Decent Paint Job

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

yevgenievich

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Posts
4,819
Reaction score
3,400
Location
Place
First Name
Name
Truck Year
Year
Truck Model
Model
Engine Size
Size
My first paint job was roller and epoxy primer. Other than looking more grey than black it lasted without issues.Was all that I could really do in apartment complex that would actually work as a sealer.
You must be registered for see images attach
 

mcarlo86

Full Access Member
Joined
May 17, 2019
Posts
565
Reaction score
1,039
Location
ND
First Name
Brian
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
Suburban
Engine Size
350
I’m pretty sure I have shared this before, but the ‘57 Willys in this picture is my Dad’s. He sprayed it with Rustoleum (not rattle cans, but bought it in quarts or gallons and used an actual paint gun) in 1980 that he bought at the local hardware store. He didn’t have room in his garage to store it, so the Jeep sat outside from then until about 2010. The paint has faded some, but all things considered, it has held up very well. He used it for his hunting/odd job work pickup all those years. Hauled gravel in the back, branches, etc. The paint never peeled and actually has proven to be quite durable.
You must be registered for see images attach
 
Last edited:

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,402
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
^True, I looked at all the $ he has in that truck. Plus it’s a daily and apparently in the winter salt belt too.
Spray bombing a truck of that value would be like building a custom home and putting linoleum on the floors. Sure it works but it actually detracts from the value more than it helped the cost.

But it's not just a beater truck, he wants to improve the looks.

If something is patched together and several colors, I'm all for spray painting it to make it look better. I've done that myself a couple or several times. Imho, there's nothing wrong with that at all. But no matter what, there's no hiding the fact that it was spray painted and it will look like it too, especially if the goal is glossy.

Besides that, decent spray paint is expensive these days. Buying a cheapo paint gun and then getting cheap paint (like from Tractor Supply) will hardly cost anymore than spray paint and it will look nicer.

I went purely from what he has written, hunting truck, daily ect. And made an assumption. I do not recall what it currently looks like nor did I realize the $ he has in the truck. I assumed and was wrong that it was more in the "beater truck", "patch together" condition when I suggested that rattle canning it would be ok.
 

Bennyt

Full Access Member
Joined
May 17, 2019
Posts
1,193
Reaction score
1,835
Location
Surprise
First Name
Ben
Truck Year
1977
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350
I've done three paint jobs under a $100 each way back in HS. Prices haven't gone up much on the Rustoleum gallons so should be comparable.

In high school, I painted my Jeep CJ7 with 2 gallons of Rustoleum with a cheap house painting airless Wagner gun. It actually turned out ok and lasted for 5 years until I sold it. It was my first time and the prep work was learned from the little one page card in a Haynes manual. Could barely make out your reflection but it was a Jeep.

I then color changed a camper shell from red to white with a gallon of Rustoleum. I put a orange peel texture in it. It was glossy and looked really good on the fiberglass/ plastic shell.

Painted a Toyota truck with graphics the same way my senior year. Way back before he was famous and just another kid at school, Mike Shinoda was an expert artist and he designed the graphics and 3 of us laid them out in my parents garage.

I see some jobs that some shops put out and can say what we did for a $100 was nicer than what you'd pay $1200 at a shop. Any decent paint job is going to run up to $5k min very fast.

I see guys with Eastwood paint and Harbor Freight guns turning out some nice stuff.
 

Camar068

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Posts
4,291
Reaction score
3,335
Location
Kentucky
First Name
David
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K10/LM7 5.3/4L60e/np208/3.73/32"
Engine Size
10 yrs Air Force
Looks like I'll prime the doors and fenders before installing. Then I'll practice on the parts I take off and go from there. I do have a spray gun thats never been used.
 

JeffK10America

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2020
Posts
334
Reaction score
721
Location
Easley sc
First Name
Jeff
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
350

sirweesarunch

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2019
Posts
366
Reaction score
846
Location
Oceanside
First Name
John
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
K30
Engine Size
454
Go to maaco or one of the car paint chains. Pay extra for catalyzed polyurethane. For less than a grand you got a decent paint job


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

rt66paul

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2016
Posts
230
Reaction score
109
Location
California
First Name
paul
Truck Year
1991 suburban
Truck Model
2500
Engine Size
7.4
You guys in other states are lucky. Here in Ca, most small body shops do not have a legal spray booth, they have to take the car to one and rent it, or have them spray it. The paint that is legal here is also different, since it must dry quickly without off gasses.

So a paint job here is going to cast you more money and won't be as good, its sure a good thing that we don't have rust problems here.
 

TX87R10

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2020
Posts
1,073
Reaction score
2,233
Location
Texas
First Name
Txr10
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
R10
Engine Size
305
I got mine done at the local Maaco. It had 4.7 out of 5 stars and I went in and talked with everyone who would work on my truck. They all took a liking to it so I was comfortable.

They took longer than expected but the job turned out great. I did not get any dents of dings repaired as I hate the look of a wavy truck body and I think the dings gave my truck character. If I was going to go any further on the prep I would have done it myself, not had them do it.

All in $2300 for full body paint with clear and a nice bed liner. I'll link the before and after for giggles but I think it was money well spent. - build thread - https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/picked-up-a-1987-r10.30187/

I think it was going to be $1500 before I added in some sanding and basic cleanup. $300 for the bedliner was a deal if I got the sanding so I went with it. Could have gotten out the door under $1k though if I didn't do the clear.
 

Grit dog

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2020
Posts
6,932
Reaction score
12,152
Location
Auburn, Washington
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1986, 1977
Truck Model
K20, C10
Engine Size
454, 350
Looks like I'll prime the doors and fenders before installing. Then I'll practice on the parts I take off and go from there. I do have a spray gun thats never been used.

Thats the spirit!
Honestly, unless you don’t have the time (but that’s really no different than rattle can job) but you have air and a paint gun and you are obviously doing some major improvement work (new doors and fenders), the last step is shooting it with paint. Plus, there’s plenty of places to “practice” and dial in your technique.
I can’t speak for the paint quality yet as I’ve only used their primer, but for quality, low priced paint, look up Tamco paint online.

Also remember, virtually anything you do with a pint gun can be corrected or perfected with wet sanding and polishing!
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
44,075
Posts
948,860
Members
36,145
Latest member
my82blazer
Top