Paint and Body

Modified FSJ Tech Area
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

Hello Folks.
Looking for some input from someone who might have more experience in this field than myself.
As you can see, I've started prepping my J3000 for paint. The truck was very rusty, so I figured the best course of action was to strip down to bare metal.

I have got about 1 bed side done, and now I am second guessing my current trajectory for a couple of reasons.
1) Sanding is a pain
2) I think I'm starting to erode the sharpness of the body lines after passing over them too many times. (Still working to remove factory paint).
3) I don't even know that it's necessary to take a truck down to metal. I just figured it was the best bet to eliminate rust and preserve metal.

So all that being said, I am wondering if I can just sand the rusty areas down to metal, and leave some of the factory paint. It seems to still be adhered pretty good in some spots.

I need to do some Bondo work in some areas, so I figured it would be better to have the Bondo over bare metal and then seal with primer, versus prime and then Bondo. (This also saves me from having to do a coat of 2K high build)

Here is my basic paint plan. After prep work.

1) Loc-tite rust neutralizer over bare metal and slightly rusted/pitted areas.

2) Coat of gray epoxy primer (Speed-O-Kote - I think it's fast reducer but it doesn't say on the can. Thinking about getting slow reducer since it's hot and humid)

3) No sanding - straight to base coat

4) Single stage Acrylic Enamel (maroon) (3 Coats) (Slow reducer)

5) No clear

*Thinking about setting my gun at 40 PSI and 60 at the tank for drop pressure. I have an oil water separator on the compressor and the gun.

*The photo with the gas tank is some of the worse rust. Definite pitting and pretty thick Thinking of spraying these areas with Ospho before paint. I also have a gravity feed spot blaster at my disposal, so I might use it on these areas.


Any thoughts on my plan?



ImageImageImageImage

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk




Image
Last edited by Harry Dawg on Mon Jul 25, 2022 6:24 pm, edited 3 times in total.
1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist

akguy09
Posts: 301
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2021 6:11 am
Location: Ellicott, Colorado

Re: Paint and Body

Post by akguy09 »

I am in the same process. What I can say is I am using 2k primer for everything I do. Rattle can primer is not very good.

I am only sanding to bare metal to clean rusty areas. You can prime/paint over good stable original paint.

See my build thread if you want to see my paint and body work progression
1979 Jeep J-10 304/T-18
2017 Jeep JK 2DR
2021 PowerWagon
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

@akguy09
She's looking good. Looks like your's is in a little bit better shape, but I am inclined to take your advice on leaving some of the old paint.
2K primer will be a bonus when you go to block it out, so I bet you will end up with a smoother paint job than me.
I will be painting outside, so the quicker I can knock the primer and base coat out and get it back into the garage the better.
If I had a paint booth I would most definitely be using 2K.
1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist
User avatar

ProTouring442
Posts: 673
Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:28 am
Location: Harriman, Tennessee
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by ProTouring442 »

What are you using to strip the vehicle? If a grinder, be very careful as you can overheat and warp the metal. If using a DA or random orbital, just keep working it and stay off the peaks.

You'll need to get all the old paint off. It looks like it is broken down and has allowed moisture to get through it. You have to get rid of all the rust.

You can build yourself a temporary booth. You'll need one. Air movement is a requirement for most new paints.
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

@Protouring442.
Using a grinder with a poly-carbide wheel, a high speed sander with 80 grit, and a block with 80 grit.
Grinder seems to be the most effective method so far.
Some of the paint is still in okay shape (Inside cab, some of the hood, in between cab and bed).
Can I leave the good paint and clean rusted areas to bare metal?
Scuff with 180 over everything when I am done and then shoot primer?
This is going to be a trail tractor / beer run vehicle, so I am not looking for a show quality finish
Unfortunatley there are some very heavily rusted areas where I would have to remove a 1/32-1/64 of an inch of material to get to clean metal. At that point I feel like the panel will be dented, so I planed to hit this with a wire wheel and use a rust neutrilizaer before priming. Any thoughts on this tactic?
1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

