There are multiple tasks I have started on my 69 delta 88 Royale and one of them is I have started rubbing out the hood and the dulled paint underneath. I am using turtle wax rubbing compound, and I bought a few yellow round applicators. Talk about a time consuming job. In three nights, about 30 minutes each evening, I have only half the hood done. But it looks great. Some parts of the hood are faded so much its gray instead of green. The spot surface rust is coming off too. I don't anticipate this to be the final act, I see a new paint job down the road, but from what I read I need to be doing this anyway. I may break down and buy an orbitor unit to make my job a bit easier, but for now the elbow grease is gratifying.

 

Likely you're going to end up taking all the paint off the metal. Might as well just get it painted. These are big cars and by the time you're finished you'll hate the sight of rubbing compound. After the compound you still need to wax and seal the surface.

 

If it has original paint it's Magic-Mirror acrylic lacquer which will respond well to rubbing compound. Keep in mind a light metallic may polish out well but if the paint is "dead" from years of neglect, it won't be long before it dulls again.

You do NOT want to use an orbital buffer wih red compound. A rotary buffer makes it easier but you have to be careful with those or you'll take the paint to the primer or worse metal on edges like fender crowns.

Used to bring neglected paint back starting with straight red compound, then watered red, then white compound. After that use finer cut polishes, glazes and swirl removers as needed to really smooth the paint and bring out deep gloss before applying straight wax without cleaners. I always liked Meguiar's as the numbering system was easy to use, but 3M, Presta and others also made fine paint care products.

Used to love the smell of Burford's PRO blue and yellow carnauba waxes. You can still get the yellow wax but I haven't seen the blue in years. Not terrible easy to apply and remove, but it's gorgeous when done.

I lived in an apartment complex in the early 80s and a guy there had a black 280ZX that got nothing but Butcher's Bowling Alley wax.

I wish I had time to tend to paint like I used to. Buddy and I used to get together about twice a year and go over all of our cars. We were lucky the paint never got in bad shape so a couple of finer grade polishes and a good coat of wax made them stand tall.

 

This particular 88 was left out in the Nevada sun waaay too long. The original color looks to be an olive green, dunno the exact name for 1969, but the area I have cleaned up looks pretty good. I am using the red rubbing compound from turtle wax, and the system I have been utilizing is apply a bit to my applicator, rub an area about 10x10, til the compound/dirt starts rubbing off like dead skin rubs off your hands. I then wipe old dead skin stuff off and then I use a spray wax from turtle wax....I apply a couple squirts and wipe away any remaining discolor. Shiny shiny. Then move on to the next 10x10 area.....at this rate I should be done by this time next year. I can only do this later in the evening after the car and metal has cooled considerably from the Las Vegas 110 degree day. Or until I move onto another of the half dozen things I want to/ have to do....