I really can't afford someone to paint my truck. I have never painted but I can tackle anything. Heck thats how you learn. My buddy at work said he prepped his garage for a week with plastic and sprayed down the floor before he sprayed. Can anyone give me advice on how to start? I would like to start on the cab, get it prepped and spray. Should I use the single stage paint? What are the prepping steps? Do I degrease, then use different grits of paper and sand by hand? Can this be done without getting overspray over to the neighbors? Should I do some kind of test first?

 

Sure. Do your research and homework. Get a book on bodywork and paint and read up. We'd be wasting our and your time trying to fully describe the process.

By all means start with a fender or door and "skill-build" to experiment /evaluate your technique and finish.

Yes. I shot my 68 in my parents' two-car garage after setting up a temporary booth made of plastic sheeting, furnace filters mounted to a door frame for the intake to catch dust and dirt, and furnace filters mounted to a box fan for the exhaust to catch overspray.

In the end, you will likely spend the same or more money for the equipment (compressor, hose, paint guns, sandpaper, sealer, primer, hammers, dollies, and finally paint) than simply saving up for a decent paint job. If you plan to do it more than once, then it would make more sense.

....There's always the Rustoleum roll-on job for the ultra low budget paint job.

 

IF you do a roll on, how would set the clear?

 

Clear? Clear is sometimes not necessary.

Read the article: A 1962 Ford Falcon Recieve A Budget Paint Job - Hot Rod Magazine

 

How are you going to get a shine or protect the paint?

 

Look under the "Paint and body work forum". Stickies at top of page will get you started on learning.

 

If you dont want to do it yourself, try and see if there are any local colleges that do painting. I'm in a program in NC for Auto Restoration and people bring us cars to paint all the time. If you talk to an instructor you might get it done for just price of paint, but sometimes the students will charge a little. I charge $400 per car in class plus paint but other guys do it for free just to get the experience.

 

Hi there 78Ford... I am considering the same thing but I don't have a garage & don't want overspray on the neighbors car(s). I am considering a Rustoleum roll-on paint job. This should get me some learning experience and get me by a few more years till I have the money for a more thorough restoration.

I have watched some videos on You-tube on sanding, body work, DIY paint jobs. I think it was helpful for me and may save you some time/money, just my opinion. Good luck with your Ford.

 

Sure you can with the right prep. I did a car last year and will do another one starting in about a week from now. I do one about once a year since about 1970. I use a good single stage with a hardener added in the mix. Some people don't like it because it can chip,it being so hard i guess. I'm not a professional painter so i won;t attempt to tell you how to do it or what to use,i will leave that to the experts and self appointed experts. It works for me and that's the only person it needs to please. Cover everything well and dampen the floor down after your last tacking of the body. I'm in the country so i don't bother anybody. I have an old swamp cooler fan mounted in the back wall opposite of the overhead door that i use with some filters . I leave the overhead door up a few inches so the air will flow though. I have a two speed motor on it and some shutter doors so i can adjust the air flow pretty good.Do not pull air out of the building with a cheap box fan ,the fumes traveling by the electric motor can cause a fire . I will admit doing it and getting by only because i was lucky. Another thing,you can't get to much light,the more the better. I have four portable lights i can move round as i need them . I have extra fixtures in the ceiling that i put 200 watt bulbs in just for painting. Having enough light has always been my biggest problem more than any thing. Good luck and keep us posted. jim

 

I'm going to spray my truck with paint called Clovathane. It's an industrial paint with limited shades of colors but cheap and heavy duty tough!
It's a 2 part urethane if I recall. We painted somecrane booms we built with it and the stuff will never get off your skin if it gets on. You might even need a special certificate to purchase it but I'll buy it through my shop.
O it also doesn't require a clear coat as it advertises a wet look shine.