Painting steps

[rzr6-4]

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The 3 color paint is what really puts the "meth" in "meth-mobile", and I would really like to change that. 2X totaled and rebuilt on a budget, I'm well aware that this isn't going to be showroom ready when I'm done. That said, I don't want it to just peel off in two years.

The "international harvester red" from Rustoleum spray paint matched very well so I think I'm going to get a gallon jug of that and use an air gun that I already have. I'm thinking that I want to use a sander of ??? grit to rough the surface, remove that flaking clear coat, and remove whatever residue is left of that trim adhesive after scrapping that off. I think if I sand it enough to smooth everything but don't dig clear through the paint, I should be able to just paint right on top of it without primer. From what I have seen others do, I also think that the paint should look good by itself, aka not need clear coat either. For right now I will just be removing the front clip, painting it and putting it back on. The bed and cab are in decent shape so I will leave them for the foreseeable future.

I have done some body work hear and there but this will be my biggest project so far. Just figured I would check in with the experts to see if you saw any glaring issues in my "budget friendly" plans.

 

[Komet]

I'd probably do somewhere between 150 and 220 grit. Don't skip the primer; it promotes paint adhesion. If your paint doesn't need a hardener, it won't hold up to UV damage and you should put a 2k clear on. Wear a respirator for the 2k part.

 

[Erik the Awful]

Rustoleum (oil based) and 2k urethane don't play well together. Rattle cans of 2K paint get expensive really quick, but if you want a paint job that won't fade next in a couple years you gotta pay to play.

 

[rzr6-4]

I'd probably do somewhere between 150 and 220 grit. Don't skip the primer; it promotes paint adhesion. If your paint doesn't need a hardener, it won't hold up to UV damage and you should put a 2k clear on. Wear a respirator for the 2k part.

Will do on the sanding grit. The rustoleum doesn't require but it looks like its best done with a hardener, so I can include that as well.

Rustoleum (oil based) and 2k urethane don't play well together. Rattle cans of 2K paint get expensive really quick, but if you want a paint job that won't fade next in a couple years you gotta pay to play.

If I use the hardener can I get away without the clear? A few cans of rattle can clear isn't terrible if I have to, so I will keep that in mind. I was just really hoping to avoid getting a gallon jug of clear and having to run it through the air gun.

 

[johnckhall]

If you already have a gun and are going to go the spray route, why not go with real automotive paint? If you have an auto paint supply store nearby, they can point you in the right direction. Usually a base coat and reducer, followed by clear coat and reducer. There's plenty of youtube videos to watch that help you on how many layers to lay down and flash times and such. I did it on the back quarter panel of a previous truck and it turned out pretty good. You just need a good area to work in and a respirator to work with the real stuff.

 

[rzr6-4]

If you already have a gun and are going to go the spray route, why not go with real automotive paint? If you have an auto paint supply store nearby, they can point you in the right direction. Usually a base coat and reducer, followed by clear coat and reducer. There's plenty of youtube videos to watch that help you on how many layers to lay down and flash times and such. I did it on the back quarter panel of a previous truck and it turned out pretty good. You just need a good area to work in and a respirator to work with the real stuff.

The rustoleum can is $45 if I remember correctly, and I already know that it matches very well. Versus true automotive which I believe can be fairly expensive, and I've heard stories of people using color matched paint that still didn't match.

I did consider it early on, but at this point I think the low cost rustoleum is the route to go, don't want to spend hundreds on fancy paint that won't be perfect anyway given my skill/patience level.

 

[Cadillacmak]

The rustoleum can is $45 if I remember correctly, and I already know that it matches very well. Versus true automotive which I believe can be fairly expensive, and I've heard stories of people using color matched paint that still didn't match.

I did consider it early on, but at this point I think the low cost rustoleum is the route to go, don't want to spend hundreds on fancy paint that won't be perfect anyway given my skill/patience level.

Honestly, I have seen a lot of non-automotive paint jobs and they all look more meth-head than any amateur job. Just try an automotive paint job, wait and save the money. It will not turn out great but the skill and experience you will learn will pay for itself, and you wont regret it. You can do do this! Just remember to protect your lungs and skin.

 

[Erik the Awful]

If I use the hardener can I get away without the clear? A few cans of rattle can clear isn't terrible if I have to, so I will keep that in mind. I was just really hoping to avoid getting a gallon jug of clear and having to run it through the air gun.

Instant orange peel.

So, I was painting the front fascia of my Trans Am. It's made of some kind of hard plastic as opposed to metal, but I don't that made a difference here. The primer laid down fine. The 14 coats (well, maybe 3) of Rustoleum black laid down great. Then, this morning, I sprayed clear and got...

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