I have a '58 F100 with the original paint job and it is showing its age. It has a bunch of large deep scratches that are not buffable and a few places were large (baseball size) bare metal spots are showing. the spots with bare metal have not really started to rust and I would like to keep it that way. I do not wan to repaint the whole truck but would rather fix these trouble areas and have it look half way decent. This is going to be my daily driver and has a couple of poor paint repairs already. My question is what are the steps and materials needed to make it look close to the original in the scratches and bare metal spots and if you can throw in a fix for the poor touchups that would be greats too.
Regards
Cbass139

 

More than likely you are dealing with either laquer or enamel. At this stage, it will be all but impossible to match the original paint with new, especially in the scratches. That is probably why you can see previous paint repairs. If you can remove something with the color you are trying to match and take it to a paint jobber, they can try and match the color, but I can guarantee they will tell you that it may not match exactly. Are you trying to save the original paint job for a reason? Post some pics if you can.

 

No I am not trying to keep the original paint for any reason except I can not afford to have the whole truck painted at this time. I am trying to find a solution that looks half way decent that will prevent rust from developing/spreading in these spots. Some day I will restore this truck but for now I just want to drive it and keep it in good shape so when I do restore it I dont have a bunch of additional work. Anybody have any ideas for how to fix my problems and have them look good? I will try to post pics soon.

 

This is the major chip out of the rear fender.
One of the deeper scratches
Hood with a bad fix.
Not as deep of a scratch
One more bad fix.

Let me know what you guys think my best line of attack is. I cant afford a whole new paint job, unless somebody does some home work and is willing to help me out in the chicago area. I am thinking of getting paint mixed to match as "close as possible" and then laying it down with a airbruch. in these small to larger problems I think it will give me the best results but willing to listen to any ideas.
Regard
Cbass

 

Go for it! It will have to come out better than the work the PO did. Sometimes you just have to make do.

 

I say give it a try with an airbrush. But I can see some of those areas (like the one on the rear fender) keep on peeling and chipping off. The bigger areas youre gonna have to sand and reprime. I say go with a laquer paint. If anything, you will cover those areas for now until you can afford a new paint job. Just find fomething (if possible) to remove and give to the paint supply place so they can try to match as best as possible.

 

What are your plans for the truck? Are you planning on repainting it in the future? Do you have equiptment and a decent sized compressor?
You could repair and feather out the bad spots, shoot on some epoxy prime for protection, and then go to the paint supplier with a part, and try to get a paint that will hopefully somewhat match and do a blend, but most likely not going to be a good match and will see and still have patch work show on the truck.
That paint should be removed for a new paint job, as well as to see what kind of other repairs are hiding under that paint. Just seeing the kind of spots showing, you could have some poor repairs still hiding beneath the paint that need attention.
If you have some equiptment and a decent compressor, maybe you can strip the paint off one panel at a time (since its your daily driver, and to keep your focus and not get overwhelmed attempting too much at once, as well as spread out the money spent somewhat), And do any metal work on that panel. spray some epoxy primer down to protect the metal. Then you can do any filler work needed right over the epoxy. Then apply some coats of a filler primer and blocksanded. And finally seal the panel with epoxy primer again so its pretty much ready for paint.
Epoxy works well over baremetal, isn't porous like other primers, and will provide protection. You can do your filler work over it if you wish.
Then eventually once you have all the panels bodywork done and in epoxy pretty much ready for final prep, you can sand it all and apply another coat or two of epoxy on the body before paint (most manufacturers recommend scuffing epoxy and reapplying if it has sat over so many days, and it has no uv protection, so will chalk up a bit exposed to the elements), but will keep things protected while you are working on it, and allow you to drive.
Even if you are not comfortable shooting the final paint and have to go to a place like maaco or have someone else shoot it, if you did and took your time on the prep, removed parts, mask and did the sanding you might get a decent paint job affordably. Although nothing involving paint and body is really cheap.

Just a thought. I am sure the members here would help you along the way if you wanted to try tackling it. I am not sure, but ppgs dplf60 (blue) epoxy primer might be half arsed close to the color thats on the truck, and not look real odd as you get panels done. Although the epoxy would dry semi gloss or a bit on the flat side.

I am not real far from you (GB- go pack )and have done some things on the side, but unfortunately will be having to move fairly soon thanks to the states construction plans, so haven't been taking anything. And am layed off right now, and could have a few jobs I could be doing if I was staying.
I thought you fire department guys didn't like people that painted in there garage at home. Just kiddin.

 

Thanks for the info, unfortunately I do not have a good compressor, yet. In the next year I hope to get one and at that point I might think about doing exactly what you have said.
As far as painting in your garage goes, if people stop doing things like painting in thier garage, heating with a stove, smoking in bed, storing paints and supplies in their furnace room I will be out of a job. By telling you to keep painting in your garage I am making sure there is work for my fellow FF around this great country of ours.

 

Yep, even in this economy, fire fighters should still have work. Allways someone around doing something stupid or an old un maintained house with faulty wiring going up somewhere, or throw drinking into the mix.

I use to thing auto body was pretty immune to a bad economy. People still need there cars fixed. But this one seems to be affecting quite a few shops, and many will just keep the insurance money if the car is still driveable, and doesn't take too much to total out a vehicle anymore. I've been laid off for over 3 months now.

I've heard a few home painters have some trouble with the city, have a neighbor call or the fire inspector showing up. I've been fortunate wherever I've painted in that regard over the years, even now living in town, and many neighbors knew I painted in the garae. But does make me want to get back to the country with fewer neighbors around.


Two bodyshops that I know of have gone up in town. One was years ago down from where I worked. The place is a dirty little shack, and believe he used a wood stove for heat. The other one was somewhat recently, and believe some rags left sitting around somehow caught on fire, after everyone had left. I seen enough body shop practices, to see how they can easily enough happen, leaving open containers of thinner ect. Two shops I've worked in also allowed smoking in the shop.

All I have to heat my garage is a salamander heater, but I am not stupid enough to run it while painting, and make sure fumes had had a good amount of time to clear out before firing up, and try to limit any sources of ignition. I have a good hvlp now, so that cuts down on the overspray and solvent buildup lingering around, but still worrys me a little exhausting through the fan motor (which I filter before), and can't get rid of everything that can create a spark, like the compressor switch or lights. But think I am safer then have been in the past, had a barrel stove for heat in the parents garage going years ago when I painted one. The fumes got the fire roaring and it finally got it toasty in there big garage. "storing paints and supplies in their furnace room". guilty, have some old leftover paint and reducers and containers of oil in the basement which is where the furnace is located, (storing paint and activators in a cool and dry place without a lot of extreme temperature fluctuations and where they won't freeze helps them keep)

Good luck with your truck. If you do start tackling it, picking up a beater to drive so you can take it off the road for awhile while you work on it would make things a bit easier to get done.