Hey Big, unfortunately there is no clear coat available to use with Alkyd enamel paint. I looked up everything I could on the internet and I saw several sources say that you can not clearcoat the tractor paint since it's alkyd enamel.

If you get the Restoration paint you wouldn't need to clear coat it anyways as it has a good gloss and shine. If you do go that way just be sure to buy the hardener.

I can tell you that a coworker bought a newer Nissan truck with a nice deep red color, and when I park my F150 next to his in the lot mine looks even nicer with a better shine and gloss. He jokingly told me to stop parking next to him as it made his truck look bad!

I set my gun to 40psi, and I mix the paint and thinner and hardener at 8 parts paint to 1 part thinner and 1 part hardener. I buy a gallon can of paint, and do the cab first with 1/2 the paint. Then a couple days later I paint the bed with the remaining paint.

You can't mix it all up at once though. Once you mix any, it's only good for 8 hours then you gotta pitch it.

 

I use the TSC tractor paint. I think it's Valspar. Use the hardener and keep it waxed afterwards. I've painted a few things without the hardener and it was as durable as quickly. It eventually hardens though.

As an aside, about two years ago I painted a friends car with acrylic enamel from the internet. I think it was paintforcars.com. It was cheap, about $100 total. It turned out pretty good, but it's starting to fade. Two years parked out in the sun with no wax and few washings.

 

hmm thats not what i was wanting to here i was hopin i would be able to clear coat it kinda like add an extra layer of protection i guess..i may look for a color i like in a high gloss tractor paint you think that would be my best bet? or you think any paint besides a flat color would shine good with just some wax on it?

 

hmm so sounds like tractor paint aint a bad way to go then huh? what do you mean use the hardener to keep it waxed after wards? like wax the truck with the hardener?

 

hey Big, Only reason I always use the tractor paint is because of the price. The paint is very tough and durable, and especially the restoration series has a nice glossy shine. I can get a gallon of paint and a can of hardener, and the thinner for about 85 bucks total. I don't know any other paint system for that cheap.

I would say that the acrylic enamel that Kevin is talking about would be a step up from the alkyd enamel that is tractor supply paint. Also you'd have a bigger selection of colors.

You asked about glossy colors of tractor paint........ I've used AC orange on a Jeep, and MF red and IH Red and even the Ford blue on a Jeep. Currently I just about a month ago painted my F150 IH Red and it's my favorite. I has a slightly orange tone to it in bright light and a deep red color in low light.

If you like red for your truck I'd go with IH Red. And make sure you go with the restoration series. The hardener gets mixed with the paint initially.

You gotta wait at least a month before you should wax this paint so that it fully cures, although you'll be impressed with the shine once you paint it.

Also the paint dries very fast with the hardener added and you can easily drive the truck the next day after you paint it, it'll actually be dry within a couple hours, but I usually wait til the next day to drive it. Good luck!

 

ten four..im really thinking ford blue cause from the can i looked at yesterday its pretty close to the original color of my truck. which i liked but was faded real bad and startin to surface rust..would you happen to have any pics of these vehicles you could post on here? just curious to see the finish product of tractor painted car/truck. thanks for the tips and in put. its helping alot.

 

I don't know how to post pics and actually I don't have any to post, though I wish I did. As I said, my buddy has a ford blue '92 F150 and it's a nice color, but I don't think he used enough air pressure and may have used too much thinner.

The texture is very rough and he's got no gloss at all. But it looks nice as a color for a truck in my opinion. I wish I could remember where I saw a photo of a F150 with Ford Blue and it has a nice gloss to it. Although I've never seen a blue have the same wet looking gloss that you get with red.

Bottom line...... as much as I'm praising the tractor paint, I only use it because it's so cheap to paint a vehicle and I've used it at least a dozen times in the past years.

If you can afford it I'd recommend you go to an auto body paint store and have them set you up with a paint system that you might find easy to use and you can get a color that matches exactly what you may like. I just don't use anything else because I can't afford the other stuff.

But if you're looking for the cheapest job which still looks very nice go to Tractor Supply and get the Restoration series paint, thinner and hardener. And I'll try to give you any info I can.

 

ten four...yeah im just lookin for something thatll have a semi shine to it mayby throw some wax on it give it a lil better shine..anything is better then this paint job its got now.

yeah thats the exact reason im lookin into tractor paint. i was on TSC and saw the paint and saw the price and it fits the budget better then anything. from what im reading it wont fade real fast and is pretty durable.

i drive a 90 f150 so idk what will go next which is why i cant afford to throw a 2-300 paint job on it. use that money for when something breaks or what not..

ten four sounds good..your helpin alot thanks..

 

The good thing about a cheap (inexpensive) paint job is that it gives my truck , or Jeep, a brand new appeal to me. And especially if I change the color completely it just makes it feel like a different vehicle.

I'd say that you're set to go with the TSC paint. You won't be sorry. Glad to help with any info I can. I really feel comfortable with this paint. One other benefit of it is that you can also buy spray cans of the same color in case you need to touch up any spots in the future.

 

Yeah exactly look like a whole new truck. I'm stuck on FRD BLUE OR IH RED. Both look good. Both will make my truck look good and best of all I might not reconize it in a Parkin lot lol.

 

Sounds good! Now go get the paint and get painting! My vote is for IH Red. I went and got a FORD decal in script (about 11") for each quarter panel so it looks good and distinctive.

 

Hell yeah. I'm liking the red but man I saw a black one today and man did it look good. Made me second guess my color choice. This is going to be hard, real hard

 

Big, DON"T get tractor paint Black!!!!!!!! It doesn't come in the restoration series as Gloss Black. You can get it in Tractor and Implement paint Gloss Black.

I painted a Dodge truck and I painted a different F150 that I had. It looked good , not great when first painted, and it took very little time before it faded and looked old.

I've seen the truck recently and it just looked like an old paint job (original paint like) even though it was less than 2 years since I originally painted it.

If you like Black, then go buy some decent paint , But stay away from tractor and implement Gloss Black. I also think black trucks are cool.

 

yeah man theres something bout a black truck that just catches my eye..i have not a clue why, blacks just a plain color..but i like them..

hmm that being said, ill steer away from tractor paint black cuase i want it to last a couple years and look new not fade and look old in a couple years..

what is the difference in restoration series and the tractor implement series?

 

difference is Restoration is an automotive quality enamel that's specifically made in tractor colors for restoration of the tractors. It has better adhesion, better gloss, hardness and is more durable.

I've used the tractor and Implement, truck and trailer, and finally started using the Restoration. I was really impressed with the restoration compared to the other two.

You can check the ingredients and compare. also when I used to use the others I just bought Naptha and thinned with it. But since I've been using the restoration I also buy the restoration thinner which has more than just naptha in it.