St. Louis Paint Job

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Wow ! What a learning experience. My truck came in from St. Louis with one minor paint defect. So what, its a truck! I thought these panels were painted robotically, and not by Mexicans or Americans. Either way, you should see all the little pings I have now from driving 40K miles. A bird even crapped on my hood and ate through the clear coat... ... . Life is short. RonL

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98 Dodge 3500 QC SLT 4x4, 12V, Auto 3. 54, LSD, Camper pkg, Running Brds, Tow hooks, Tonneau cover, Cobra / K40, Westach Boost / EGT / transmission Temp gauges, Valley Hitch, Hadley Dual Air Horns, Mopar Bedliner, RS 9000's, Air-Lift system, "Geno's" Cup Smoothie, Down 'N Out Exhaust Tip, & S/S Fender Trim.

99 Lance 1110 Truck Camper

 

[Archive]

Yeah,Ron. I had a bird do the same thing on my hood also. No paint in the world can hold up to bird droppings. Just keep it waxed and clean the doppings off asap. Have only 7200mi an it to. I guess thats the s---ts.

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1999 2500 Cummins w/4spd auto,Quad Cab,SWB,4x4,Flame red ,all options less leather and radio controls on steering wheel,OEM color matched runningboards,DeeZee bedrails painted black,Power Vision Mirrors,OEM ventshades,Oem sill covers,OEM underrail bedliner

 

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rwv, the agate interior in my '98. 5 QC has the "tan" (toupe/gray) colored headliner as well as the console, mounted on the headliner. These are the only "tan" pieces in my Ram. The mist gray interior has a very light gray headliner (as well as all other trim and seats. I elected to go with agate because I like the darker colors. I feel the "tan" contrasts very nicely with the agate.

OBTW, the paint on my BLACK '98. 5 SPORT was flawless. All the '98. 5 24v QC Rams were built in the St. Louis North factory (key word being Quad Cab).

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'98. 5 2500 QC 4x4, (Black) SLT Sport, personalized license plate: BLCKOUT, ISB, LWB, 3. 54 LSD, A/T, 275 hp. injectors, Glasstite Vision II "canopy", Line-X bed liner, 285/75R16 BFG A/Ts on 16x8 M/T Challengers, Warn 4X Boards, Mopar fender flares, front and rear NW Custom stainless steel/rubber mud flaps, Mag-Hytec diff. cover and trans. pan, Edelbrock IAS shocks, VDO Vision gauges, PIAA Dual Sport 900 auxiliary lights and Super White bulbs, BD exhaust brake and TorqLoc, Prime-Loc fuel filter relocation kit, and Banks exhaust.

SVP of BOMB! heh,heh,heh

 

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Thanks, John. I agree, it does contrast nice with the other colors, I just wasn't sure if I had something unique here. Guess it's normal.

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'00 2500, 4x4, QC, Cummins ETC/6spd, 3. 54, Camper, Trailer, SLT, 4ABS, Flame Red/Silver, Agate

 

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rwv,

My St. Louis built truck has a gray headliner and overhead console. I too, am wondering if these is how it is supposed to be, or if they have a color blind line worker.

Michael



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'00 Black Sport 3500 4x4 QC, SLT+, 6-Speed, Camel Leather, Trailer Tow Group, Camper Special Group, 3. 54 LSD
'96 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Special FLSTN
'99 Wells Cargo 2-Place Cycle Wagon 12' x 7'

 

[Archive]

mkubacak:

Gosh, with the Camel interior I would think you would have most certainly got the tan headliner. Maybe I got yours and you got mine!

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'00 2500, 4x4, QC, Cummins ETC/6spd, 3. 54, Camper, Trailer, SLT, 4ABS, Flame Red/Silver, Agate

 

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Ron, A paint 'mil' gauge will hardly even measure anything if there is bondo. The magnet in the gauge is not that strong.
Also, There is rarely ever a lack of paint on a vehicle, only lack of clear coats. There are so many different things that can happen with the clearcoat. I've never painted in a factory, but I've done plenty of dealer applied clearcoats, using low VOC clears. I usually use a mist coat 1st to help the final coat or coats from running, but usually I always got some runs in the clears,which was no big deal. I put it on so thick I had plenty of clear to wet color-sand out the run(s), and then rub-out with a buffer without going thru the clears.

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Bob in Sacramento
Y2K All Black 3500 ISB 4x4 4:10 LSD,Auto,QC,SLT Laramie, LB, Polished Stull Billet Grill & Fog inserts, Chrome Smitty Built Step Rails, Weatherguard 'Weekender' Ladder-rack,Rancho 9000's,Diamond Plate Tool Box, OEM U. R. Bedliner.
Fact:"The First Fords' had 'DODGE' Engines-The Last Fords' NEED THEM!"

 

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RobbyRam,
Yes, I remember now. A lack of measurement indicated bondo... .....
There sure is a lot of mis-information about paint out there.
I still don't understand the paint/clearcoat relationship. It sounds like you spray just enough paint to supply the color and then tons of clear coat to give depth. Is the clear coat as hard as paint? Is clear coat paint without pigment, or I guess I should be asking what is clear coat?
Thanks,
Ron


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'99 Quad long bed, emerald green/driftwood, 4x4, 5speed, 3. 55 limslip, Rancho 9000/remote adjuster
Boulder City, Nevada

 

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rwv,

I went and talked to the dealer I purchased my Ram from and he said that all trucks have the same headliner regardless of interior color. Can anyone else confirm or deny the validity of this statement? He said they have been doing this since '94 and that all makers are doing it now as a cost saving measure.

Michael



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'00 Black Sport 3500 4x4 QC, SLT+, 6-Speed, Camel Leather, Trailer Tow Group, Camper Special Group, 3. 54 LSD
'96 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Special FLSTN
'99 Wells Cargo 2-Place Cycle Wagon 12' x 7'