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) (11 Viewers)
- Thread starter aztoyman
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
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.
