'85 Bronco II Paint & Body Thread

[85_Ranger4x4]

Name brand tractor paint is much more durable than normal puff can stuff. You pay deerely but your red thing won't be pink in a year and your green thing won't be greenish blue in a year.

 

[ford4wd08]

I painted my '86 and my old '85 F250 with Rustoleum. I will warn you that there are some serious drawbacks....

#1, it's a 1k product, so it's very susceptible to damage from other chemicals, like gasoline... so if the pump doesn't click off and overflows down the side of your truck a few times, you'll have a stain or paint peeling off. Happened to me
#2, Rustoleum has virtually zero UV inhibitors. If it's parked outside in the sun you can expect it to start oxidizing within months unless you shoot a 2k clear over it (but why would you spend the money on that and not on a base coat under it...?)
#3, Expect it to shrink and crack. Both of mine did that, but not everywhere, and it can happen to any paint job
#4, If you do top coat it with clear, it's no longer easy to touch up
#5, Read up on various Rustoleum products, some are better than others. I have used their Alkyd 7400 paint extensively on bumpers and stuff and it's excellent but it's also very thick and slow drying even if you thin it a lot.

I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying that to get a good looking paint job that will last, you are better off spending just a tiny bit more money on either base coat/clear coat 2k products OR 2k single stage OR just accept that you will always be dealing with at least some of those drawbacks I mentioned.

You will probably find that doing it yourself saves a lot of money in labor but the paint itself can be a relatively small expense - even a low end base/clear 2k might be half of your total expenses after you figure in primer, sandpaper, masking tape, solvents, etc. I am guessing 90% of that $6500 number is labor.

Everything you are saying is true. I get all of it.

My expectation is pretty low.

This isn't about money (at least for the paint materials).

I would like to avoid 2k products really. I don't mind to thin product a little, but I don't want to mess with activators or reducers. I don't want to use urethane as I don't feel like it wise to use those products at home. I'm not saying you can breath rustoluem in and be A ok, but I don't think it is near to the levels of some of the professional lines of paint.

I'm thinking about rolling the product (don't gasp in horror lol) Rolling can give good film build up. I plan on lots of wet sanding as well.

I just want to see how this will work out. It can't be worse than it is now. If it stops (or slows) rust and is all one color that fades together, I won't be so upset.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Why not just use some tintable bed liner... you can get red.

Someone on here did it and I thought it turned out pretty nice. I think they used Raptor liner maybe...

 

[Shran]

Totally understand that. Urethane, and the isocynate component in particular, is very toxic and not something you want to mess with unprotected.

If you are set on that route, I would highly recommend the Alkyd 7400 paints that Rustoleum makes. You can get them at Fastenal or some other places and probably online as well. Probably about $40/gallon. I have sprayed, brushed, and rolled it on with great results - I usually reduce it 50% with lacquer thinner to make it dry faster if I'm spraying (the label says no more than 5% though. ) I would maybe experiment with Japan Drier if you roll or brush on, or just apply it straight and let it sit for a week or more. It kind of self levels that way too, you may not need to do much if any wet sanding.

Not sure what to recommend for primer under it though. Probably want to use an etch primer over any bare metal, maybe an epoxy primer over that. 2k epoxy is a little safer to deal with than 2k urethane. When I was researching primers it seemed like a lot of people like to use SPI epoxy primer and it's reasonably priced.

 

[ford4wd08]

Why not just use some tintable bed liner... you can get red.

Someone on here did it and I thought it turned out pretty nice. I think they used Raptor liner maybe...

I want it to at least shine lol. I personally despise bedliner on the exterior of a vehicle other than the bed.

It can serve a purpose I guess. But this rig is a daily driver. Not a woods toy.

 

[ford4wd08]

Totally understand that. Urethane, and the isocynate component in particular, is very toxic and not something you want to mess with unprotected.

If you are set on that route, I would highly recommend the Alkyd 7400 paints that Rustoleum makes. You can get them at Fastenal or some other places and probably online as well. Probably about $40/gallon. I have sprayed, brushed, and rolled it on with great results - I usually reduce it 50% with lacquer thinner to make it dry faster if I'm spraying (the label says no more than 5% though. ) I would maybe experiment with Japan Drier if you roll or brush on, or just apply it straight and let it sit for a week or more. It kind of self levels that way too, you may not need to do much if any wet sanding.

Not sure what to recommend for primer under it though. Probably want to use an etch primer over any bare metal, maybe an epoxy primer over that. 2k epoxy is a little safer to deal with than 2k urethane. When I was researching primers it seemed like a lot of people like to use SPI epoxy primer and it's reasonably priced.

I might could get on board with a enamel like duplicolors paint shop (just an example).

I think TCP Global has some decent products from what I've read that is enamel.

I have also seen eastwoods roll on primer.

End of the day, I want a single stage paint that is user friendly that I can buff and color sand. Also that can be touched up with a fresh coat of paint.

