Looking good. Is money an issue? As is raw, I'd powdercoat if I had the $$. One Day Paint/Earl Sheib might not be a bad way to go - prime, paint and clear. Rattle can is really more expensive than you realize with the inside, outside of the tub and a lid inside and out. I think I ended up spending something just north of $200-250 on primer and finish coat rattle cans for my M101CDN you've seen. If the cheapo One Day Paint types are in the neighborhood of that, I think you'd get a better paint job from them - and in a LOT LESS TIME and hassle. Just be real sure they quote you for a good solid primer for the raw steel before they finish coat and clear it. IIRC, I did not clear mine. Ended up going the rattle can route after lots of reading in the Paint & Body section here on mud. Determining factor...it's just an offroad trailer for god sake! hehehe All that being said, I've been happy with my rattle can job. I do think I'd at least get a quote from the cheapy places just to see if I were to do it again. Even hanging plastic sheeting in my 3rd garage bay it was a mess from the floating rattle can paint. I just used Rustoleum for the primer and then the Duplicoloer automotive paint (enamal because of the Rustoleum primer being enamal) from Pep Boys/O'reilly's.
One suggestion on the underside of the trailer - do a good job using some kind of rubberized undercoating. That stuff can be had in rattle cans from any auto parts store too.
Absolutely go LED with your brake lights. Brighter and you won't risk blowing fuses on your cruiser. Ask me how I know. You've got aftermarket front/rear bumpers with their own brake/turn lights on the truck right - go LED for the trailer or you will blow fuses in the truck! ARB up front, Kaymar rear, both with their own sets of running, turn and brake lights. When I towed our scout troop trailer before converting it to LED's I would occasionally blow a fuse to those lights. PITA! I converted the trailer to LED's and problem solved. Do it right the first time on this.
Good luck - more progress pics of the build and paint will be necessary!!!
. Hoping to wire up lights, complete tailgate and start the lid soon. Once we wire up the brake lights it's DMV verification time. Got to think about paint...rattle can? Earl Scheib or powder coat it
