What to do when prepping a car to sell?

[mopar_4life]

Hello,

I know this is not about a C body but I am getting ready to sell a 85 Dodge D250 for my father. The truck is in fair/good condition and the paint is quite faded. I was wondering if it might be worth my time to polish the truck to increase the value/curb appeal? I have a small buffer that would make it go by quicker, but will it make a big difference?

Also, same truck sat for quite a few years next to a pine tree and has sap on all of the flat surfaces. Is there any trick to remove this build up?

Thanks

Eric

 

[patrick66]

This is what I did on my '64 F250 I had several years ago...

Since your paint is weak, this should be an easy deal...Wash the truck thoroughly. Don't worry about the sap right now. Dry the truck off. Take some bug and tree sap remover and get all the sap you can get off the truck. Now, you will want to get some Scotchbrite pads (green) and some Ajax or Comet powder. Wet the truck and start scrubbing the truck in small areas at a time, progressing around the truck. Rinse that area off as you progress. Your truck will now be pretty smooth and sorta-shiny. If you have any primer showing by now, you probably do not want to wax or polish the truck. Just finish cleaning it, set the truck on the curb with a "For Sale" sign, and see what happens.

I did the same thing to the Ford, a '63 Dodge Custom 880 wagon, and a '67 New Yorker. The Mopars had decent paint, so they got polished. The Ford had primer on it, so that got a coat of WD40! Shines it up for a few days, and washes away with the first rain.

 

[tbm3fan]

Could always use a clay bar after washing and using bug & tar remover.

 

[thrashingcows]

Detailing the snot out of the truck will help with the sale. Cleaning up the paint as best you can is a must. Try and detail the door jams, and inner door areas as well. Pressure wash and clean the engine compartment as well. Shampoo the seats and carpet if you can. A good day or two of detailing can sometimes net you a significant amount to your sale price.