After planning a few small projects welding small panels, etc. I remembered, spray primer doesn't work very well, as in rust forms in short order if the vehicle is left ouside or exposed to the elements.

Little background, I plan to spray the truck either satin rustoleum or blitz black. Wouldn't rustoleum take car of all three steps if the metal is prepped and cleaned correctly ( primer, sealer, top coat)? Any thoughts on whether the rustoleum would make a decent primer for the blitz black/ whether it would be compatible should I choose that route, I believe they are both enamels if that matters? I have sprayed the satin black on one fender and it looks great and has for the past year and a half ( simillar to the blitz black) but I sanded the factory paint and did not spray it directly to bare metal, so before I start, thought it best to ask how it would do on the metal directly. If there is another spray can sealer/primer that works well, then by all means lemme know what it is. Appreciate it

 

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As a general rule...
You can spray enamel over the top of enamel or lacquer.
You can spray lacquer over the top of lacquer.
You can not spray lacquer over the top of enamel.

The problem you have is figuring out what your products contain. You may be lucky or you may be unlucky. To top it off, although some combinations may work sometimes, that does not mean they will work all the time.

For rattle can primer, I use a product called Acid 8. It is a self-etch primer used on bare metal. Since I have been unable locate p-sheets for it, that's all it gets used on. Bare metal. I do not use it over the top of other paints or fillers.

As far as spraying rustoleum (which is a brand name, not a particular product) or blitz black on bare metal, you need to contact the companies and learn what their recommendations are.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

 

I suppose I could have been more specific with the rustoleum. The version I used was the general purpose, like mailboxes or what have you, for what ever reason I had a can of satin black out in my building, about the time the whole flat black/primer look began to grow on me, one thing led to another and I painted my fender with it. Its been right around 2 years now and it looks as good as the day I put it on. I have tried to find the spray can automotive paint by rustoleum but its nowhere locally to be found, I will see what I decide with the satin, before I decide to order the auto version.

One thing I have noticed is it didn't leave stripes that I have seen on flat black and blitz black paint jobs. Thats a plus, but I better wait until I paint an entire bedside before I feel comfortable saying it won't ever stripe.

I should have asked, has anyone used the general purpose rustoleum on any bare metal projects that are primarily outside? If so, how long has it been exposed to the elements and what process did you do to prep it?


Appreciate the response

 

You can always buy duplicolor which works with other automotive products and there are cans of sealant style primer you can buy from autobody supply places.

If you have a compressor and you want to go a little further.....

Last year I started working on my 1978 Cutlass hotrod project car's paint job. I went to Habor Freight and got a good HVLP primer gun for $60. It use 5-9 lbs pressure, so you don't need a badass compressor, but you do need a regulator on your gun.

My Neighbor supplied me with DP 90 grey 2 part epoxy primer from his work. There is a thinner too that will help it spray easier in humid conditions or over dry conditions.

It's a breeze to apply and it seals up unlike regular laquer primers. You could drive for years without applying topcoat. If you have a compressor you could save money over buying 20 rattle cans to cover you truck and the DP 90 lays down so nice and uniform too.

Don't forget to spray thinner through the gun after applying! The DP will setup in the gun.

 

I have yet to get an air compressor, I could sure use it for other projects though, I dunno, its a thought. Thanks for the reply