 2020

I used linseed oil and steel wool and then wiped down with clean rags on my original paint 36 A. Looks good, has held up very well, and turns a lot of heads at pulls and shows.

rusty6 · Apr 17, 2020

If the sheet metal still got original paint I'll always go with just cleaning up with Turtle Rubbing compound. If its even got a little rust I"ll use very fine steel wool and diesel fuel first. I might spray paint the cast iron parts with some rattle can matching paint. I'll never paint one of mine so nice that I'm scared to take it out of the shed and actually using it. That takes the fun out of it for me. Others will disagree but my metal, my choice. On the 52 Merc I even sprayed a little clear coat on the original paint after a major clean up.

GordoSD · Apr 17, 2020

No shade tree experiments please. Do it right the way a professional body and paint shop would do it Called :cut and buff". Wet sand with rubber pad with 1000 grit wet or dry sand paper. Then same with 2000 grit. then 3000 grit +Step 2 optional. Then machine polish with foam pad 7 inch buffer, and machine compound. Final use fine polish/swirl remove and wool pad.

SVcummins · Apr 17, 2020

Maybe flitz polish ?

Crazy Horse · Apr 17, 2020

Clever Glenster, very clever. I often wonder if people read other replies, or if they do perhaps they don't really read them, just skim over them?

Paint or polish?

super99

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Tony in SD

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Dachshund

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Janicholson

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tomturkey

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glennster

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dzc3

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David G

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HFP

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rusty6

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GordoSD

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SVcummins

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Crazy Horse

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