Hot Rod Forum banner

painting my truck need info??

10K views 51 replies 5 participants last post by  deadbodyman 
#1 ·
ok i have a 98 chevy thats getting alot of metal work. most of the paint is in good shape but i will have some bare metal spots after the body work is done. ive been using the evercoat Z-grip mud to smooth out the metal work thats been done.

my question is im going to prime the whole truck after everthing is done but what should i use? omni mp282, dupont, or Clausen Z-Chrome rust defender? im trying to get the truck as strait as i can. its going back the factory dark green. also the paint is real good on the truck with no clear peeling what should i sand the truck down with before priming? im painting everthing the truck is down to the frame so i can prime everthing..

thanks for the info and help..
 
#2 ·
First of all, on bare metal spots and areas repaired with filler on the truck, I would recommend either an epoxy primer or an etch primer. I'm not familiar with Clausen Z Chrome. There are many different brands of epoxy primer...some are sandable some aren't...PPG's DP line are not recommended to be sanded, but all epoxy primers have a window of time where they can be top coated without sanding. If you use a non sanding epoxy primer, you can top coat it with a high build 2K primer and block sand ensuring that the truck is straight. Depending on the paint you use will determine what grit of paper you need for final sanding, Bast coat, 400 grit minimum, Single Stage, 320 grit.

Hope this helps.

Ray
 
#4 ·
That is the procedure that I have used for many, many years.
1) Strip to bare metal
2) Complete body work
3) Epoxy Prime
4) Allow for proper flash times
5) Top coat with 2K primer
6) Block sand, to ensure all panels are straight
7) If any repair is required after blocking, repair small low spots with 2 part putty
8) Re-prime spot putty repaired areas with 2K primer
9) Block sand repaired area
10) Apply base coat, allow proper flash times between coats
11) Apply clear coat, as many as you like...(don't go crazy, but between 2 and 4 coats, it's your call)

Some people apply the epoxy primer before the body work is done...it's more preference than anything and I prefer to apply epoxy after the body work is completed. If your using Dupont's Chromabase a minimum grit to finish sanding in is 400...I prefer 600 grit wet. The reason is that when I sight the panels for straightness, 600 wet gives me a better reflection to see any low spots.

Hope this helps.
Ray
 
#6 ·
ok whats a good epoxy primer to get or use?

thank yall for all yalls help.. its good to have people ot share this kinda info for people that are getting started.. i can paint real real good just having to learn all the paint tech an info is my biggest set back.
 
#7 ·
With respect to epoxy primers, all paint manufacturers make an epoxy primer...It's never a bad idea to stick with one manufacturer's "system"..primer and top coat. Very often personal preference comes into play. I prefer to use PPG's DP line of epoxy...(I used to be a paint rep for PPG so I may be biased). That being said, it is an excellent product but it doesn't sand well at all and the DP epoxy primer needs to be top coated within 72 hours with a 2K primer. PPG does make a sandable epoxy in the Essential line that does have good hold out as well as good sanding qualities.

Many people on this site swear by a product produced by SPI out of PA, I have never used it but have heard that they are getting great results. Another epoxy that does sand well is a product sold by Summit.

I could PM several others on this site and get part numbers and availability for you, to make your painting life easier.

If you need more information, (like part numbers) let me know.

Ray
 
#8 ·
the 2k primer im using is omni mp282 so i guess staying with the line of PPG i would need something by PPG so if you have a part number that would be awesome..

as soon as i get done with my body work i plain to epoxy and 2k prime it all in one day then block it out after the truck is back together. but my base and clear is dupont ive been told i will be fine putting the bas over the primer.
 
#9 ·
So, if you are staying with PPG, here are some part numbers for you...all the epoxy primers are a light grey as MP 282 is a light grey 2K primer.

In the Omni Line
MP 170 Primer
MP 175 Hardner

In the DP Line
DP50LF Primer
DP401LF & DP402LF Hardners, (1 is fast & 1 is slow)

Essential Line
ESU421 3.5 Primer
ESU429 3.5 Hardner

ESU 460 4.6 Primer
ESU 469 4.6 Hardner

The 3.5 and the 4.6 numbers in the Essential line are VOC compatible numbers. In Canada we can only use the 3.5 primer...They both work well. The Essential product is less expensive than the DP line BUT may be difficult to get at just any PPG Jobber as this is considered fleet paint and not all PPG jobber's carry it. The DP line would be carried by any Jobber that sells automotive refinish products. The Omni line should be the least expensive of all.

Once you have your vehicle in final prep you would be fine to put Dupont's base and clear over top...it won't hurt.

Hope this is what you where looking for...there are more epoxy primers in the PPG line up.

Ray
 
#14 ·
That's gorgeous my friend, I love the work on the firewall, I can see you've got a few hours into that. I can see by your rendering that the truck is going to be lowered, what have you done to the suspension? Are you doing all the paint work yourself? What color are you using? PPG has some awesome Vibrance colors that would make that green really pop...but...they are expensive.