Worst of the rust. You can see it's between the bed seams pretty bad. The paint has since been stripped since this photo was taken.Image

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist
User avatar

ProTouring442
Posts: 673
Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:28 am
Location: Harriman, Tennessee
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by ProTouring442 »

Harry Dawg wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 6:20 am @Protouring442.
Using a grinder with a poly-carbide wheel, a high speed sander with 80 grit, and a block with 80 grit.
Grinder seems to be the most effective method so far.
Some of the paint is still in okay shape (Inside cab, some of the hood, in between cab and bed).
Can I leave the good paint and clean rusted areas to bare metal?
Scuff with 180 over everything when I am done and then shoot primer?
This is going to be a trail tractor / beer run vehicle, so I am not looking for a show quality finish
Unfortunatley there are some very heavily rusted areas where I would have to remove a 1/32-1/64 of an inch of material to get to clean metal. At that point I feel like the panel will be dented, so I planed to hit this with a wire wheel and use a rust neutrilizaer before priming. Any thoughts on this tactic?
You might be okay...

There are two things that might give you trouble. 1) There may be rust under the old paint (actually, it's down in the micro cracks in the paint) which will come back later. 2) You may have trouble with the new paint causing the old to lift, and then you'll need to start over.

To me, at least, the risks outweigh the decreased labor. Then again, I would have had the vehicle wet-blasted to strip the paint, so take my advise with that grain of salt.
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

Finished stripping the paint off and got some primer on her. I decided I'm going to go back to the factory color. She's kind of a dog, so it seems more fitting lol.

I left the roof unpainted because I'm thinking about doing some kind of rat rod lace pattern over the surface rust. TBD.

Kind of a complete 180 from my original plan, but Plus I've been interested in rat rods lately, so the brown is kind of fitting.

Anyways. Got a little Bondo work to do and then I'll spot prime everything.

Going to use a LVLP setup and my 20 G compressor.

Hopefully we get a nice still day soon and I can't get her done before winter. ImageImageImage

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

I also broke down and got an electric DA.... I wish I would have had this sooner. Made short work of the sanding.

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist

akguy09
Posts: 301
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2021 6:11 am
Location: Ellicott, Colorado

Re: Paint and Body

Post by akguy09 »

Looking good so far.
1979 Jeep J-10 304/T-18
2017 Jeep JK 2DR
2021 PowerWagon
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

Finished up with the filler.

I used metal reinforced Bondo to cover up the rust holes in the bottom of the tail gate. I don't have access to a brake that could make that bottom piece. I thought about welding in a piece of tube steel, but figured that would be a can of worms.

There was a big area of damage in the door. I used fiber glass filled here in hopes that it would hold up better to the vibration of opening and closing the door. Seems a little more flexible than the metal stuff.

Now I'm going to spot prime areas that had body work done and paint it. Hopefully this weekend if FedEx delivered the paint.

I just got a new LVLP gun and I'm itching to try it out. ImageImageImageImage

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist

akguy09
Posts: 301
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2021 6:11 am
Location: Ellicott, Colorado

Re: Paint and Body

Post by akguy09 »

If thats duraglass on the doors, I would suggest a nice polyester glaze over it, it will take take primer/paint better. Otherwise looking good
1979 Jeep J-10 304/T-18
2017 Jeep JK 2DR
2021 PowerWagon
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

Thanks for the feedback. I will skim coat it with the regular polyester filler.
1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist
User avatar

Yeller
Posts: 1521
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:54 am
Location: Rogers County Oklahoma

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Yeller »

Looking really good!

As an additional thought, I added cables for the tailgate and removed the chains, made it much cleaner and no worries of beating up the paint. The cables are for a 06 F150. Up next is working on a cleaner looking latch, or at least that is the plan LOL
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
The bus I ride is so short it is a yellow Smart Car full of squirrels, monkeys and clowns.

1970 J2500 Resto Mod
https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewt ... 12&t=21395

1974 Bronco “Broncno”
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threa ... st-3411909
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

Thanks for the info Yeller.

I have actually been thinking about adding cables v/s the scissor style limiting straps.

