ADVICE NEEDED... on DIY Paint/Prices/Ideas

[72Levi]

I really want to paint my truck, the paints fading and I would like to do base coat/clear coat. Does anyone know where to find good paint at a reasonable price? I want to paint it the original Red/Orange code 524 on a 1972 Cheyenne Super Stepside. PPG wants $256.00 a gallon OUCH... seems high? I can shoot it myself but would prefer someone with a nice booth. Anyone in south Texas shoot paint? IDEAS? Can anyone point me in the right direction to buy paint? Which is the best/brand for basecoat/clearcoat? Thanks all.

[72Levi]

ANYONE anyone at all? For a site supporter

[71chevylowrider]

Sorry I'm no help, but maybe try posting it in the paint & body section?

[SacramentoJoe]

If you are going through all the trouble of painting, use the best paint you can find. I used Standox base/clear and sealant since I though it was one of the best. Used Evercoat featherfill poly primer underneath. Shoulda used a couple more coats of that.

[73737373]

WEt sand and buff it first before you go to all the hassle of a paint job that will never be as good as what came from the factory. 1200-1500 grit paper and some 3M polishing compound will do the trick. Hi speed buffer will make the job go quicker, but hand rubbing works, too. Go to your local auto paint store. they'll tell you exactly what you need to use. Materials will be less than $50 and your results are immediate.

[70c10]

NAPA sells paint and it's affordable too!

[67ChevyRedneck]

I used a single stage urethane paint. It took about 1 1/2 gallons to do 2 good coats on the outside of the truck only.

I should have done a couple more coats of primer and block sanding, but I was very limited on time and $$$.

I think paint/primer for my 67 set me back about $300 or so.

I'm not 100% happy with how it came out, but it's nice for a driver and I probably saved 2K over a body shop paint job.

[70GMCer]

This is what I use.........

http://smartshoppersinc.com/

[sleepyboy]

In SA, a place for paint is Gladwin on Broadway. It is on Broadway by IH-35/281; not 410. If you exit 410 to Broadway, it's past the Witte Musuem and Our Lady of the Lake college. It will be on the left hand side about another mile or so. There is another one in town off of Fredricksburg near downtown but I cannot remember the name.

[SacramentoJoe]

73737373 has a good point. If you paint is just faded then you should see if you can polish it to get it looking shiny again. Try a pure polish first, if no help then get a compund to cut it. Meguiars has a good line of products.

[piecesparts]

You get what you pay for. Go for the quality brands and enjoy the difference in brilliance and longivity.

[byrd]

Originally Posted by 70GMCer

This is what I use.........

http://smartshoppersinc.com/

That is who I am using as well, their about 20 minutes from the house

[ChevyFan24]

Paint products are continually rising. Several major paint companies have just had a 5% increase. Any colors with large amounts red pigment are going to cost more but you get what you pay for. If you are wanting a high quality paint job it will be worth the money to purchase one of the name brand products on the market. PPG, Dupont, Sikkens, Spies, ect. If you want a nice driver type paint job look at the off brands made by one of the larger companies like Nason by Dupont. I think most of them have more economical lines to choose from. Hope this helps.

[RustyParts]

I just bought a gallon of clear urethane, quart of activator, Gallon of Silver Birch basecoat, gallon of medium reducer for $203.54. The brand name is "Omni" a cheaper brand of PPG I think.

Just finished my floors and dash paints pretty well.

[stevess11]

Nice job rusty. Looks great

[BJA69C10]

I'll be using the new Auto Air colors, a water based piant for color, with a clear from dupont most likely. Have used auto air yet, but im curious about so, hey ill give it a try.

As far as buffing the factory paint goes...be careful, because most factory paint jobs don't have a very thick clear coat. Wet sanding is possibly, but be careful, especially near edges. And although you may be tempted to use a high speed buffer, you will be more likely to burn through the clear, forcing a repaint...just my opinion.

-Brad

[JCA1972]

Oreilly's sells Dupont paint. Not sure of the price thou.

[72CSTC5]

It is true what you have heard that you get what you pay for. Some of the less expensive lines are good too as they are USUALLY discontinued products of the top of the line brand. I would not skimp on the basecoat though. You will see the less expensive brands will take more coats so are you really saving any money?

[TONE]

I Have Used Many Different Paint Brands. I'm Using Ppg Deltron On My Current Frame-off, A 1967 Lwb. I Love It, It Looks Beautiful, But It Is On The Expensive Side. One Of The Brands I Have Enjoyed Using The Most Is Dupont Imron. Reasonably Priced, Excellent Coverage, Easy To Use, And Very Durable. In Hind Sight, I Kind Of Wish I Was Using It On This Truck. The Ppg Is Taking About Twice As Many Coats As Dupont Does, And That Is Also Something To Keep In Mind When Figuring Up Prices And Quantities. Good Luck!!

[cfoust3]

I know everyone says you get what you pay for on paint, but from experience I would say good bodywork, wet sanding and polishing are much more important than the paint you use. Great paint can look awful if it isn't laid down over a good surface or if you don't wet sand correctly. Cheap paint (may not hold up as well over time) can look great if the prep and polish are done well.

Time and elbow grease are the MOST important part of a good paint job. IMO

[49studebaker]

Ya, cfoust3 is absolutely right. Nason paint is $118 a gallon, probably depends on the color but I've seen some really good looking projects using it. With their new system (single stage) you can add a clear in the last coat that comes out really nice. Or you can buy paint for $300 a gallon, do poor prep work or don't take care of it after it's on the road and the expensive job won't be looking that hot in a few years. I would assume a cheaper single stage that was washed and waxed on a timely basis would make a lot of truck owners happy. I'm going with something more expensive than nason and a bc/cc, but I fully agree with foust! JMO

[wibilly]

i used kirker paint from smart shopper.comon my truck. i think it's way better than omni and you can't beat the price. i also agree that the prep is most important no matter what you use i'm doing a driver next and a'm seriously concidering tractor paint or industrial enamel

[72Levi]

THANKS ALL! I am going to try the wet sanding/polish first and build up some $$$ for some good paint in the future. My ultimate goal is a frame off some day. I will try to buff it out and if it does not work, no loss, I was going to paint it anyways. Again thanks for all the advise, I can always count on all of you.

[BigSky71]

I am doing my own painting and using PPG Concept single stage. The stuff is expensive, Torch Red is $364 a gallon, plus another $80 for hardener and another $50 or so for reducer. I have never sprayed the old school laquers but imo this new paint is really easy to put on. I have not found a way to make it come out not shiny, and with practice I am getting it pretty flat too [little orange peel]. So far I have just done the backs of my body and the inside. Plan on doing the outside in about a month or so...