Rattle Can?

[duke10]

I see the term rattle can being thrown around here on the forum a lot. I understand it to mean spray paint from a can, but what kind of spray paint?
Is there a certain brand Rustoleum for instance that works best?
I just picked up a C20 that I would like to get some white paint on the top.
I also want to spray the interior door panels and was wondering which paint works best for that application?
Thanks for any replies and direction.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

IMO, skip the rattle cans and paint the areas with a gun.

[1968aj]

I would tear it down to bare frame and let it sit in your garage for several years while you restore it. NEVER MIND. I WOULD SAND IT TAPE IT RATTLE CAN IT AND DRIVE THE WHEELS OFF OF IT.

[70 shorty]

I "rattle canned" mine and had good results. I just used Rustoleum off the shelf a Lowe's. I did it last summer and it looks just as good today, and I get compliments all the time. Does it look like a professional paint job? Not by a long shot, but it does have a shine to it, and it does look better than the primer that was on it for years.

[rockyrivermark]

I brushed and rolled a '78 caprice when I was younger.
Looked awesome on rainy days.
RRM

[Problems]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

IMO, skip the rattle cans and paint the areas with a gun.

X2

You certainly don’t need to tear it down and do a frame off resto. But a cheap HF paint gun and some single stage paint will look better, last longer, and probably be cheaper than all the rattle cans you would need to paint it.

People fear the paint gun, it’s easier than a rattle can IMO

[Barnfind46]

If you go the spray gun rout make sure you cover everything so no overspray gets on your hood,fenders,doors,wife's car,house,neighbor's car and so on.

[Robznob11]

You can actually get great results if you buy OEM ( match ) paint in the rattle can. You can also get 2k clear in the spray can on line , Eastwood etc sells it. It is a 2 part just like if you use a gun. Olympic white would work well that's the color of my truck....prep it as if you were going to use a gun!

[duke10]

So just regular Rustoleum in Olympic White?
Is the OEM paint available at the dealer?
I just want this truck to look a little better than it looks right now.
Cover up some of the rust coming through the white on the roof.
This truck is a beater, just for hauling surfboards and loaning to friends.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by rockyrivermark

I brushed and rolled a '78 caprice when I was younger.
Looked awesome on rainy days.
RRM

Ha, I had a 78 Caprice. Two door burgundy Classic. Nice beautiful ride until about 75K, then everything broke...............what a piece a crap.

[3757chevy]

...https://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-B.../dp/B004PL8LKQ GM polar white

[Robznob11]

Originally Posted by duke10

So just regular Rustoleum in Olympic White?
Is the OEM paint available at the dealer?
I just want this truck to look a little better than it looks right now.
Cover up some of the rust coming through the white on the roof.
This truck is a beater, just for hauling surfboards and loaning to friends.

Go with SEM
Amazon.com: SEM 19403 Olympic White Factory Pack Aerosol - 12 oz.: Automotive
https://www.amazon.com/SEM-19403-Oly.../dp/B004JWWKAS

[Swar]

You can buy Fast Dry gloss or flat white spray paint at Walmart for $1 a can. I primed my whole truck with it in flat black and then went over it with duplicolor black pearl. Looks pretty damn good for spray paint. Spray guns are overrated for daily drivers, because guess what happens when you get a chip or scratch? You gotta break out the touch up cans anyway.

[hotwls13]

My vote is get some rustoleum or krylon at walmart. Pick the white closest to what u want.

I'm seriously considering painting my entire truck with Krylon. My truck is a beater, not original paint, lots of chips, dents and some rust. I plan to clean up the rust, put some bondo where needed and spray it myself. I have a compressor, mask and cheapy HF gun already (the $9.99 one). I will be painting it on the side of my house under carport (plan to put up plastic, AC filter on one end, exhaust fan on the other and wet the cement). But I still think the Rattle Cans will be easier (no mixing, no cleaning or loading spray-gun) and cheaper (figure I can paint the whole truck with 10-15 cans, $40-60).

Be aware though that if you decide in the future to repaint with automotive paint out of a gun, you will probably have to remove all the cheap rattle can stuff completely (more work).

Anyway, I say just use what's available and will look decent for a driver.

[kenr74]

I rattle canned an old Jeep once. Turned out looking great. I did end up using about twice as many cans as I thought I would though.

