DIY Paintjob

[2bo.c10]

Hey Everyone.

Wanting to paint my truck and got a quote from Earl Scheib for $1700. This includes the door jambs, sanding it down smooth / prep, painting the top half of the cab white and doing the lower 1/2 in whatever color I choose.

How many of you guys have painted your truck yourselves (NOT including rattle can).

Can you please post some pics of the outcome and if you have any step by steps or pics from the process, those would be appreciated too! I know nothing about painting.

Also, anyone have any experience with an Earl Schieb paint job?

Thanks in advance!

[damnyankee36]

I'm sure lots of people here have experience in doing their own paint jobs; amateur or professionally. But what you ask is a lot of info to be presented here.

My suggestion would be to first go to body work/painting forums to get educated on this subject.

I routinely go to http://www.autobody101.com/forums/ and http://autobodystore.com/.

Good luck!

[AcampoDave]

Maaco is doing their annual sale right now.

[LT1 Burb]

I did most of my own, I learned by reading and paying attention to the spec sheets, asked my paint supplier a thousand questions and listened. I started shooting epoxy, and them primer, on floors and stuff it didn't matter. Then firewall color, under floors etc. Be aware though that I have probably 4000.00 in material in my truck and a couple thousand in tools.

[jhrusk]

LT1 not to mention a TON of hours invested

[LT1 Burb]

Originally Posted by jhrusk

LT1 not to mention a TON of hours invested

Oh yeah, and a 1000 hours of labor at free.

[63burban]

If you are not real fussy I would definitely go the MAACO route, much cheaper than anything else but remember. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

[jchav62]

Me and my brother painted my '62 in the backyard... after weeks of prep work. That was about 17 years ago... I added the white top with rattle bombs a few years later.

[LVPhotos]

90% prep 10% paint. I would prefer to paint in a booth. But did a lot of semis outside.
Growing up we did a 80s stepside did the prep and drove to Shieb with all trim off prepped the truck in parking lot, taped jambs and such... $500. paint at that time $75 gal for 817A white, base no color. Lost track of truck 10yrs after but paint still looked good even being a toy hauler to the sand.
If in garage make sure you tape off doors and wall because the paint will get in house. check if legal just incase nosey neighbors turn you in. But 1200 not bad because the price of paint. CA requires water base paint now I believe. By time you get gun and materials your already half way there. I personally Have more than that just in prep even with a "clean" truck and I did most of the work, but a real pro took over where I left off.

[Clyde65]

You can take a course at a local community college and learn how to paint your truck and also paint it while in class. I did this (night class) and learned tons...enough to know what auto painting takes to do it right as well as knowing it is not my cup of tea.

Good luck!

[nail pounder]

We had Earl Scheib paint one of our work trucks white, just a scuff and shoot single stage. Cost $1400, I had to have them respray a few spots (they were not happy) because of chips they missed and crappy masking. It has some orange peel but over all it's good for a work truck. My daughter and I painted my 66 at home in a carport tent. Cost was about $475 in paint, $200 for a decent gun, maybe $100 in sand paper, already had a big compressor. Lot of hours in prep work, hard to count because I did it over about a year, bodywork, primer etc. Painting took 3 Saturdays, one for white, one for blue, one for interior. Probably another 40hr in cut and buffing. I had orange peel and a couple runs, but it all buffed out. I'd say it's at least as good of quality as Earl, maybe better. My daughter and I made some fun memories and when someone complements it I can say we did it. I learned a lot about painting and I'm sure my Apache paint will be ever better when I get to that point. It still hurts everytime someone door dings it but it's a driver and I'm not in debt over a paint job.

[2bo.c10]

Originally Posted by Clyde65

You can take a course at a local community college and learn how to paint your truck and also paint it while in class. I did this (night class) and learned tons...enough to know what auto painting takes to do it right as well as knowing it is not my cup of tea.

Good luck!

great idea!!!

[2bo.c10]

Originally Posted by jchav62

Me and my brother painted my '62 in the backyard... after weeks of prep work. That was about 17 years ago... I added the white top with rattle bombs a few years later.

looks awesome!!!

[rvrfoot]

Originally Posted by nail pounder

We had Earl Scheib paint one of our work trucks white, just a scuff and shoot single stage. Cost $1400, I had to have them respray a few spots (they were not happy) because of chips they missed and crappy masking. It has some orange peel but over all it's good for a work truck. My daughter and I painted my 66 at home in a carport tent. Cost was about $475 in paint, $200 for a decent gun, maybe $100 in sand paper, already had a big compressor. Lot of hours in prep work, hard to count because I did it over about a year, bodywork, primer etc. Painting took 3 Saturdays, one for white, one for blue, one for interior. Probably another 40hr in cut and buffing. I had orange peel and a couple runs, but it all buffed out. I'd say it's at least as good of quality as Earl, maybe better. My daughter and I made some fun memories and when someone complements it I can say we did it. I learned a lot about painting and I'm sure my Apache paint will be ever better when I get to that point. It still hurts everytime someone door dings it but it's a driver and I'm not in debt over a paint job.

Maybe we can trade labor. I will mow your lawn you paint my truck. lol

[2bo.c10]

Originally Posted by nail pounder

We had Earl Scheib paint one of our work trucks white, just a scuff and shoot single stage. Cost $1400, I had to have them respray a few spots (they were not happy) because of chips they missed and crappy masking. It has some orange peel but over all it's good for a work truck. My daughter and I painted my 66 at home in a carport tent. Cost was about $475 in paint, $200 for a decent gun, maybe $100 in sand paper, already had a big compressor. Lot of hours in prep work, hard to count because I did it over about a year, bodywork, primer etc. Painting took 3 Saturdays, one for white, one for blue, one for interior. Probably another 40hr in cut and buffing. I had orange peel and a couple runs, but it all buffed out. I'd say it's at least as good of quality as Earl, maybe better. My daughter and I made some fun memories and when someone complements it I can say we did it. I learned a lot about painting and I'm sure my Apache paint will be ever better when I get to that point. It still hurts everytime someone door dings it but it's a driver and I'm not in debt over a paint job.

that is awesome that you and your daughter did it! LOVE THAT APACHE!!

