After reading the threads here and on the mopar forum, I jumped into a huge project....Repainting my truck. I just want it to look decent/good, its not a show truck. I use it for work, but like to look Good doing it.

It needed it. The entire roof was cracked and pealing. There were several rock chips on the hood/fenders. No real body damage, but just needed freshening up.

So I read all I could on it. Went to Lowes bought Gloss white Rustolem, Hi density foam rollers, rags, pans, etc. Went to napa got 100, 800, 1000 grit paper.

I am now applying the 3 coat to the roof. Looks pretty good so far, Definitely a lot of wet sanding, and waiting for paint to dry, approx 8-10 hours.

If the roof turns out good, Im gonna move onto the whole truck. Probably to the doors and ext cab next. Then move onto the front clip.

I experimented on a spare door, it had 8 coats and looked great.

I'll update with picts.

If you want to know more, just google "$50 Paint Job" Some guy did his corvair, looks awesome, even one year later.

 

35 years ago I painted a $50 chevy with spray cans!!!! It did look ok.
You are going to finish it in clear coat? If it all goes bad, just cover it all in bed liner coating!!
Good luck.

 

I like the roll on bedliner idea, that would be killer. Dent and scratch resistant

 

I had a buddy who did that to his toyota pickup. he had it all setup for off roading, so the bedliner paint job was money for him. I had a 4runner that I did the lower third of the truck, all the way around in herculiner. it was pretty sick. awesome protection from gravel and the like.

only problem was the wind resitance was pretty noticeable (that plus it was a gutless truck).

edit---I mean the wind resistance was noticeable on HIS truck, not mine.

 

I've seen a couple cars that were done like that. Didn't turn out too bad IMO.

 

There is a guy around here that rather than paint his truck, he had Line-X applied to the rockers and then used some kind of 3M adhesive plastic in a Realtree Camo pattern applied. Looks pretty cool in a parking lot but kinda hard to see parked in a wooded area!

 

I painted a 66 chevy pu with rustoleum. Did the whole job on one day, sanding, taping, painting. But I went "high tech" , I used a wagner power sprayer
Two tone, blue with white roof , grille, front bumper. My buddies called it a
25/25 paint job, looked great from 25' going 25mph
Actually it turned out better than I figured it would, but it faded real fast, turned chalky. No clear coat and was never waxed. It was a beater and it looked better than before so I was satisfied.
But my escuse is that I was only 18 at the time

 

Rustolem is good paint. But here's another one you could try. Brightside one part polyurethane boat paint. It levels well and is VERY UV resistant and very glossy. I painted a camper shell on the spur of the moment with it years ago and it still looks shiny and good.

 

I did this with a couple of rattle cans of Rustoleum. Sanded down the original color, shot it with primer, then 3 coats of the metallic blue, and then finished it with 2 coats of clearcoat. Worked for me.

 

Its turning out real nice. Very smooth. A little sanding.
I found that thinner is better. When I think I get the paint thinned enough, I add a little more thinnner. Goes on smooth. Cant wait to buff and put it on the road.

 

My brother painted my parents old 83 Chevy K10 with flat black spray cans. It turned out great!

 

I've painted a few stock trailers with the stuff, they look 100% better after that treatment and it will last a few years.

 

As a kid I painted my 63 Rambler with black paint we "got" from a hanger on Elmendorf AFB. Than we drizzled orange paint on it. It looked like Hell, but was kind of cool at the same time.

 

Darn, i just had my air gun out shooting my RV with Rustoleum, to bad you weren't closer, we could of got a better price buying bulk. Mines coming out real nice, now I almost want to do the whole thing.

 

Looks good.
Mine is coming out great. Even the few nats that landed on it when wet, just sanded right out. I ve got 4 coats on it and it is looking real smooth and WHITE. Ill put on 4 more coats and hope fully have it done by Wednesday. I havent drive it in two weeks. This thing called "work" is really putting a cramp in my schedule. I do like my new job however.

Ill try to get some picts during and after painting.