I ended up doing my "entire van" with GT-88 scratch remover.

That stuff is REALLY good, I never would have believed it, unless I'd seen
it for myself. My van is like new. Surface scratches totally gone! Oxidation
totally gone.

Marshall Ruskin

>I'd ditto Chris on that...the older VW paint is fantastic for responding to
>polish. Our 1982 was a little chalky when we bought it, and a couple of
>days with McGuire's and some terry cloth brought it to "like new" shine.
>Our 1976's have done the same.
>
>If you have any doubt about the efficacy of this method, buy a bottle of
>"Old #7" and rub a spot in the most horrible oxidization. You will be
>amazed.
>
>G. Matthew Bulley
>Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
>www.bulley-hewlett.com
>Cary, NC USA
>888.468.4880 tollfree
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:   JordanVw@AOL.COM [SMTP:JordanVw@AOL.COM]
>Sent:   Wednesday, August 11, 1999 12:47 AM
>To:     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject:        Re: Painting my 83.5 Westy
>
>In a message dated 8/11/99 12:09:21 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>jliasse@TOAST.NET writes:
>
><<   With the paint resembling a heavy dusting of talcum powder looks like
>its time to bite the bullet and have it painted. F >>
>
>buff it out.  being an '83, your van isnt metallic, or clearcoat.  if paint
>is still good, just oxidized, then a good professional, or do it yourself
>compounding / waxing/ buffing will bring the paint back up to a high shine.
>cant beat the original paint. no respray will be as good as the orig., so
>you
>want to keep it if you can.  i buffed out my '79 bus, which hadn't been
>washed/waxed in years, and was all chalky and oxidized, and after i was
>done,
>it looked like it was new paint...
>
>try it.  you'll be surprised.
>chris
>