[2bo.c10]

Originally Posted by rvrfoot

Maybe we can trade labor. I will mow your lawn you paint my truck. lol

Ill trim the hedges!

[nail pounder]

Originally Posted by rvrfoot

Maybe we can trade labor. I will mow your lawn you paint my truck. lol

Hah! I'll take that as a compliment and I appreciate the offer...but I aside from the instant gratification I really don't like painting. But around my house, I'm the carpenter, mechanic, plumber, gardener, painter & dad. I have a hard time paying people to do something I can do myself... except maybe the plumbing

[nail pounder]

Originally Posted by 2bo.c10

that is awesome that you and your daughter did it! LOVE THAT APACHE!!

Thanks, & yeah it was fun, she's got her heart set on the 66 . We finished it a couple years ago and been slowly plugging away at the 58 (my truck). Finished the drive/power train last winter, stripping paint, shooting epoxy and waiting for my drop axel from Sid's now. It's something that just her and I do, my boy is a little young yet but he's learning.

[2bo.c10]

so awesome! Great parenting!

[nail pounder]

Originally Posted by 2bo.c10

so awesome! Great parenting!

Thanks, I appreciate that. I'd say if you are a DIYer then paint it, especially if you plan on doing other vehicles down the road. Read everything you can, make sure the weather conditions are right to paint and practice on metal trash cans or old body parts first. By the time I finished the 66 I was finally getting pretty good and I could see how the paint flows. If this is a one shot deal & you've got more money than time, have it done because it is a lot of work. If you go that route I'd say save up like $5k and go to a more reputable shop. Earl Scheib was good for a work truck but I'd be disappointed if it was on a classic.

Food for thought, $1700 could buy a nice a$$ compressor, paint gun, paint and other tools. Oh, and don't cheap out on the gun, I tried a harbor freight HVLP and had poor and frustrating results. The $200 devilbliss came with three tip sizes and sprays with consistent results every time. My issues were strictly operator error. Good luck and let's see some pics of your truck as is!

[scottmitchellrose]

gorgeous- hope i can do as well as y'all.

[nsb29]

my brother took an old ford to Palm Springs Maako for me white single stage could not believe how good it came out a couple years later he decided to take his Dooley for a quick paint job Bad orange peel don’t know how my old Ford held up I didn’t keep it that long but the paint on the Dooley fading pretty fast they don’t use the best paint I painted my 65 in my garage and a couple of box fans for exhaust I used quality paint and primer’s close to four grand But that included Chassie paint

[Steeveedee]

I've gotten in a hurry and have had two vehicles painted by Earl Scheib, and one of my sons did on one of his cars. Three for three, unsatisfactory work. First one, they didn't put enough paint on, and when I took it back, they painted it the wrong color! That's the two mistakes. The other one was the over spray. Paint inside the car. Really!? I've painted about half a dozen vehicles in my driveway with much better results. Acrylic lacquer is the best! My most recent paint endeavor was the roof on my truck. I cleaned up the minor surface rust in the rain gutter and painted the whole roof. That was catalyzed paint, so I had to wear a Tyvek suit and a respirator, even though the garage door was open. #notdyingthisweek Can't get gallon cans of lacquer any more here in California. The over spray made a nice speckle finish on my iPod that was sitting on the workbench!

[scottmitchellrose]

Here is my 70 K10. I need to put fiberglass in the holes in the rockers (don't want to weld in new metal now- another year maybe- been working mechanically on her for 2 years just want to drive!!). i figure I could use about 180 grit and go over the whole body. I probably need self etching primer in a number of places- some rust is coming through on the new after market fenders. Then I need I guess 3 layers of sandable primer (recommendations? Epoxy for all etching and sandable primers? acrylic? I'm clueless... and do i wet sand the primers- and if so what grit?). Then a coat or 2 of paint with wet sanding (1000 grit?) in between. then wet sand the final coat of paint (?) then spray on clear coat? Thanks for advice. I do have a compressor. I painted a bed several years ago- self etching primer then acrylic paint. NO PRIMER between- and that was a mistake...!

[Robert Haas]

Preparation is 95% of painting. That, and a damn clean/dry air source will get you in the ball park. I don't expect folks doing their first few jobs to step up to pro level equipment but there is a reason the pros spend over a grand on a gun and have different guns for different tasks.

My paint game leaped big time when I joined the high dollar gun club.

Shooting single stage jobs with little to no metallic or pearls is doable in a garage or walled off car port on a windless, warm morning. Remember to get the hose out and totally soak the floor under the vehicle just before you shoot. I do not recommend using air circulation fans as they do tend to blow crap into fresh paint.

Couple other good tips is to understand the difference between primers and sealers, and do not skimp on de-nubbing the primer between coats.

Put the color on within 1 hour of the final sealer coat. It will enhance the bond tremendously.


Invest in the proper masking materials and learn to wrap the vehicle in plastic to cover any areas not being shot. (This is to actually keep the dirt and dust that is on the vehicle from being blown out on to your paint)

Use your dried air source with a blow off nozzle to clear any dust and sanding residue in the seams and joints just before you tack off.

Do not use rags and cloths as a tack cloth. Buy the correct product and use a tack off solvent not lacquer thinner.

Practice practice practice with your gun so you have good speed and distance control.