[rockyrivermark]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

Ha, I had a 78 Caprice. Two door burgundy Classic. Nice beautiful ride until about 75K, then everything broke...............what a piece a crap.

mine went on to win a demo derby after sold it to buddy.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by rockyrivermark

mine went on to win a demo derby after sold it to buddy.

[HO455]

Stick with enamel and avoid lacquer as it may react with the existing paint. Lots of thin coats, wet sand with 400 every other coat. Then buff it out when your done. A good waxing schedule will help it stay looking good over the long run. I've done several motorcycles this way.

[67chevemall]

Tremclad flat black everything. ...

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

You guys have more faith in rattle cans than I do, and might know better too. I bombed my frame long ago, front in Rustoleum and rear in Krylon. Rustoleum was the better of the two, held up surprisingly well.

Seems to me that paint through a gun is better quality. One option is a "Preval-sprayer". Though a gun is likely better, I've used them with good results, small areas only. Not sure about that cab, might need a back-up ready to go. - Take it for what it's worth, my paint experience is small.

[Robznob11]

Fwiw....I had a 99 white grand am a chunk of paint the size of my hand came off the roof. I went sanded the primer and shot it with the SEM and blended it out. After several coats I went sanded and buffed the area. When I sold it the dealership did not even catch the fix.

[hotwls13]

I'd be interested in seeing a breakdown of the costs involved to do a cheapy scuff and spray with rattle can vs doing it with automotive single stage kit.

About 10 years ago, my Dad had a late 70's stepside he picked up for $1100 and drove it home. It was an ugly flat purple color and the only color he likes is black. On the drive home from picking it up, he stopped at walmart and bought about 15 cans of Krylon Satin Black (he was going for rustoleum, but Krylon was $1 per can cheaper).

Once home, Me, my Dad and my 15yr old Son, scuffed the purple paint with red scotchbrite pads, taped it off with blue masking tape and newspaper. Wiped it down with some damp towels. Air bombed the whole thing right there in the driveway under a carport. We put 3 coats on it. There were a few runs and we missed a few spots (that were easily patched later). My Dad drove that truck for a few Years, sold it to another guy who drove it a couple and then my Dad bought it back again, drove it for a couple more. As far as I know it's still running around with the krylon paint job (my dad recently sold it again). Looked like a black primered/satin'd truck. Nothing fancy but night and day difference from the previous paint.

Found the pics. Looks like it was 8yrs ago and it was a 73.

[phat69]

Rustoleum Appliance epoxy works good. warm the can up before you spray it.

[Problems]

Originally Posted by hotwls13

I'd be interested in seeing a breakdown of the costs involved to do a cheapy scuff and spray with rattle can vs doing it with automotive single stage kit

A gallon and a half of 2k flat black urethane is $134 on eBay a cheap gun is $9.99 at Harbor Freight. 1.5 gallons is 192 ounces, rustoleum comes in 12oz cans so that’s 16 cans of Rustoleum. Rustoleum flat black is $3.98 a can at my local Home Depot so that’s $63.68. 143.99 minus 63.68 makes the spray gun finish $80.31 more expensive. You can get Rustoleum in a quart can and cut it with acetone to spray that’s $8.88 a quart so with a gun it’s the exact same price as rattle cans.

I know some people are on tight budgets but $80 gets you a 2k urethane finish vs an acrylic enamel finish. Urethane is more durable and will hold up to UV better, also most people will get a more even finish. I know some people are great with a can, but the small spray pattern isn’t the best for even application. Seems well worth it to me, in the long run Urethane will last.

Every one has their own budget and their own vision of what is good enough on their ride so I won’t put down anyone’s paint job or methods. I am just a backyard guy no experience. Here is the bottom of my Firebird done with Satin in a HF gun.

[hotwls13]

Originally Posted by Problems

Every one has their own budget and their own vision of what is good enough on their ride so I won’t put down anyone’s paint job or methods. I am just a backyard guy no experience. Here is the bottom of my Firebird done with Satin in a HF gun.

That looks good. U said u used satin. Satin 2k or rustoleum??

Also, I’m in California so any paint kit I would get would require LOW VOC. Not sure if there are any flat low voc kits out there. Probably are but I didn’t see any.

I just put this on this evening. It’s the color I’m going with on my truck. Haven’t decided if I’m gonna rattle can the whole thing or get a single stage kit in a matching color or somehow get rustoleum in a gallon matched to the color and spray with a gun. Just wanted to get the color on before putting the bed on.

It’s Krylon Satin Sea Glass out of a rattle can.