Attempting a Paint restoration - Qs and tips?

[FuzzFace2]

Go by the paint code for the year your truck is.
As you see with the non-year of your truck the code is not the same and the color is a little off.
Car / truck manf. will change the color a little and that is why the different code.

As for the color names being different with the same codes different paint manf. called them by different names for the same code / year and why you are seeing the different name & same code for your color.

If painting the whole truck then you don't need to worry on color matching as it will all match when painted.
If you are only painting panels and not the whole truck then you would want to keep the 2 panels not next to each other. Like fender to hood are not really next to each other to see the difference but the fender to door you would.

Also note on medal flake colors you can change the color a little by the air psi used to spray with.
Lower psi darker the color, higher the psi the lighter the color.
On either metal flake or solid colors just painting in a different manf. than what the paint on the truck was done in can be a little off too. Factory don't in say RM and you use Dizzler then add in the air PSI and you have the making for fun!

BTW our trucks were painted in single stage - read no clear coat!
I would say let the shop do what they do day in and day out - fix & paint!
You can ask them if there is anything you can do to help but I would say other wise let them be.
Just my .02
Dave ----

[66gtk]

I have used a Porter Cable DA and a variety of pads and compounds for many years.  This is a great tool for polishing.  If you use the proper pads and compound you can do quite a bit of good paint correction in a SAFE way.  I would not use a rotary buffer and heavy duty compound on an old original single stage paint without a lot of experience and expertise.  The DA will allow you to do this yourself in a much safer manner.  You can get Meguiars ultimate compound and an orange or medium to heavy duty foam pad and make things look really good.  The Megs I mentioned is available at any retail store, but the pads are usually sourced online and you have to do trial and error working your way up to the least aggressive pad/compound combination to get the job done and don't go any more aggressive than that.  Lots of online videos on how to do this properly with a DA.

Using a full orbital buffer, wool pads and compound will leave you with removed oxidation (and likely burn through the paint).  You will have to follow that up with polishing to remove the swirls (will remove more paint).  Body shops tend to just hide the swirls with a glaze that fills in the swirls, but quickly wears off and then you are left with a swirly mess you will have to still polish out.