I know I'm asking more questions than a school girl getting ready for her first date, but, I love the look.

Ray
 
#15 ·
lol haha.. yeah i got a few hours in the firewall and still have a few more. the truck is going to be on aire ride all by accuair really nice stuff. the rear of the truck is a 3 link. im getting the truck in to primer ready to be blocked out then letting a buddy thats a custom painter do his work. i can do it but dont have a place to paint a complete truck.

the color is the factory 1998 green U177B but i was thinking about putting a pear over the green just not sure yet. i was going to keep the vortec V6 in the truck but changed my mine and going LS.. now i have a killer show motor just setting lol




 
#18 ·
thank you sir.. losts of work and alot more to go.. ive been doing it all myself no help.. lol

i was thinking about mixing a pearl in the clear to spray over the green base.. like a ghost pearl.. kinda like i did here on my racing mower its a black base with a blue pearl in the clear..

 
#19 ·
Very nice looking mower and Kudos to the work on your frame that you've done...but...instead of putting the green pearl in your clear and if I remember correctly your using a Dupont base coat...consult your Dupont jobber and see if they can mix you a mid coat that's a base coat clear and put the pearls in that...If they question you, ask them what they use for a mid coat clear in Duponts "Hot Hues" collection. I know it's a transparent base coat with pearls in the mid coat. This would make your life a lot easier.

Ray
 
#20 ·
ok your going to have to show me what your talking about lol.. the green im using now has pearl in the mix but i want to just give it a crisp deep color in the sun.. the color is called Emerald Green Metallic Clearcoat

that mower is fast lol ive had it to 75mph but scared the poo out of me haha it makes well over 70hp with a real mower engine i have a video on youtube doing some testing if you want me to post it
 
#21 ·
I'm very familiar with GM W/A177B...but what I'm talking about is to not put the pearl in the catalyzed clear, you but it in a transparent base coat, just like the pearl that they but in the mid coat clear on the Cadillac tri coat pearl white or there "Hot Hues" collection...If you talk to your Dupont Jobber ask them to make up a mid coat similar to the Caddilac color and then spray it over top your green 177B...it will make your green pop even more...if you like I can make some calls tomorrow to my local Dupont jobber (whom I know quite well) and get you a formula...let me know if your interested...it's much safer to do it this way...it's cheaper than putting it in a catalyzed clear coat...and the effect is much more significant...let me know, I'll check my reply list in the morning...(it's almost 2 AM where I'm at now) but if you let me know, by 1 or 1:30 my time tomorrow, I'll have a mid coat formula for you and the formula will be simple.

I need to get some sleep so talk to you later my friend.

Ray
 
#25 ·
OK will do...I'm assuming your using Chroma Base? Well it doesn't matter, I'll get formula's in both Chroma Base and Chroma Premier. Chroma base is just older technology and they don't have as many revised formulas in that product as they do in Chroma Premier. I know with Chroma Premier all I would need to do is check the "Hot Hues" chips and pick a green mid coat with a deeper green pearl. Chroma base I may need to look up the Cadillac Tri-Coat white and alter the white pearl in the mid coat and sub the proper green pearl.

Will have your answer by early afternoon.

Best to you and your project.
Ray
 
#23 ·
Theres no need to prime the whole truck,just the spots you worked on...What you need is a buildable epoxy primer that sands well and if you need to seal it you can use the same epoxy reduced 10 -20% I use ONLY SPI when it comes to epoxy, its the best bang for the buck.one primer for the whole job....
 
#24 ·
Hi Mike...I hope I got the name right, I hate calling anybody "dead", so if I got the name right let me know...just more comfortable with Mike than dead.

I would love to try some of the SPI product...I know you as well as others on this site swear by the product. I have no reason to doubt you but it's difficult for me to recommend something I haven't tried...Maybe I should PM Barry and see if it's even possible to ship to Canada with respect to VOC laws up here. Sure would love to try it, does is sand as well as a quality 2K primer like PPG's K38?
 
#28 ·
That's right, paint a test panel first, apply your base coat, and put on one coat of the pearl midcoat over the entire panel, let if flash, mask off a section about 4 inches long and apply another coat of the pearl midcoat, let it flash, mask off another 4 inches and then spray the pearl midcoat over the remaining panel, if you have room on your test panel do it one time, let it flash and remove all the masking paper, clear the entire panel and take it out in the sunlight. This way you will see the effect of 1,2,3 and 4 layers of mid coat and what effect sunlight has on it.

When you spray the midcoat, spray it the same way you would when spraying your truck. Generally 2 coats of pearl midcoat will give you the desired effect. This is dependent on how heavy you apply the mid coat. I recommended .4 grams per quart because pearls are sunlight sensitive and when they don't have any pigment in the mix, the true effect is realized.

I would try the gold...I think it would really pop in the sun.

Ray
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top