I am afraid that I messed up the clearance between the tail gate and the tail light housing after all of the monkeying around I did, so I doubt if the straps will tuck up in there.

This seems to be the solution I was looking for.

I think I will stick with the chain latch though. I know it will bang up the paint, but I like the rugged and old timey look.

I might get some sort of sleeve to go around the chain, but that's a finishing touch.

* Side note- That is interesting that there is a reverse light mounted on the inside of the bed.

Was that a factory cargo lamp option? Might have to add something like this.
1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist
User avatar

Yeller
Posts: 1521
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:54 am
Location: Rogers County Oklahoma

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Yeller »

As far as I can tell the light is original, it had a factory style grommet on the wire and nice clean OEM looking holes and appeared to have come on with the dome light. I’ve never seen another. I since have wired it to a constant 12v source with a switch in the opposite (drivers side) corner so I can turn it on without go inside the truck. Also have an SAE connector there so I can run accessories like a 12v fridge or whatever easily.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
The bus I ride is so short it is a yellow Smart Car full of squirrels, monkeys and clowns.

1970 J2500 Resto Mod
https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewt ... 12&t=21395

1974 Bronco “Broncno”
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threa ... st-3411909
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

Got her painted today.

Color is a lot darker than expected. It looks GREAT though.

Maybe I'm just biased since it was a beater when I got it, and I've never seen it cleaned up!

The LVLP setup worked well. No tiger stripes, and it handled the lower volume from the 20 GAL compressor good.

StarFire's single stage Acrylic Enamel was top notch, and I 100% would recommend for a hobbyist, especially at the price point. I'm sure there are better paints out there, but this one worked well for me. If you really knew what you were doing and had shop air, and a nice HVLP gun I have no doubt that it could produce a perfect finish.

I know there's dents in it. I left those intentionally. I didn't want to put Bondo on the hood for fear of it cracking with repeated flexing on the thin sheet metal. Plus, if I put 100 hours into the body I wouldn't want to take it on the trails.

Did have 3 things go awry though.

1) A bug landed on the hood and dragged his tail halfway across trying to get out of the wet paint. Hoping this will buff out with some compound.

2) My compressor tripped the breaker and I didn't realize, so gun pressure dropped and I got some splatter on 1 sq ft on the cowl area.

3) It was humid today (62%, so right on the cusp of technical data sheets cut off) and I had 2 droplets of water leak out of the NPT fitting on the water trap and drop onto the tailgate. Tied some strips of a rag around the fittings to stop that.

Other than that it was smooth sailing. Last pic is after first coat, but just to show the progression.ImageImageImageImage

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk



Image
1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist

akguy09
Posts: 301
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2021 6:11 am
Location: Ellicott, Colorado

Re: Paint and Body

Post by akguy09 »

It looks great. You are going to have a great driver.
1979 Jeep J-10 304/T-18
2017 Jeep JK 2DR
2021 PowerWagon
User avatar

Topic author
Harry Dawg
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:59 pm
Location: Georgia
Contact:

Re: Paint and Body

Post by Harry Dawg »

Got the front end put back together today.

One of my cat eye lenses got cracked while on the way back from the storage unit, but I found a set through the FSJ Enthusiast Facebook group.

I got the right headlight working, but not the left and they only work when the headlight switch is pulled halfway out. When it's all the way out only the dash lights up. Is all the way out just for interior lights?

Also, any pointers on reattaching these badges to a different year models panel? The fenders are off a J10.

Looks like they have some sort of insert that pops into a hole, and the badge studs go into that...guessing these aren't available anymore.
ImageImageImage
1968 J3500 - 1985 CJ7 - 1998 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Liter Limited - 2006 Grand Cherokee Limited
Rhino USA Brand Success Manager
South East Offroad Activist

letank
Posts: 4009
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:16 pm
Location: SF bay area

Re: Paint and Body

Post by letank »

very nice result

the flange push nut is what you need to attach the badges, It may have been called speed nut,

https://www.mcmaster.com/speed-nuts/flanged-push-nuts/


Image
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)
Post Reply