Resurrecting this thread. Picked up these two 1989 specialized mtbs. Sun faded. Thinking about adding clearcoat to bring back the shine but is there a preliminary step I need to take to address the milky oxidization? Or just wash and dry? Thanks.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0ac78354c.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b33d5e666.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...98e2f56e7.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a29020716.jpeg

This is for [MENTION=513989]Wilbur76[/MENTION], not the OP (whose bike is faded beyond polishing):

Wash, dry, Meguiars #7 on the end of a drill with a foam rotary buffing pad. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-Kurt

Get some tooth paste and put a dab on your finger tip. With care and vigor, rub a faded spot and see if that helps. The paint is faded but chances are the fade is only surface related. Nothing to loose by giving this a try. The process is sort of like rubbing out the final coat of freshly applied paint. If it works, show others in this thread the result. If not, it was not my idea:-)

Yeah, that's faded paint. It reminds me of a Schwinn Circuit I found on Facebook Marketplace. It was pink. I thought that was an odd color for what was mostly a men's bike. But when I looked it up, Schwinn hadn't sold the Circuit in pink. That year, they were candyapple red. It had faded from years outside.

Luckily, while I dithered over that one, I found another one 70 miles closer, that had lived most of its life garaged, and just needed cleaning. And new bar tape - Geez. Who uses chartreuse bar tape with a red bike?