Long winded build up to a paint related question for Cool 48 or anyone else with serious paint experience–

So this summer, I’ll be finishing out my cab;

Installing the heater, the wiper motor, the seat, seat belts, dash extension, steering column, side windows, power window motors, throttle pedal and linkage, etc, etc, etc,

I’m getting tired of lifting the cab on and off and really don’t want to be doing it with all that stuff bolted to it.

So I’m thinking I should shoot the lower half of the front of the firewall and the inside of the cab. Then the cab can stay in place.

So the question is ;

What should I use for paint? Acrylic enamel, Epoxy enamel, (are those even correct terms?) what?

I don’t want to use the new water based stuff as I don’t have the training or equipment for it.

I do want to end up putting a clear coat over top of the final paint

The paint on the outside of the truck will be shot be a pro…….We’ll just do the two areas mentioned…

It will be a daily driver, not a show truck, so something that will stand up to daily driving from about freezing in early April till 5 degrees below freezing in mid/late October.

Thanks,

 

Off line, AJ46 suggested " endura paint". Is that a brand name or a type or paint? I've never heard of it.

 

Well my friend, I would say you could go with acrylic urethane paint, with a sealer under it. But ,I would definitely use something in a two part coating. Anything else you may use won't really stand the test of time. Is it bare metal now? If so ,you may want to shoot a self etching primer first.

 

It's not bare metal. It's a self etch primer, with two coats of epoxy primer and one coat of a high fill primer on top of that.

 

Oh, ok. I would use a sealer over that, then a two part urethane top coat. But, That's just me. If you happen to use any body filler on any panels or just to smooth things up ,it is always best to shoot a sealer first. Other wise the top coat you shoot will absorb into the fillers .I assume your outer paint will be base coat/clear coat.

 

Hi Group
Is it true that a lite color paint will hide a
lot of mistakes for the new painter?
Thanks

 

I think the only reason they say that, is because white or any lighter color does not have a pronounced reflection in direct sunlight or direct light. But black or other dark colors are deeper looking in the sun or in light,and do tend to make little flaws seem more pronounced . It would be like taking a large sheet of steel and painting it white. Then stand it on edge and look at it from different angles. Then do the same but painting black.Every little ripple in the sheet metal seems to jump out at you. I would say 80% of all bike that I paint are done in deep black or vivd black as Harley like to call it. So, if the customer send me a tank or fender with a slight ding, I better make sure to get it smooth. One thing I used to do is this. I would keep a can of $.99 rattle can paint beside me as I am doing any fillers on a car. I would always use something shiney black. Afte I thought I had it smooth enough ,I would hit it with that shiney black paint. Then stand back and look at it while it is still wet. Primers sometimes fool you into thinking you have it down flat. Then when the good stuff goes down , you think to yourself,..why didn't I get that smoother/ Its because you couldn't see it due to the flat appearanceof the primer you shot over it. Once you see that you have it smooth enough, you can alway sand the black paint back off.

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

If it's not broke don't fix it.

Of all the cars I have painted, and considering repainting repairs, etc, I prefere Centari Acrylic Enamel by DuPont. You can mix a high gloss sheen and hardener into it or top clear coat it. Flows nice, sparays nice, lays out flat when put under the lights.

Good luck,
Dan