I'm looking for old technology basically lol

 

[ford4wd08]

I'll look into the Aklyd 7400 paints.

I have also noticed they have a marine version called topside that supposedly has UV inhibitors in it, but from what I can tell carnuba wax will be my UV inhibitors lol

 

[Bird76Mojo]

#5, Read up on various Rustoleum products, some are better than others. I have used their Alkyd 7400 paint extensively on bumpers and stuff and it's excellent but it's also very thick and slow drying even if you thin it a lot.

JAPAN DRIER


He could do a single stage enamel that should end up being very durable if he uses the correct amount of hardener mixed in. Several coats of that and any minor damage could likely be sanded out and buffed. It would also be cheap to do yourself.

 

[ford4wd08]

@Bird76Mojo

Can you tell me where you got your first gen fenders at?

 

[Shran]

JAPAN DRIER
He could do a single stage enamel that should end up being very durable if he uses the correct amount of hardener mixed in. Several coats of that and any minor damage could likely be sanded out and buffed. It would also be cheap to do yourself.

I may experiment with that the next time I paint. Usually if I'm doing a bumper or something I have it set on a work stand with a space heater below it for a few days. It's been in the back of my mind for quite a while, just have never got around to it.

I might could get on board with a enamel like duplicolors paint shop (just an example).

I think TCP Global has some decent products from what I've read that is enamel.

I have also seen eastwoods roll on primer.

End of the day, I want a single stage paint that is user friendly that I can buff and color sand. Also that can be touched up with a fresh coat of paint.

I'm looking for old technology basically lol

I would decide if you want to roll it on or spray it and pick your paint from there. Anything that requires an activator or hardener will probably not work well on a roller.

Read the SDS information about whatever you buy, before you buy it. For example that enamel paint from TCP is just as toxic as their urethane...especially the activators and hardeners which contain isocyanates, benzene, etc. Their lacquer (and probably any lacquer, really) is not quite as bad, but it's also a 1k product...so on par with Rustoleum or whatever as far as durability goes.

Duplicolor Paint Shop is interesting, I see that it requires a clear coat though. Read the data sheets really well before you buy in any case.

 

[ford4wd08]

I may experiment with that the next time I paint. Usually if I'm doing a bumper or something I have it set on a work stand with a space heater below it for a few days. It's been in the back of my mind for quite a while, just have never got around to it.



I would decide if you want to roll it on or spray it and pick your paint from there. Anything that requires an activator or hardener will probably not work well on a roller.

Read the SDS information about whatever you buy, before you buy it. For example that enamel paint from TCP is just as toxic as their urethane...especially the activators and hardeners which contain isocyanates, benzene, etc. Their lacquer (and probably any lacquer, really) is not quite as bad, but it's also a 1k product...so on par with Rustoleum or whatever as far as durability goes.

Duplicolor Paint Shop is interesting, I see that it requires a clear coat though. Read the data sheets really well before you buy in any case.

Yes I was reading SDS and TDS sheets last night. Rust-Oleum is still winning for the moment.

I've heard from a few old timers that you can roll the first few coats and wet sand it really good then spray the last coat and it will polish up very well. Maybe gives you the film thickness and the ability to shine better?

If I'm going to spray, I think I'm going to spray from start to finish.

 

[Shran]

I have not heard that, and aside from maybe levelling out roller marks or whatever, it doesn't make much sense to me. I would either roller the whole thing and wet sand with a very fine paper, then polish and wax or spray it and then wet sand/polish/wax.

I also think that if you roll it on, two or three coats would be the most I'd want to use. Rock chips will be more difficult to fix if you're working through 5 thick layers of rolled on paint... maybe 3-4 light coats sprayed though. You could also do a couple light coats and one heavier one on top to sort of self level out any orange peel... lots of ways to do it.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

@Bird76Mojo

Can you tell me where you got your first gen fenders at?

Looks like they sold out since I bought my set of them. It was certainly a steal at that price. Maybe they'll list some more though?

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Spraying paint thicker over orange peel doesn't level out the surface any. The paint still builds on top of the high spots. With the exception of a very thin clear, but then there's runs to contend with..

I don't know why people here are so afraid of two-part paints and the chemicals in them. That's why they sell $25 masks with replaceable filters. Plus if you're doing it outside.... Even in a homemade paint booth (aka plastic drop-cloth) in your garage, a couple cheap Walmart box fans and dirt cheap furnace filters will pull the fumes out very quickly. Couple that with a cheap respirator and you're golden.

 

[ford4wd08]

Looks like they sold out since I bought my set of them. It was certainly a steal at that price. Maybe they'll list some more though?

Pardon Our Interruption...

Agreed, I'll watch them at that price!

My driver's side is fine. No dents or just. Just needs paint. I'm halfway tempted to try and fix the passengers side just so I can learn some dent repair techniques and how to use filler better. Worse thing that happens is that I screw it up and have to still get a new one.