People may say I'm crazy, but if you do your research you can find some discount shops (maaco) that can do a really good paint job at a really good price. Given this isn't a restoration and/or collectors piece, It might be worth the look.
Builds 86 Xtra Cab Build (4Wheelunderground 3 link front, 4 link rear and 3.4 swap) (10 Viewers)
- Thread starter aztoyman
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If you do all your own prep, this can work
ntsqd
technerd
I guy that I know who was into body work once told me that those guys at Maaco etc. tend to get really good at spraying the paint due to the shear volume of vehicles that they paint. It's their prep work that is done too fast. He did all of the body and prep work, and then had them spray it. Car looked fantastic at 20, pretty good at 10, and only at 5 could you start to pick out minor blems. And those were fixable with some further work.
- Thread starter
- #1,404
You guys should know by now that I'm not only a diy guy, I'm a cheap a$$. I have to be.
Prep absolutely sucks and I can see why it costs so much. After I get the prep done, I sure don't want to pay someone to do the fun part.
I see plenty of builds on this forum with garage paint jobs that come out pretty good. Even spray bomb paint jobs.
I have good spray guns and a good clean air supply so I'm going to go for it. I'm using a solid color single stage paint so if I have runs or defects bad enough to bother me, I can sand it out. Plus this will be good practice for my 52 F-3.
I'm making some good progress. I'm using my pressure washer with a sandblast attachment for the nooks and crannies, aircraft paint stripper, my DA sander and 3M scrub pads.
Sorry no pics of the progress. Here's a couple of a side project for this truck. They came in the mail today.
I hear a lot of complaints of links coming loose. I don't really want to tack weld them or red thread lock. I was going to cut out a couple crows foot wrenches and use my highlift Jack handle at first.
Then I saw these wrenches online for cheap and grabbed them. If these don't keep my links tight I guess I'll tack weld them. 
Prep absolutely sucks and I can see why it costs so much. After I get the prep done, I sure don't want to pay someone to do the fun part.
I see plenty of builds on this forum with garage paint jobs that come out pretty good. Even spray bomb paint jobs.
I have good spray guns and a good clean air supply so I'm going to go for it. I'm using a solid color single stage paint so if I have runs or defects bad enough to bother me, I can sand it out. Plus this will be good practice for my 52 F-3.
I'm making some good progress. I'm using my pressure washer with a sandblast attachment for the nooks and crannies, aircraft paint stripper, my DA sander and 3M scrub pads.
Sorry no pics of the progress. Here's a couple of a side project for this truck. They came in the mail today.
I hear a lot of complaints of links coming loose. I don't really want to tack weld them or red thread lock. I was going to cut out a couple crows foot wrenches and use my highlift Jack handle at first.
Then I saw these wrenches online for cheap and grabbed them. If these don't keep my links tight I guess I'll tack weld them.
I understand what you mean about not letting someone else do the fun stuff. Will be great to see more progress pictures !!
I agree, too. I hate having somebody do anything for me, especially when I'm perfectly capable. But, at some point I want the job done ... and I stick a crowbar into my wallet.
A friend said he wanted to win one of these billion dollar lottery pools so he could have a private jet and avoid the airports. I was thinking I wanted to win the same lottery so I could have all my dream cars and pay people to get everything done (think Jay Leno). LOL
- Thread starter
- #1,408
Today I hit the cab hard with the pressure washer. It's a beast and cleaned out all the dried up seam sealer, washed off more paint and got even more grime off the bottom.
The plan tomorrow is more welding. I found one of the lower fender bolts broken off in the hole and some more small cracks and holes I missed. I still need to grind the bottom of my floor repair welds too.
I tried to order my epoxy primer on Friday and had to go with local distributor only to find out it went out of business during covid. So I'll try again on Monday. I have other stuff on the way as well. I got a kick in the nuts because I have to pay the IRS.
The timing sucks as paint supplies are pretty spendy.
The plan tomorrow is more welding. I found one of the lower fender bolts broken off in the hole and some more small cracks and holes I missed. I still need to grind the bottom of my floor repair welds too.
I tried to order my epoxy primer on Friday and had to go with local distributor only to find out it went out of business during covid. So I'll try again on Monday. I have other stuff on the way as well. I got a kick in the nuts because I have to pay the IRS.
The timing sucks as paint supplies are pretty spendy.
- Thread starter
- #1,409
I haven't given up, still plugging away. Lots of welding mainly. Everything that was welded from the inside is getting welded on the opposite side. I'm welding lots of cracks and drilled holes from the PO. Cleaning up stuff like the bent over pinch welds. Looks better trimmed off and with the ends of the sheet metal layers welded together instead. Found a couple more holes from mouse nests that I had to patch. I even had a crack in one of the body mounts. The only pics I took is of the trimmed flange around the battery box so my cables don't rub and the cracked body mount.
I have white epoxy primer and wax & grease remover coming from SPI Paints. I'll order the top coat today or tomorrow elsewhere. SPI doesn't mix paint colors. I haven't ordered any high build primer or filler yet. I'm not worried about that on the bottom or the engine bay.
