Hello everyone, I’m new to the site. I’ve been looking at some awesome trucks on here. Beautiful.
I bought my 2016 F150 in 2021. The paint is Shadow Black (also called Absolute black).
I live in Texas and no garage. I spent three days ******* the sun . Fist I use Clean Slate soap to remove everything. Then clayed and polishing for paint correction. I used a ceramic black polish then topped with ceramic black wax. Results where good as far as being easier to keep it cleaned. I used a California duster daily. Twice a month washed and waxed.
I was keeping it looking good. It was starting to get a few swirl areas you could see in bright light. Then life happens.
I had to give the truck to my wife while I worked on her car which ended up ordering a waiting for a new car.
The truck was already overdue for some attention. She drove it to a big art foundry where she worked and the truck sit in a parking lot every day collecting dust and contaminants from the different metals and chemicals used by the foundry.
I now have my truck back and yesterday went ahead and used a decontaminating coating remover soap. In Texas I have to keep chasing the shad this time of year alone with 90 plus degrees in July. I used a foam cannon on my pressure washer first with the Clean Slate in it and foamed a section at the time. It was drying fast and I wanted the foam to dwell a while. I just kept foaming the same area so it could soak. Rinse off and do the next section. Then I gave it a two bucket wash with the same soap.
After the final rinse I almost cried. The paint has never looked like this since I got the truck. It has spots where I guess is where some of the foundry stuff baked on it. I can’t do any kind of correction this time of year because everything dries out so fast and with very little breeze and as dry as it is there’s stuff floating in the air constantly getting on the truck.
I decided to battle the heat and use a cleaner wax on it. By the time I completed a section I had to dust off the next one before I could start again.
The cleaner wax removed the water spots that where baked on and a lot of the other contaminants spots.
I knew every scratch , every paint defect and where it was on the truck. Now I have what looks like chips in the paint. My finger nail definitely grabs. I figured it was road debris damage because it wasn’t protected like it had been.
But under some of the deeper chips it’s white.
Does the Shadow Black color have white primer underneath. They where white before I waxed by the way. The wax really made them white. The wax kept drying so fast and when I went back out there early this morning I ended up buffing more with a microfiber towel. Then I tried a spot of Meguiars ultimate detailer for black paint and it’s got that deep clean look and shine like it used to. When I get close enough and in the right light I can still see I have a lot of work to do.
Ill keep it clean and protected until we get cooler weather then give it the full meal deal again. Last time I used hand polishing pads. I’ll have me a DA polisher this time and get it done 10 times as fast.
Do any of y’all own a Shadow Black truck that has a few chips and what does it look like under the paint?
Thats my story. I put y’all through all that to ask one question. 😂
But I’m excited to be here and wanted to share some history. I love my truck. I keep a California duster in it and use it everyday. Sometimes in a store parking lot while my wife shakes here head. She says I’m possessed by my truck and my boat. I’m retired and never owned a truck this nice and want to keep it that way. I have a tone of cleaning to get the interior back into new condition again. Thanks for any replies. Any input is greatly appreciated.

I call it my Little Mule.

 

My 2018 does, at least one of my prep layers is white. Nothing a little touch up paint didn't solve.

 

Thanks for the information I really appreciate it.
I like the blacked out emblem on the front. I also don’t see anything but black on the front quarter panel. Did it come without the emblems or did you remove them. It’s an awesome look.

 

Thanks. I got the front emblem (and the rear one) off eBay from a guy with 1966fairlane in his user name. Be sure to measure your badge if you go this direction, as they can vary in size. There used to be a guy here who also did them, but I can't recall his name. You can also take them apart and paint each section and re-assemble, though this takes some ability and patience. You could always Plasti-Dip it. My side badges are there on both sides. I popped off the originals and replaced with all black with Ecoboost where STX would otherwise be. You can see many other mods in my build link below. Not that you'd want to do all of them, but it may give you a few ideas. I wish you well.