I've been lurking here for a few weeks. It's the best place I've found for well thought out responses on body and paint work, and I thank you for the resource. I've been searching the archives, and have previously done some homework on paint systems and processes, and I have a question.
I'm working on making Ike, my 1955 Chevy 6400, a decent driver and a truck that could be used on the parade route. He'll largely be used for display at my wife's garden center, but he'll haul tons (literally) of pumpkins and produce a handfull of times per year, and will probably be used to pick up gravel and/or mulch a few times over his life. Here's Ike:
![Image]()
Yeah, I've got some work to do. The main body work won't begin until spring, but I'm trying to figure out the appropriate coverage and product line to use. I called a local jobber, as I like to keep my money local if I can, and I understand what it's like trying to make a small business go. I've read all the good things about SPI here. How their epoxy primer is fantastic. How their clear is the best. I haven't seen much on their colors.
However, when talking to the local supplier about options (I was thinking about HOK originally), he recommended that I might want to consider doing this job using nothing but Pro-Spray products, and that would give me a quality job at about half the price of HOK. So, here's my question: is the SPI stuff that much better than Pro-Spray products such that I should buy the SPI epoxy primer and clear, or are they comparable enough that I can feel good about supporting a local business while not cheating myself out of a better product for the price point.
I should be clear on this part: my wife would like to have a nice, shiny green, maybe metal flake green paint job in the same color range(ish) as what is shown here. We want durability, and it should look nice, but I do not come to this party with any delusions that this will ever be a show quality vehicle. I've painted a fair number of implements with Valspar implement paints and lots of furniture with acrylic enamels and my trusty HF guns. I'll probably talk myself into getting an Iwata LPH 400 for this job.
Have I rambled on enough to give you an impression of what I'm after? Why don't I just ask: So whadya all think of Pro-Spray over SPI?
I'm working on making Ike, my 1955 Chevy 6400, a decent driver and a truck that could be used on the parade route. He'll largely be used for display at my wife's garden center, but he'll haul tons (literally) of pumpkins and produce a handfull of times per year, and will probably be used to pick up gravel and/or mulch a few times over his life. Here's Ike:
Yeah, I've got some work to do. The main body work won't begin until spring, but I'm trying to figure out the appropriate coverage and product line to use. I called a local jobber, as I like to keep my money local if I can, and I understand what it's like trying to make a small business go. I've read all the good things about SPI here. How their epoxy primer is fantastic. How their clear is the best. I haven't seen much on their colors.
However, when talking to the local supplier about options (I was thinking about HOK originally), he recommended that I might want to consider doing this job using nothing but Pro-Spray products, and that would give me a quality job at about half the price of HOK. So, here's my question: is the SPI stuff that much better than Pro-Spray products such that I should buy the SPI epoxy primer and clear, or are they comparable enough that I can feel good about supporting a local business while not cheating myself out of a better product for the price point.
I should be clear on this part: my wife would like to have a nice, shiny green, maybe metal flake green paint job in the same color range(ish) as what is shown here. We want durability, and it should look nice, but I do not come to this party with any delusions that this will ever be a show quality vehicle. I've painted a fair number of implements with Valspar implement paints and lots of furniture with acrylic enamels and my trusty HF guns. I'll probably talk myself into getting an Iwata LPH 400 for this job.
Have I rambled on enough to give you an impression of what I'm after? Why don't I just ask: So whadya all think of Pro-Spray over SPI?
