Oxidized chalky CARC

[derpschitz]

Is there a way to refresh the surface of CARC that has been baking in the sun for 20 years? Maybe it needs some kind of chemical or oil treatment, I dunno, but it's very chalky and I'd like to touch up some of the paint. Thing is, fresh paint against the chalky stuff is going to look like crap. Any ideas?

 

[Mullaney]

Is there a way to refresh the surface of CARC that has been baking in the sun for 20 years? Maybe it needs some kind of chemical or oil treatment, I dunno, but it's very chalky and I'd like to touch up some of the paint. Thing is, fresh paint against the chalky stuff is going to look like crap. Any ideas?

.
Depends on how much effort you might want to put in to it. I have read here that several people have used WD40 wiped on will bring back some of the dull sheen. Might need to have a case of scotchbrite pads too because CARC is rough. Tends to gather strings out of the wiper rags.

Good way to test it is to go to the tailgate and see what you think. Left side vs the Right and decide for yourself.

 

[glcaines]

I've not done this and don't intend to, but I ran into a guy once that said he owned a deuce and he said he sprays diesel fuel all over his truck every six months with a garden sprayer to make the CARC look fresh. He also said his wife wouldn't ride in it anymore because of the smell. No way I'm going to do that! When I was in the Army in the early 70s, it was common for guys re-painting their vehicles to try and add a little diesel fuel to the paint before spraying to make it shiny. It actually did make the paint shiny but was totally contrary to regulations.

 

[chucky]

I've not done this and don't intend to, but I ran into a guy once that said he owned a deuce and he said he sprays diesel fuel all over his truck every six months with a garden sprayer to make the CARC look fresh. He also said his wife wouldn't ride in it anymore because of the smell. No way I'm going to do that! When I was in the Army in the early 70s, it was common for guys re-painting their vehicles to try and add a little diesel fuel to the paint before spraying to make it shiny. It actually did make the paint shiny but was totally contrary to regulations.

Was he spraying his wife with diesel the same time he was spraying the truck ? Might explain her smelling like diesel!!!!

 

[jeepdreamer]

I service army reserve equipment in Colorado and it’s a commonality with CARC. We steam clean all equipment when we’re done servicing and road testing and you can easily see any places you missed because the chalky layer is washed away. Down side is once the vehicle dries the chalkiness comes right back. I haven’t seen much first gen CARC in a while but I it does seem like the newer stuff does it to a larger extent. Considering how carcinogenic the original stuff was, I’d rather have the chalk.

 

[RJTM998]

Has anyone ever tried some rattle can clear coat over chalky CARC? I know on faded regular paint it will give it a nice sheen and not look chalky.

 

[Mullaney]

Has anyone ever tried some rattle can clear coat over chalky CARC? I know on faded regular paint it will give it a nice sheen and not look chalky.

.
WD40 will do the job, then with a LINT FREE rag, wipe it down.
Clear will most likely not bond well to the CARC.

I suggest that you try a door or some spot that is easy to test on and see what happens after a month out in the weather...

 

[derpschitz]

Has anyone ever tried some rattle can clear coat over chalky CARC? I know on faded regular paint it will give it a nice sheen and not look chalky.

I tried olive oil and mineral oil and while they remove the chalk factor, it is not long-lasting.

 

[Mullaney]

I tried olive oil and mineral oil and while they remove the chalk factor, it is not long-lasting.

.
I have a 30 year old truck that has that same look. Looks wonderful after it rains, but WD is about a couple of months, then it needs it again. It's a wrecker, so bit by bit I have been wiping down the tired looking paint with Acetone, then followed with RAPCO rattlecan 383.

So far that has lasted for a little more than a year. EXCEPTION to that was when I didn't scrape places that were down to the metal. Solution for me was a mask (CARC will Clog Your Lungs) and a wire brush. In the really bad places I used a wire brush on a side grinder. Then wiped with Acetone, then primed with rattlecan RAPCO primer, then 383 green. Those places look really good now about a year ago.

 

[RJTM998]

.
WD40 will do the job, then with a LINT FREE rag, wipe it down.
Clear will most likely not bond well to the CARC.

I suggest that you try a door or some spot that is easy to test on and see what happens after a month out in the weather...

My issue with that is the smell and possibly causing problems with a future paint job. I really don't want to be sanding on the CARC so would want to be able to just spray on top of the CARC with a rattle can after a good cleaning and denatured alcohol. Afraid the WD-40 would cause the rattle can (or any paint) to stick correctly. without stripping it back down to bare.

 

[ToddJK]

Imo, it's not worth trying to restore the CARC paint, at least not if there's not a lot of paint peeling off or rust. It's old and we can't get it anyways. Hit it with a wire brush or other means to remove loose paint, clean it with soap and water to degrease it, re paint it. Lots of people will use Rust-Oleum paint. Rattle cans work but it costs more. Get a few quarts and thin it with some paint thinner and brush it on. It'll last for a while if you did the prep right. Flat colors tend to fade faster and are harder to clean. Satin works great for a mild sheen but not the full gloss look. That's the easiest and best way to make the truck look better, imo.