Hello forum,

I have a Brama brand shell on the back of my 70 F250 that I would like to paint to color match to my truck. Can anyone provide any tips for me as I am sort of new to painting. The shell feels like it is some kind of plastic with a pebble texture. It would probably need to be ruffed up first as it is slick feeling. Any ideas?

Also what kind of primer?

What kind of paint?

Thanks a bunch,

 

The type of paint you use is unimportant if you get a good primer to stick to the shell.

Has the shell been painted in the past?
Has the shell been treated with anything?

 

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

No, the shell has not been painted in the past.
and
No, i have not treated it with anything. Not sure what I could use that would penetrate all the grain.

Thanks again,

 

1) WAG it (Wax and Grease remover). Wipe on wipe off. Never let the solvent dry on the surface. You need lots of new towels. There may be silicon due to the making of the top. You might have to wipe it down twice to remove the slick feel.

2) If you go single stage paint you can use 400 dry. You say the surface has a pebble appearance so I would follow up with a scotch brite pad (use the maroon color pad).

3) Primer/Surfacer is used to prevent rust, fill minor imperfections, and for adhesion on bare steel. If you break through the gell coat you should spot prime those areas. Also, spot prime the rock chips and scratches. You dont need to prime the whole top. If the surface has been scuffed the paint will stick. When we say scuff, this means the gloss is removed.

 

This is the order and how I would do it:

1) Bucket of hot water, a good squirt of Dawn dishwashing soap & a scrub brush. Dawn is great for cutting grease and crud. Scrub the thing, like you have never scrubbed before. You're going to a paint booth, not a car show so don't be afraid to attack that top. Dry it off.

2) Wax and grease remover & paper towels. The best option is to spray the WAG and then wipe off. If you don't have a spray bottle, WAG on one towel and a clean rag in the other hand. Don't rub it around. It's swipe & swipe. Wax on, wax off.

3) If I have your pebble top pictured correctly, I would then attack the top with red Scotch-Brite pads. What I have pictured is that the pebble finish is part of the design and was molded when the top was produced. If that's the case, then sandpaper won't work. That's why I went with the Scotch-Brite.

4) I would WAG after the sanding was completed. This makes sure oils from your hands was not transferred to the top.

5) I would shoot on a medium coat of epoxy primer. If you don't have a spray gun, you can get special plastic primers that come in rattle cans at auto paint stores. I have used them in the past and they work good.

6) Now I would paint.

All this prep might seem like overkill but I disagree. Any painter worth his salt will tell you that the prep is 90% of a paint job. The actual spraying is just icing on the cake. If you prepare your top like I described, you'll never have to worry about the paint peeling off 6 months from now.

Don't go to Pep Boys to get your supplies. Find a good auto paint store. Besides providing good materials, they are usually stocked with a wealth of knowledge. Be freindly and most of the people will talk your ear off.

Don't forget your flash and recoat times. Flash time is the minimum amount of time you must wait before you can put another coat of paint. 10 - 15 minutes is about average. Recoat times are the maximum amount of time you have available to put on more paint, before you are forced to sand. Check your product sheets (which you can get at the auto paint store) for these important values.