Ok, My truck is an '88 F150, standard cab, short bed, 4x4. It has the stock black paint on it, and my plan is to rattle can it with krylon camo green paint. This is my brush truck, so I'm not real worried about the paint, but I would still like to have a decent paint job. So here is the plan. I have taken off all the stock decals, and removed the adhesive. Next, after removing the trim, I plan to scuff the surface with 220 paper. I have some spots that are bare metal, so I have some self etching primer. Then I plan to spray red oxide primer over that, and finish with the krylon camo green.

I also plan on painting the wheels and trim black, I bought duplicolor wheel coating, and adhesion promoter.

That is the plan, did I miss anything? If any body has any other advise, I would appreciate it.
also, if any one has done a similar paint job, and has any pics, I would like to see them.
Thanks

 

I realize you want a brush truck, but regardless of what type of paint you choose, prep is the most important thing. Clean really well, and then clean some more. I would even primer all the old paint, not just the bare spots.

Here's how I did mine: sand to bare metal, wash with dish soap, prime(3coats), paint (3-4 coats), and clear(3-4), wet sand. You could skip the bare metal, clear and wet sand. It has held up fine for 4 years now. It lives outside.


By the way, spray cans will cost you more than you think. Ask me how I know...

 

ted's right on spray can cost, they dont go as far as yoou'd think. How about a $200 maico special. Its gotta be as good or better than you can do with spray bomb.

 

Cost would be about the same. I don't know about quality-mine has held up really well.

On the truck I am redoing now, I am going to try the roll on method. It seems like there would be less waste, and therefore less cost.

 

PO painted my truck with a brush. Idiot!! everyone knows you should use a roller!

 

Did a '55 Dodge with a brush once. A 49 Chev with a vacuum cleaner spray gun. A 49 Pontiac conv with spray cans. For the cost you can get a spray gun for around $30-40 anf a couple of quarts of paint a lot cheaper than spray cans. Tractor paint works ok, or oil based house paint. Have fun.

 

If you are set on doing a cheapy job, I'd first agree with the posts that say get a cheapy gun instead of spray bombs. I was an auto-painter for years and once used Tremclad in a freinds garage on a truck, thinned with acetone that turned out nice. $45.00 a gallon the pice is right.
A correct method for what you are wanting to do is this: you don't have to sand to bare metal (it's not preffered unless there's something wrong with the paint that's there or it's rusty), scuff all paint with 220 and use a Red Scoth-brite pad to get any hard (curved, cowl, fender lips, etc) spots. Makes sure to sand ALL surface rust off bare spots. Treat any rust spots with Phosphoric Acid (Metal Ready, OSPHO, Picklex). Wash down truck with a pre-paint solvent (available at AuotStores): wipe it on with one rag, then wipe it off with another turning frequenlty. Mask. Spray Etch Primer on bare metal spots, let set (not dry - check recoat time, maybe 15 -30 minutes), then a high-build primer (Available in Rattle Cans) over Etch Primer and any scatches, etc. Remember take your time with several light coats, then a medium coat. Let dry. Sand out anything you can see (scracthes, etc) with 220 and re-prime those spots. Final sand it wiht 320 dry or 400wet. Wash down again with the Pre-Paint. Now it's ready to spray!

 

I have done both rattle can jobs and roller jobs, Spray paint gets expensive fast and seems to take months to really cure. The roller method is alot cheaper but also takes a long time to cure. I have done this with both vehicles and snow plows. If you really want a decent job get ready to spend alot of time wet sanding and buffing. I have recently bought an air compressor and decided to go big enough so that i can use it for sandblasting. At this point Im kind of mad at myself for not buying one sooner and for wasting so much $ on spray cans and ****ty paint jobs. I may still spray rustoleum stops rust on my off road truck but at least now i can add a hardener into the paint where i couldnt if i was rolling it or rattlecannning it. If you go with cheapo paint you will also get alot of fading in the few months after the job.