[ihc] Restoring Woodgrain

[Rocky Lear <rockylear@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I seem to take a lot more than I give to this list but on this woodgran
question, I think I can help. If your truck's woodgraining is now white, like
my own is, I think there is nothing really permanent that can be done to make
it what it use to look like. There is a plastic layer over top of it. That is
what discolors with time.  If you spray any type of oil based film on it to
make the clear layer translucent again, you can expect that will wash down
onto your trucks lower body with the first rain just like spraying down a
vinyl roof on a car. I think that it is best to replace it with new wood vinyl
available from several sources. I am a bodyman and painter by trade. When it
is time to paint my own truck, I am going to paint mine back on (at least the
basecolor and have a local sign artist do the brushwork) and clear over top of
it. That way it will take wax just like the rest of the truck. For the guy who
just has an everyday driver and wants to make it look good for a while,
spraying it down would be OK too but it would be a temporary fix.

PS: On occasion, I see wood panels for sale in NOS form here there online but
from what I have seem it would be very difficult to put together a matching
set. Also, one would have to question how well it would adhere after 30
years.


Rocky