Advice on repainting truck

[mblaney]

No specific forum for refinishing so thought I would post here where all the good guys hang out

I am getting ready to refinish my truck. I have experience with Dupont acrylic enamel - I have painted vehicles before and I know what needs to be done for general prep. My questions are more for advice about the newer products - I do have the choice of buying acrylic enamel from the States but maybe you guys can offer some good advice here.

Truck condition: Original paint. A few very small dents (kids bike ) - some 'factory' dimples that I will fix. One small rusty spot on the surface only. My plan is to repair the dents (1/2 hour job) and the rust spot; wet sand and spray (generalizing). My questions are:

1. I will need to prime the rust repair. I don't like rattle cans but I don't want to buy a liter (quart ) of real primer for such a small spot. I would prefer not to prime the whole vehicle. Any good rattle cans for this? I don't want some cheap stuff that is lifted by the top coat.

2. Are there any recommendations for paint type? I know acrylic enamel but if I have to switch to a lower VOC or waterborne product I am not sure where to start. I prefer a single stage paint (no clear coat).

3. Paint supplier?

3. Based on #2 - paint gun recommendations. I have a quality Devilbiss high pressure automotive gun but I don't think that will work for some newer paints.

The truck will be refinished in that awesome blue.

 

[rowingdude]

I would recommend that you reconsider your wish to not prime the whole truck. The paint is really only as good as its base, and the primer helps the paint set to the truck. It's a couple hundred more for primer, but it'll make your paint better. Rattle can primer is extremely inconsistent and I wouldn't use it for anything more than a motorcycle gas tank.

I can't help you with 2/3/3a because I haven't painted a car, I paint small metal things. I wouldn't dare put top coat down w/o a good primer, and then a high quality finish.

 

[freebird01]

check out TCP Global

I have had very good luck with their "custom shop" brand of products. That's what I used on this truck...

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I have also had fantastic luck with transstar primer. it is a sherwin williams brand I believe. ive used rattle can primer for small spots with good luck. just stay away from self etching primers or high build primer. those will give you the most trouble with lifting and fish eyes in your paint.

what rowingdude said is right though....your finish is only as good as the base and prep. if your confident that its not going to peel (ford used some crappy primer back in the day) then scuff and shoot. you only should have to prime any spots of bare metal.

also i would highly recommend doing a base/clear. your final product will look much better and the cost isnt THAT much greater. i painted this truck with a porter cable $100 gun from lowes. you can get a decent finish with a cheap gun...you just have to know how to set it. stick some water in the gun...or even some cheap thinner and spray on a surface other then the truck to get the gun set. some guys like more product down so they can spray faster...others like less and take their time more... it all is in the environmental conditions (temp/humidity mainly) and personal preference of the painter

 

[mblaney]

Freebird, the coverage on your two-tone looks a little uneven . just kidding, that truck looks great.

My reason for not wishing to prime is not to save money; I prefer not to have layer upon layer of paints and there is no way I will strip everything to bare metal. The truck paint is in awesome shape - some areas the color has worn off (wind turbulence) but there is no peeling. I figure that if the paint has made it this long it should be good as a base. I am not going to argue that priming is not the best though. I refinished a crown victoria (scuff and paint) and the thing still looked like a show room car five years later.

I hesitate about the base-clear because of the extra work (I am not lazy though) and mainly for any future touch ups.

 

[freebird01]

the pics did not do that truck justice...its a special marbleized effect in the paint...

touch ups with a base/clear isnt bad at all... and im not saying you SHOULD prime the whole truck.....i didnt prime this truck the whole way either....to me a base clear is much easier to repair then a single stage by far... i didnt wet sand or buff that truck either... considering it was painted outside in an alley in front of my garage, it came out pretty well. I will typically shoot the base color in 2 -3 coats...then light wetsand to break the gloss then clear 2-3 coats...the reason the "color wears off" is due to some crappy water based primer/paint ford played with in the 80's and 90's. without seeing pics of what the problem areas look like i can only make general statements.

the only thing i wasnt happy with when i painted that truck (4th vehicle ive painted so far) was the orange color did not come out even. it was aweful bright out the day i shot it and i was in a hurry trying to get it done for the rally so the orange candy coat over the silver wasnt even. it works because of the marble effect but i wasnt happy with it because i knew the original vision for the paint lol

 

[TahoeTom]

Factory paint in good condition should be a good base for a repaint. The small areas of repair need to be primed. Body filler is too porous without a primer that is sanded. I don't think any rattle can primers should be used. Primer should be two component (2K). Different color primer and original paint could be a problem if the paint doesn't cover well. As far as products, if there is a paint source nearby that would be handy if you need additional product in a hurry. Most people use gravity feed guns these days. A couple of online sources for info are autobodystore.com forum (and store), and autobody 101 forum. 101 also sells devilbiss brand guns. Base/clear give you more options to fix mistakes and flatten and polish. I need to paint mine but the original paint is coming off the primer, so more work is needed. Good luck.