I think I'm going to use more of the DEI heat shield on the bottom of the cab than I did on my 88. I just had it on the firewall behind the exhaust cross over and it worked very well and has held up to washing the engine bay. The floor got pretty hot though.
I "should" get all the welding done by this weekend. Next week will be LOTS of paint stripping and sanding.
I have white epoxy primer and wax & grease remover coming from SPI Paints. I'll order the top coat today or tomorrow elsewhere. SPI doesn't mix paint colors. I haven't ordered any high build primer or filler yet. I'm not worried about that on the bottom or the engine bay.
I think I'm going to use more of the DEI heat shield on the bottom of the cab than I did on my 88. I just had it on the firewall behind the exhaust cross over and it worked very well and has held up to washing the engine bay. The floor got pretty hot though.
I "should" get all the welding done by this weekend. Next week will be LOTS of paint stripping and sanding.
- Thread starter
- #1,411
I'll honor your request for the high gloss. It WAS blue from the factory before the sun baked it off. I'm thinking of leaving the interior blue since it's in great shape and matches the plastic.
The color won't matter... once anyone sees what's going on UNDER the sheet metal!
- Thread starter
- #1,413
I just ordered a single stage urethane white from SPI. I'm in the HOT AZ desert. I still haven't made up my mind on any graphics but, I have some ideas. That's down the road. Right now I just need to get this cab in primer and paint on the bottom and engine bay to get it on the frame again.
I'm not liking this "bodywork" part of the build. Well, the cleaning and prep work anyway. I'm givin'r hell trying to beat the heat.
I'm not liking this "bodywork" part of the build. Well, the cleaning and prep work anyway. I'm givin'r hell trying to beat the heat.
ntsqd
technerd
With a blue interior and a white body I'm seeing something like the Ironman Stewart paint scheme, only in blues and grays rather than in reds and oranges.
- Thread starter
- #1,415
I'm already starting to have nightmares of scrubbie pads and sanding discs. 
IDK how you body guys do it.
The welding is done. I have the primer here, paint is on the way as is the DEI tunnel (heat) shield. I'm going to cover damn near the entre cab bottom with it. DEI claims it is a fairly effective sound deadener as well. I hope so because I don't like the typical sound deadener without carpet. Plus that $hit is heavy. Maybe I'll use Monsta liner on the floor...
That'll be after the roll cage anyway.
Lunch break is over, back to the chemical stripping, scrubbie pads, power washing and sand blasting.
IDK how you body guys do it.The welding is done. I have the primer here, paint is on the way as is the DEI tunnel (heat) shield. I'm going to cover damn near the entre cab bottom with it. DEI claims it is a fairly effective sound deadener as well. I hope so because I don't like the typical sound deadener without carpet. Plus that $hit is heavy. Maybe I'll use Monsta liner on the floor...
That'll be after the roll cage anyway.Lunch break is over, back to the chemical stripping, scrubbie pads, power washing and sand blasting.
Anxious to see what you think of the spi epoxy. I plan on using the same here as soon as I can make the most of it. The stuff ain't cheap.
They say to go light on the first coat to avoid fisheyes. Also read you can prolong the shelf life by purging all the air out with argon before capping off, if you have the means. Not sure if 75/25 for migs will work or not.
They say to go light on the first coat to avoid fisheyes. Also read you can prolong the shelf life by purging all the air out with argon before capping off, if you have the means. Not sure if 75/25 for migs will work or not.
- Thread starter
- #1,418
I haven't painted since the late 80's. Dupont Centari so you KNOW it's been a while. I'm not a body and paint guy so not sure what to expect with the paint. I haven't heard anything bad about the SPI epoxy and that's one of the reasons I'm trying it. Lots of product support available as well. I wasn't a big enough customer to even get a call back from a few local suppliers.
I do have straight argon. The pot life is pretty long as it is so not sure I'll be needing it.
I do have straight argon. The pot life is pretty long as it is so not sure I'll be needing it.
This was for unmixed, still-in-the-can storage, not mixed RTS material.
- Thread starter
- #1,420
I feel like I'm making some progress finally. The front clip had been replaced in the past and some of the work made my job difficult. Lots of seam sealer and a tar like product that was really difficult to remove. The wheel wells had thick sound deadener that was similar to the seam sealer.
I used an air gasket scraper to get most of it off and paint thinner dissolved the tar like stuff. Aircraft stripper took off most of the paint and I hit it all multiple times with the pressure washer. I couldn't have gotten the radiator support done without the blasting attachment.
I used a few different wire wheels too. Here's a few pics.
I used an air gasket scraper to get most of it off and paint thinner dissolved the tar like stuff. Aircraft stripper took off most of the paint and I hit it all multiple times with the pressure washer. I couldn't have gotten the radiator support done without the blasting attachment.
I used a few different wire wheels too. Here's a few pics.
