Suggestions on primer for my topper

[codfish]

Picked up a topper for my 84 for $40. Great shape except for busted front glass. No big deal.

Anyhow a few touch ups here and there and I’m getting closer to priming it before paint.

I’ll be tackling this myself. What primer should I use? Here’s a pic of a can of paint that came with the truck. I’ll be getting a quart of the same paint mixed before I start.

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[fast 99]

Be sure to wipe it down several times with wax and grease remover. To release fiberglass from molds they use wax. Sanding the surface brings it out/up.

 

[RecklessWOT]

Why'd you pay $40 for a free cap? The listing even says "free", did you let the guy change his mind last minute and talk you into paying for something that was listed as a giveaway?

 

[codfish]

Ah no

When I went to pick it up it was in MUCH better shape than he had described and I had been looking for one for almost 2 years. And I could tell that the old guy could probably use the big whopping $40. I’d probably give him more but that’s all the cash I had on me at the time.

Sorry but that’s the way I was raised. And I had to pretty much force him to take it.

Thanks for the advice.

Codfish

 

[CalSgt]

Picked up a topper for my 84 for $40. Great shape except for busted front glass. No big deal.

Anyhow a few touch ups here and there and I’m getting closer to priming it before paint.

I’ll be tackling this myself. What primer should I use? Here’s a pic of a can of paint that came with the truck. I’ll be getting a quart of the same paint mixed before I start.

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Sir,

How much paint is in that can? If there's plenty in there I would just try to get the appropriate activator and reducer and use it up. Here's the product tech sheet for the paint you have, it shows what products to mix it with https://www.axalta.com/content/dam/...ents/TDS/NSN-TDS-Ful-Thane-IS-Quality-Eng.pdf

But if you're buying more paint get whatever brand single stage urethane you have access to in your area & just get it color matched to the truck. Any decent paint store should have a color matching system.

For primer I like Summit racing products (Note: you need to print up the technical product sheets and buy the matching reducers, activators, or catalysts too).
I'd recommend the DTM Epoxy primer to seal everything https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-up234q
Followed by a few coats of High Build Urethane surfacer https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-up230q
Since the paint you have is urethane these should be compatible.

Clean it like @fast 99 says, spray the epoxy, let it flash then spray two good heavy coats of surfacer with flash time in between. Let it cure for a few days, wet sand with 400, after its been blocked out wash everything again and squirt your single stage topcoat.

Epoxy has a topcoat window of 4 days (for the Summit stuff), past that it needs to be sanded before anything gets layered on top. Epoxy is a PIA to sand that's why I recommend doing the epoxy and surfacer on the same day.

I like to use contrasting color epoxy and surfacer so when you start to sand through the surfacer you see the epoxy and can stop before you sand all the way through to the steel or fiberglass. If you sand through the epoxy you will need to touch it up with a little more epoxy before paint.

 

[codfish]

Excellent info sir. Thanks for that.

That can is full. I’m not sure how much the topper will need.

I can get the exact same brand/type locally at Napa. I’ll get the other items there as well. Summit won’t ship certain items to Canada.

Thanks again

Codfish

 

[RecklessWOT]

Ah no

When I went to pick it up it was in MUCH better shape than he had described and I had been looking for one for almost 2 years. And I could tell that the old guy could probably use the big whopping $40. I’d probably give him more but that’s all the cash I had on me at the time.

Sorry but that’s the way I was raised. And I had to pretty much force him to take it.

Thanks for the advice.

Codfish

Advice? I don't remember giving out any, was just joking around on the internet.
I respect that and probably would've done the same myself.

Buuuuut, given your condescending response instead of just explaining, it looks like you were raised to be a pr!ck, so yeah that's cool. Have fun being better than everyone else I guess.

PS: Cod is gross, get some haddock or salmon

 

[Johninbc]

Epoxy primer for the Urethane, will also adhere to the polyester of the cap. Just be careful with the primer colour as scratches in the outer finish will show up in contrast. Once used rust red primer with a green metalflake overcoat. Live and learn!

 

[Grit dog]

Zero need for epoxy primer. Maybe no need for primer at all, on fiberglass, but the quantity question is tough. Dunno how many coats you may need (thinking not many if the condition and sanding prep is proper) and double it if you’re color matching the inside too.

Personally unless you’re painting it to sell, using cheap paint products is foolish especially in your situation with a very nice truck that you plan on not only keeping long term but also daily driving.
Think about it.

 

[Rudy Mienert]

all the above advice is accurate, but I would get another quart mixed of the same product and color, because that top seems a bit large for a single stage paint to cover.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Why'd you pay $40 for a free cap? The listing even says "free", did you let the guy change his mind last minute and talk you into paying for something that was listed as a giveaway?

Then he sanded all the paint off of it.
It was even the same color!
I vote for KILZ with a roller.

Welcome to the internet.

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[JACK34]

SPI Epoxy.

 

[codfish]

Then he sanded all the paint off of it.
It was even the same color!
I vote for KILZ with a roller.

Welcome to the internet.

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Same color??

Check your monitor settings.

Not even close!

 

[84GMCSierra]

Nice truck sir. Looks great. I'm going to do the same with mine. The blue I'm going to use is Strata Blue, actual USAF blue, and the topper will be the same. I'm making a re creation of an old flightline vehicle, complete with a lightbar with amber lenses, and serial number on the doors. Serial number will of course be the year of my truck(84) then the month and year I went in to basic.

 

[84GMCSierra]

This is the look I'm going for