Question About Tinted Bedliner On Outside

[Skydog]

The question has been running in & out of my mind for a good long while. Perhaps I'd asked here before, but I can't remember.

My '79 FJ40 will be built, at a perfectionist level of detail (true to my nature), to become that of an endlessly rugged trail vehicle (directly through brush and along no-longer-kept-up former vehicle paths - within the wide area of the Eastern United States mountainous forests, etc - as they stumble along my path of future life.

Hence, I can not monetarily afford the rebuild to become simply that of "a luxury item" that may more likely than not be sold sometime soon after rebuild. But I do foresee the vehicle becoming worthy enough that I perhaps attend a local Caffeine & Octane type gathering that next Sunday morning, to sport-off the creation & its caked-on mud.

Why not ... apply tinted polyurethane bedliner product, in a smooth as possible way, on strategic portions of the outside of the tub ? As if : under the doors on the rocker panel; or perhaps, to the rear of the doors to above the wheel well and stopping at the topside of tub, which would then extend around to the backside door opening; or perhaps even, the topside of front fenders; and maybe, on the central portion of the engine hood ?

... I speak of the exact same hue of color as rest of vehicle.

I'm NOT saying I'm driven to do this. Not at all !!

So to me, the external, tinted bedliner is an not only a curious question, it's actually a super-important one, as it'd be an even further deviation from the heritage norm, and from that of the non-OEM paint I'd truthfully like to utilize : DuPont's industrial grade Imron Elite single stage of 34031 "Gray Black," which was previously known as "Army Aircraft Green" - which, similarly like the tinted bedliner I speak of, is simply a form of polyurethane.

I primarily speak of tinted Line-X, Monstaliner, or Raptor, whichever, to that of the same as the rest of the vehicle. Many of us here have done precisely that on the inside of the tub; or, both the inside & underside of the tub. ... but why not patches on the outside too ? ... I mean, historically, several of us here literally pasted diamond plate at such strategic places on the outside. ... And speaking of NOT actually protecting the sheet metal, an external layer of diamond plate *surely* must have done just that (instead rotting the sheet metal it's meant to protect)... No ?

There's always the philosophy of, "the heritage of the vehicle will be lost." Or perhaps, "It just won't look right." Or perhaps further, "The bedlner will trap water & the sheet metal will rust, and you won't know it." Or maybe, "If you ever need to repair the sheet metal, and you've got bedliner all over it, you'll have a hell of a time." ... I'll buy these. But will not the ceramic within the polyurethane of Monstaliner or Raptor, etc, help to literally encapsulate the underlying sheet metal from such moisture ? ... And if the the bedliner is applied in seamless way, and if there comes to be a crack or hole or breach of the material - could I not notice such, and properly repair the fault or imperfection ?

As a side note : I'm wishing to apply LizardSkin Sound Control & Heat Control on the inside and underside of the tub. I'll likely simply topcoat the LizardSkin product with the Imron paint - and not bedliner material.

Might the bedliner product render the vehicle to "look too much like plastic" ?

People, across the board, historically say, "Keep it smooth." ... But would this be counter productive to a really nicely made, logically thought-out, practical-oriented - -trail rig ?

Your honest thoughts on this "outside-the-box" issue & "rogue" philosophy ??



Thanks in advance -
~Skydog

 

[Skydog]

I'm not at all debating this - simply wishing to become better educated, and better informed, on the actual logic & underlying philosophy of the technically AND ethically, "why not."

As many of us know, the concept has seemingly become increasingly popular in the 'Jeep' world. And perhaps even to an extent on the LC 80-series. I get it the 40-series "Ain't No Heep." ... But why are Jeep & 80-series people (and yet others) applying the coating on the outside of their own, and becoming quite excited about it ... and the same is less than true here ?

~Skydog

 

[Skydog]

And as a Follow-Up : Say no such bedliner is applied to the outside of my vehicle (which would be totally fine by me - AND Vastly Preferred). How do others here deal with driving their own rigs along not-maintained or not recently maintained forest road-type paths & trails (body paint-wise), and not be concerned about scratching the hell out of the paint - especially, like in my case, the paint being fairly new - and at $500/gallon - expensive.

I speak of razor-wire type vines & hickory tree branches, etc, etc slapping alongside the vehicle, as it's made to venture off the course of any sort of maintained trail or vehicular path.

We openly say, "We've got the toughest vehicle, anywhere. And ours can GO Anywhere." -- But how do we then prevent it from looking like "a total disaster" after one of our "little excursions" - - Without use of such bedliner ??

-Or- Is it simply best to simply "buff out" (of traditional paint) all newly made scratches & nature-made "pinstripes" ??

Thx....

