Painting a truck

[Outlaw]

I have access to a paint booth and all tools needed to paint. I've NEVER used a paint gun before. I understand the concept though. I can prep the truck myself and etc. I'm just curious how hard is it to paint a truck the size of a Swepty Camper Special?

[nfury8]

It isn't bad. I was in exactly the same boat with my crew cab.
The hardest thing for me was just the size of it, like reaching across the hood
or the rear of the cab. It is quite a work out! Kind of a funny dance that has you
running back and forth to keep the gun in the same orientation to the panel,
since your arms aren't big enough, you have to move your body.

The color and paint type make a difference, and will you be painting it together
or apart? Mine was painted apart. You need LOTS OF SPACE to lay all those big
pieces out. I did have 2 extra doors though, but the bed wasn't even involved.
That is still to be painted.

I had been told my color would be tricky because of the metallic. The shop owner
did the doors first to give me a demo. There was some model (splotches) in the
metallic pattern on the doors. But I didn't have any trouble getting the metallic
to lay down right on the rest, after an old guru gave me a couple simple tips.
Luckily the model only shows when the doors lay flat or under fluorescent light.
Can't see it on the truck outside.

The clear was a lot harder. At first I was laying it down too light, which creates
extra orange peel. The shop owner said to lay it down heavier, which did make
the orange peel smooth out, but then I got it too heavy so there were extra runs
and sags. Since the color was fine, it is just a matter of wet sanding. However,
in hindsight I think it would have been easier for me to sand out a more uniform
orange peel, than the spotty drips and heavy spots considering my limited experience.

Beyond that, it will take way more time to prep than you think. That will also depend
on your color scheme. I went for a different interior color than exterior. That meant a
ton of extra taping. That was a money saving step though. The exterior is PPG base/clear,
but the interior is Rustoleam. $200 a gallon verses $20 a gallon, and easy touch up.

I had painted some smaller stuff before, but the big old truck was a bit different!
I would do it again in a minute and already have plans for my 71 Adventurer SE!

[Cageman]

Arun is way better than orangepeel in my opinion, especially if it is metallic, than you risk the chance of breaking through the clear and taking a wipe of metallic away, usually a run is heav, or thick, orange peel is dry, so to thin, and the low spot is what you have to sand away. You just have to have an eye for what the clear is doing, and after sanding a run or arange peel away, you never forget, LOL

[Russ]

My suggestion might not be what you want to hear, but if you have never sprayed paint, and are determined to do it your self, I would say stay away from any metallic color and don't use base/clear paint. My advice is to find a Sherwin Williams auto paint store and get a single stage enamel with the eurethane hardener. Use their recommended system of paint, hardener, and reducer, and use a hvlp paint gun. The mixing and spraying instructions are on the containers. I've painted several cars and trucks over the years and this was the easiest paint that I have ever used.

[Outlaw]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm not sure when i'm going to do this but the thought is in the back of my head. I'm trying to stay focused on my 53 Chevy right now but i'm just not happy with the look/stance of my Dodge. Since the Camper Special is so big its going to cost me a small fortune to get it painted. I figured i might be able to save a couple thousand and do it myself.

[nfury8]

I would have to go back and double check, but I think my color and clear cost
about $600 for 2 gallons of color and 2 gallons of clear and the reducers and
hardner. It was PPG Deltron, for fleet use. That got the price down and was
supposed to be better for panel painting and matching later. I had originally
picked a Mopar color that had pearl in it, and we matched it up to a color for
a Mack truck that is a dead ringer, but only metallic. It only took one gallon
of each to do the everything but the bed. So I should have some left after the
bed. I don't plan to paint the inside of the box in color. It will by Rustoleam
and then Rhino.

The old guru told me to lay the metallic down in 5-6 super light coats, instead
of 2-3 medium coats, and let it completely flash between coats. It went perfect!
I didn't have to wait at all, the truck was so big it was dry and and ready to go
again by the time I finished each coat. The guy that did the doors did one
medium waited, and then laid down another medium, but immediately laid down
the next one on the same part, rather than finish them all and wait. So it modeled.

When I told the guru guy about the model he asked me to describe how the guy
(which he knew) did it. Then he said, that is why it modeled, and then added
"He always does that, and has problems". DOH! Glad I talked to him! The doors
aren't noticable, but the hood would have been, luckily I did it myself.

[nfury8]

The current issue (got mine today) of Mopar Muscle has a very basic overview
of painting a vehicle yourself. It is probably too basic to be much help, but
it might be worth a glance if you get MM.