How to paint truck?

[RSchwarzli]

Hi guys, I have the crew compleately torn apart now, all that is left is the frame and axles.



I want to repaint the truck while it is off the frame. Has anyone done this? If so how did you guys get paint on areas like the bottom of the cab? Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[woodsrat]

Im sure you are doing this in the garage. Hang it from the rafters, A couple buddies of mine did a frame off on a 97 couple of 4x4's through the windows and hoist it up in the air.

 

[CumminsKid]

How to love sandpaper

The old saying in the auto body world is "sand, sand and when you are tired of sanding sand some more". An old friend that taught me how to paint ,and yes SAND, told me that the prep guy makes the painter. This means that the more time you can spend getting the body smooth, grease-free, rust -free, and straight the better your paint will look. In paint the small details count, if you don't see or better yet feel the details (with your hands) you might as well save your pride and pay some-one. When you think you have the body "perfect" look again and spend about 10 more hrs. It also all depends on how nice of a job and how much time you have to do the job.

If you have the body off now is the perfect time to sand and fix rust or dents that you want to rid the truck of. I would start with a file sander so you can find the dents. Always try to work the steel out with methods other than filler (bondo or other plastic filler)

As far as the bottom of the truck, inside of the fenders, inside of anything that you cannot paint with the body on paint before. Any thing you can paint with the body on do so. This will save from scratches and marred paint in reassembly. with the doors off you can roll the cab on its side and paint or under-coat the bottom or you can do this with the cab on stands but be careful

However I would not paint the panels off the truck, putting the truck back together will be a treat in its own (lining up seams an things) let alone trying to keep the new paint scratch free.

Lots of words and the surface of the auto -body and paint world have not been touched. If you have questions ask

CumminsKid

 

[RSchwarzli]

Ok. That all makes sence. The only thing that I could use a little more help with is the underside of the cab. I need to make a few repairs, some of which cannot be done upside down. If rolled onto its side, will that not dent, scratch, damage the side?



As for painting, I was planning to do the frame black. Won't overspray be a issue if trying to paint the bottom of the cab on the frame? Thanks, Robert

 

[manganos]

That is why paint/body shops have a rotisserie (my spelling sucks)

 

[JApplegate]

DON"T PAINT IT BLACK!!! WHAT EVER YOU DO. i love it but every dent shows. . it is so bad that you can see were i used body filler. NO BLACK. unless you are a pro. as he said sand sand and when you think you are done sand some more. it took me more then a week. i took the bed off and panited that. then the cab. another thing. water on the floor and lots of ventalation. and don't painted too much at one time. my bed turned out great but me cab turned out horriable. too much over spray and too much dry paint in the air.

 

[f.boyle]

I am painting my new 91 soon it will be black, dents are pride!!!

Frank

 

[93 Dually]

as for the frame mask everything very well what is your cab color if its black as soon as you get it primed take black spray paint very litely mist it over the whole cab and color sand the hell out of it as soon as you think its good primer it and do it all over again with block sanders not your hands dark colors are very hard to hide things so be ready to sand alot every wave nick bump will be seen if you dont take your time so have fun sanding haha

 

[RSchwarzli]

I guess I am lucky as I have 2 buddies and both of them are paint and body guys. Oo.

I also argee, I will not go black. What color I will go is still undecided.



I like the idea of a rotisserry (hello spell check). Is there a easy way of doing this at home? I need to do some minor rust repairs before I go for painting, currently the cab is on a 1" high wood frame, but I need to work on the bottom. Help! Thanks

 

[MOverton]

Rotisserry by "Mad Max"

There is a guy that comes into the forum occasionaly that goes by Mad Max he did a thread in one of the other forums about a rotisserry. I have attached it to give you some idea of what he did.



http://www.tdr1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141248

 

[CSchafer]

If you have the body off it is definetly time to paint the frame. We use a specific black paint made for the chassis. It's pretty tough stuff. While the body is off I would cut in all the jams and paint the bottom with color or I use the chassis stuff for strength. A rotissery would be nice but probly over kill to just paint it. Woodsrat's suggestion is great or just find any way to get it off the ground far enough to paint underneath. I would leave the painting till you have it back together. It would be too easy to scratch and dent the fresh paint while aligning all the body parts. An improfection doesnt care what color is over it it will show up. Black seems to pin point it however. Take your time with it and any color goes.



Here is mine after replacing the rotted wheel wells and putting new fenders on it. Good luck

 

[CumminsKid]

If you have to repair floor or rockers you can put it on some 2' or 3' steel stands kind of like saw-horses but stronger I built a couple sets out of some 1"x2" thick-wall tubing I think they are 2' high and 3' long the work good for a lot of other things. If you don't want to build stands find some thick carpet take the doors off and you can roll it onto its side, just watch the cab corners. As for over-spray good masking tape and masking paper are your best friends. If you don't want to buy the actual paper you can use newspaper watch the pinholes you can't see them unless you hold them up to a light and paint will go through them. Over spray will depend on what type of gun and how good of gun you use. Like I said earlier prep makes paint one of my jobs took 18 hours of mask time. You will not need to spend that much just for a solid or two-tone but it is worth it. If you don't want to spend the time you may as well take it some where. I know guys that rush things a few were so disappointed in their paint jobs they sold the vehicles just so they wouldn't have to look at them. Don't worry take your time and you can paint it any color under the sun and it will look fine.

Cummins Kid

 

[JOdell]

There is a guy that comes into the forum occasionaly that goes by Mad Max

THAT IS THAT GUYS NAME!! I have been reading his thread on another forum about building one BAD A** Ramcharger. I can't get away from watching that guy build. He takes some massive pride in what he is doing. I was wondering what his name was on this forum. -Jason

 

[MOverton]

That is his name

"mad max", he comes around this forum sometimes. He is also the one that makes the intakes for the first gen trucks. Do a search on his name he does some interesting stuff.

 

[f.boyle]

Intake for fist gen??????ohhh! I have the need for one a those!!!

I still cant pick a color so its gonna have to be black!

Frank

 

[MOverton]

ASA Website

His website is:



http://www.asamodifieds.com/



I have been real happy with mine.



Pastor, I don't think I am breaking any of the rules but if so sorry.