 

[warpdriv]

I did mine in Monstilier Mustard Yellow. Lots of rigs with it on over in the paint section: Monstaliner Bedliner

Some people mentioned that they thinned it somewhat and then spayed it on.

HTH.

 

[Skydog]

I did mine in Monstilier Mustard Yellow. Lots of rigs with it on over in the paint section: Monstaliner Bedliner

Some people mentioned that they thinned it somewhat and then spayed it on.

HTH.

And to me, it looks really, really nice !!
But the question is (or would be) ... what have the actual draw-backs been that you've so far experienced by doing this ??
And, by doing so, are you now more-so "maintenance free" ?
And as nice as yours appears to be, do you sense it's upheld its "own value" ?

I ask this question, because as you know, there are not many such 40's currently like yours.

Thanks !!

The one below (which is something other than Monstaliner) looks almost as nice as yours (but of course not quite) ... - but I know not at all of many others.

Have you yet driven yours into such places that traditional paint would become messed-up ?

Thanks 4 ur input !!
~Skydog

 

[flygfsh]

Here is the 75 that I rescued from the mountains of Hilo Hawaii. Had it shipped here to the Chicagoland area 2 months back. It had very minimal rust and I knew I wanted a durable exterior, Monstaliner light quartz grey. I have show cars that I am sometimes afraid to drive, so this will be a nice change. Still need to finish up some cleanup around the edges and such, but I like the look of the final project. Oh, and next year the 6 comes out in favor of a Lexus SC400 1UZ aluminum V8, of course the stock 4spd will remain.

 

[Skydog]

Here is the 75 that I rescued from the mountains of Hilo Hawaii. Had it shipped here to the Chicagoland area 2 months back. It had very minimal rust and I knew I wanted a durable exterior, Monstaliner light quartz grey. I have show cars that I am sometimes afraid to drive, so this will be a nice change. Still need to finish up some cleanup around the edges and such, but I like the look of the final project. Oh, and next year the 6 comes out in favor of a Lexus SC400 1UZ aluminum V8, of course the stock 4spd will remain.
View attachment 1566005 View attachment 1566006 View attachment 1566007

Yeup. That of yours is indeed sharp looking. Very simple & quite practical looking.

I very much like the straight-forward, satin appearance the product gives such vehicles. In that regard, I've become a big-time fan.

With your wide tires, and without flairs, are you getting rooster tails of road water & ground dirt upon the body?

And what are you doing for the inside of the wheel wells (seems so far untouched ?) ?

I was not envisioning going the full-extent of applicaton that you & @warpdriv have nicely ventured to; but do very much like & appreciate yours & his. In my head, the concept is not a "run-of-the-mill" approach to vehicle livery; but comes across as if "the vehicle is about to be taken somewhere others don't normally go." (As opposed to just sitting in a garage & venturing to the grocery store )

Are you concerned about future chalking of the color (of the applied Monstaliner) ?

Thanks !
~m.

 

[flygfsh]

Yeup. That of yours is indeed sharp looking. Very simple & quite practical looking.

I very much like the straight-forward, satin appearance the product gives such vehicles. In that regard, I've become a big-time fan.

With your wide tires, and without flairs, are you getting rooster tails of road water & ground dirt upon the body?

And what are you doing for the inside of the wheel wells (seems so far untouched ?) ?

I was not envisioning going the full-extent of applicaton that you & @warpdriv have nicely ventured to; but do very much like & appreciate yours & his. In my head, the concept is not a "run-of-the-mill" approach to vehicle livery; but comes across as if "the vehicle is about to be taken somewhere others don't normally go." (As opposed to just sitting in a garage & venturing to the grocery store )

Are you concerned about future chalking of the color (of the applied Monstaliner) ?

Thanks !
~m.

These photos were taken day after I finished up the paint. The flares are yet to be installed. The complete underside will eventually be protected with paint and undercoating. I have only driven the rig about 15 miles total since I purchased, 14 of which were in Hawaii to get it on a boat. I plan on enjoying it much more once the new engine is installed.

 

[warpdriv]

And to me, it looks really, really nice !!
But the question is (or would be) ... what have the actual draw-backs been that you've so far experienced by doing this ??
And, by doing so, are you now more-so "maintenance free" ?
And as nice as yours appears to be, do you sense it's upheld its "own value" ?

I ask this question, because as you know, there are not many such 40's currently like yours.

Well this is the 2nd cruiser I have done this too. My first one on the 80 I built and used POR15. I laid down a little flatter. But my goal was to have a very durable paint that could stand up to what we call the "Texas pinstripe". Bush scratching paint. My 40 I have always wanted a mustard yellow one. So it comes down to how you want "your" cruiser to be built. Don't worry about all the noise about value, ect. It's paint, it can be easily taken off, prepped, and shot again. Here is a pic of the 80.