My Thanksgiving project

[Red_SC]

Several years back, I gave my '80 a Krylon camo paint job. It's held up pretty well, but I'm ready for a change. Camo was great when it was my hunting truck, but now that it's become my daily driver again, it is time to go more conventional. I'm planning to do the body right sometime after deer season, and after I get one or two more things done to it, but I wanted to try out a color combination or two first. So, I picked up some Rustoleum from Lowe's the other night.

First, I went over the whole thing finding spots where rust was bubbling the original paint up, and chipping down to metal. Then, I went over the rough spots it with an orbital sander and 60 grit trying to even things up a little, followed by 120 over the whole body. After blowing it off thoroughly, I pulled it into the back room of the shop. I'm going to have to do some rearranging when I get serious about a good paint job later on- kinda tight the way it is now.

Now, I've gotten most of it taped off, just have to do the glass and put something behind the grille to keep it off the radiator and AC condenser.

Stay tuned for updates.

[SCscoutguy]

That is some good progress Jamie. Did you get any time to work on the truck today?

[Red_SC]

I did, but it isn't going that well. See my thread here:

About ready to throw this paint sprayer!

If you have any words of wisdom, they'd be welcome.

[Ted H]

Jamie, I noticed you were between 60 and 75 psi. I my experience the HVLP guns only need about 45-50 psi at the gun inlet. It helps to have a regulator at the gun inlet to adjust accurately. You can get one for 10-15 bucks.

[Red_SC]

I just got your message, Ted. I'll have to try to get one for next time.

I started out running 60 PSI, and bumped it up trying to get it to atomize. Today after I played around with it, I ended up at 50.

I thinned it out more, and the it started looking somewhat better. I still wasn't perfectly satisfied, but since I'm under time constraints, I went with it. We'll see what it looks like in the sunlight.

Black on, awaiting red:

[Bruce Shealy]

Nice progress,..I have rednecked a few paint jobs in my time,..but it looks like you are stepping it up a notch. Looks good.

[Red_SC]

Finally got the red on this evening. I'd planned to get it done over the Thanksgiving holiday, but surprisingly, things took longer than expected. Got delayed a day trying to figure out how to get a smooth coat of paint, and another day when the black took longer than expected to dry enough for tape.

Here are the pics of it as it sits right now. I'll post some more pics when the tape and plastic come off.

[SCscoutguy]

Man that looks awesome! You need to stop when you start driving it so I can see it in person. What is the plastic and tape on the hood? Are you doing some sort of black stripe on the hood? Anyway that thing looks great.

[Red_SC]

Yep, the raised part will be black.

[Mitch Neal]

That looks great Jamie, looking forward to the finished product.