off road paint
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
From: Montrose USA
off road paint
I know there is a bodywork forum but I wanted to ask the off road guys this question. Those of you who have painted your off road rigs, what paint did you use? I have a 78 F150 that came from the factory orange and white, but one of the doors is two tone brown. the trim is long gone because it was just falling off from age. I am not doing a lot of body repair but I will do lots of prep pre painting because I know that is the key to a good paint job that will last. The options that I have looked at are spray paint, a gun and some single stage enamel, or a budget shop like maaco. How many of you have used these methods and are you happy with the results? This truck sees a lot of hard use so I don't want to sink a bunch of cash into the paint and body, but the original paint has got to go. Thanks for your advice.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,438
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From: IN FRONT OF YOU
off road paint
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 11-Apr-02 AT 12:47 PM (EST)]Nothing wrong with single stage paint, it's all I used 10 years ago, you can get great results with this type of paint.
Dupont centari is a good qaulity product and priced very reasonable.
With it you'll need your reducer, gloss hardner and perhaps some fisheye eliminator. Like you said, prep is a huge part of the total outcome.
You may think about practicing on an old panel, just to get your timing down, how fast or slow to move your gun, etc.
Good Luck
*****
Dupont centari is a good qaulity product and priced very reasonable.
With it you'll need your reducer, gloss hardner and perhaps some fisheye eliminator. Like you said, prep is a huge part of the total outcome.
You may think about practicing on an old panel, just to get your timing down, how fast or slow to move your gun, etc.
Good Luck
*****
Elder User
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 861
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From: SE PA
off road paint
Keep in mind that my truck is a black (now the hood is more rust than black!) flairside, but I used Dura-Bak bed liner, like Hurculiner or Rhino-liner, on the whole box, inside and out, including inside the fenders and all the rails underneath. I also did the rocker panels/door sills, up about 8" onto the door and 3" above the flairs on the front as well as the roof and piller front to the door and underneath the cab. So far this stuff is great, gives the truck a "rugged" look, seems to have completely stopped the rust, although I did use Corroless rust stabilizer on the worst spots. Off-road it has also not shown any signs of wear from the many, many tree branches we meet running on jeep trails. Used three gallons to do it all, kept a little to touch-up, but hasn't been needed in two years in the NE, lots of salt in the winter. As you already summized, prep is the name of the game for painting-same with this stuff! Just a little different idea to toss your way.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 1
From: Raleigh, NC
off road paint
you could Line-X your whole truck. you wouldnt ever have to worry about scratches or anything. kinda expensive though. i would say i would do that but im just gonna let my truck get scratched, im building it for 4 wheelin so i might as well not put any money into the exterior as it will get all dented anyway.
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 93
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From: Montrose USA
off road paint
I have already decided to use Duplicolor bed liner on the rockers up to where the small trim used to be. and in the bed and on the bed rails but I would like to use paint for the rest. I suppose I should have mentioned that in the first post. I have seen Jeeps done like that and it looks good. doing that reduces the surface area that I have to paint also. Has anyone used the good auto spray paint? if so did it last? and approximately how many cans did it take? just wondering. I want to do it next week and I am still torn between a gun or cans. Thanks again for any experiences.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,438
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From: IN FRONT OF YOU
off road paint
>I have already decided to use Duplicolor bed liner on the
>rockers up to where the small trim used to be. and in the
>bed and on the bed rails but I would like to use paint for
>the rest. I suppose I should have mentioned that in the
>first post. I have seen Jeeps done like that and it looks
>good. doing that reduces the surface area that I have to
>paint also. Has anyone used the good auto spray paint? if
>so did it last? and approximately how many cans did it
>take? just wondering. I want to do it next week and I am
>still torn between a gun or cans. Thanks again for any
>experiences.
If you use spray cans, you will have poor adhesion and it will most likely be blotchy and look even worse if your using metalic.
Of course if your looking for cheap, I guess it's the way to go.
I would recomend using a gun and find some cheap single stage enamel.
>rockers up to where the small trim used to be. and in the
>bed and on the bed rails but I would like to use paint for
>the rest. I suppose I should have mentioned that in the
>first post. I have seen Jeeps done like that and it looks
>good. doing that reduces the surface area that I have to
>paint also. Has anyone used the good auto spray paint? if
>so did it last? and approximately how many cans did it
>take? just wondering. I want to do it next week and I am
>still torn between a gun or cans. Thanks again for any
>experiences.
If you use spray cans, you will have poor adhesion and it will most likely be blotchy and look even worse if your using metalic.
Of course if your looking for cheap, I guess it's the way to go.
I would recomend using a gun and find some cheap single stage enamel.
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
From: Montrose USA
off road paint
I'm guessing by your statement that spray cans are not the same stuff as regular single stage. Point taken. A gun and some bulk paint it is. I'm looking for inexpensive because I don't like the sound of a rock scraping over a thousand dollar paint job, but I don't want it to look shade tree. I'm sure I will find a thousand other uses for the gun in the future also. Thanks for the info. 
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Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: IN FRONT OF YOU
off road paint
I wouldn't even use a spray can on my kids bike.
I think you will be much happier using a gun.
I think you will be much happier using a gun.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 105
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off road paint
If the truck sees hard use, go with the spray paint. I painted my whole truck for under $20. Mine is all rusted out so I didnt even try to do much bodywork, I just spray painted right over the rust. I painted the truck cause it was 6 different colors from piecing together different trucks, I just wanted it one color.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 9,359
Likes: 1
From: Hampstead, NC
off road paint
Yeah, I used a reducer. I think it was mineral spirits, not 100% sure though. It says on the back of the can what to use. I also can't remember how much I thinned it. It's been 3 years since I painted the vehicle with it.
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 93
Likes: 1
From: Montrose USA
off road paint
I just thought that I would let you all know that I painted my truck a few weeks ago. I used tractor paint (Alkalyd enamel). I thinned it with naptha. I used a cheap basic gun. It is now saftey yellow with black accents. Looks pretty sweet. It definately won't win any shows because it is orange peely, but it layed on thick and is pretty damage resistant. Thanks for the help.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
off road paint
I used Rustoleum (spelling?) and a paint brush for my off-road truck. The hunter green and sand color worked nice. I am currently using bright white and its okay. The rust seems to seep through the white and show up easier. Though the white hides scratches a lot better after the paint was been weathered.