The Old Girl gets a cheap facelift

[99RangerBoss]

wow you guys are lucky way down south you can have a DD that old and not have to worry about it rusting out from road salt in winter time and it looking almost new all year long lol

 

[RobbieD]

another great rattle can job

The bumpers, rockers and wheels were rattle-canned; the body was done with a regular spraygun. I just don't want anybody to buy the tractor paint in rattle cans, and then be disappointed with the results.

 

[PaleBlue90]

thats awesome looking

 

[MountainMike]

Looks great, what kind of spray gun you use? I got a Campbell-Hausfeld gravity feeed from Canadian Tire and it works pretty good.

 

[joecool85]

Looks excellent, well worth the money I'd say.

 

[dixie_boysles]

DAMN, you did this all with paint from tractor supply! i thought yu had it done professionally before i read farther. My GFs dad had this exact truck..same colors and everything! except his dont look this good, im impressed!

 

[CopyKat]

I have to say, I'm very impressed with the Tractor Supply tractor paint. It sprayed and laid great, and was very forgiving to holding a heavy coat and not running. It's been almost two weeks since I sprayed, and it seems to be curing into a very hard finish.

Did you reduce the paint down at all before you sprayed it? The tractor paint you used was an enamel right?

Reason I ask is that I plan to do something similar to mine and was wondering about the thickness of the paint. Reducing the paint will allow it to flow and settle (Smooth out) better. I've read that the thinner it is the more coats you need to apply. The consistancy of 1/2 n 1/2 cream I was told will give the best coverage per coat.

Looks fantastic.

 

[TheNicky]

WOW Nice man...
Truely Jealous!

 

[kkjb4x4.0]

Good work,,looks great! I really need to do something with my rockers as well but I've never done body work befor.

 

[Daves89]

Nice paint job!

 

[RobbieD]

Thanks, ya'll. I'll answer some specifics, and pardon me but I don't know how to work a multiple-quote thingy (yeah, I'm a computer dumb-ass).

MountainMike- I used a siphon-cup spray gun (I believe that's what it's called); you know, the sprayer with a 1 quart cup on the bottom. It's a Matco brand I bought in the 80's. I painted one car with it, and it had just sat in my tool box since. I can't believe it actually still worked.

CopyCat-
Yes, I reduced the paint. Carefully follow the recommendations on the can. Per each quart from the can, add 2 oz. of hardener, and 2 oz. of Nathpa (for spraying; mineral spirits for brushing). Use a measuring cup and be precise (I "borrowed" one from the kitchen; if my wife reads this I'm dead meat).
Yes, it is the Valspar Tractor & Implement high gloss enamel paint sold at Tractor Supply. It's the regular stuff, at $29.99 a gallon. I was going to buy the $45/gal Premium paint, but my local TSC didn't stock the high-dollar stuff. So I got the regular tractor paint. Hardener does improve the gloss, from what I was told.
Your understanding of painting is really the same as mine. I put it on as thick as I dared, and went back over it a few times, in two separate spraying sessions per color. I paid special attention to high spots and panel edges, to make the paint thicker in these places. I totally stripped the body for this one; the next time I can get away with tape-masking a lot of things and not having to disassemble as much stuff.

kkjb4x4.0-
I'm not an expert body man by any means, but I fixed several dents for this paint job, including a little panel rot behind the rear wheels. You just have jump into it to learn it, and rocker panels are a real good place to start learning bodywork. Just remember, you've got to get ALL of the rust out, or it'll come back.


I'm floored by all of the positive, and kind, responses. I mainly wanted to encourage you guys, with a similar old truck, to just go for it. All it really takes is some time, patience, and care, to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse. Believe me, if I can do it, then anybody can paint their own truck. Good luck, and keep on truckin!

 

[Brain75]

That is sharp, since the first post was 2009 and we are now right at 15 years, I am curious how the parts that were rattle can have lasted. I only hope mine comes out that sharp. Very nice job.

 

[Blmpkn]

That looks really sharp.

After flip flopping around on colors I think I have about settled on the older dark Oliver green... also a tractor color.

Wait a minute...


Has he put 2+2 together yet?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Wait a minute...


Has he put 2+2 together yet?

That was 10 years before oliver was born... I have since discovered my truck was originally a special order fleet green and I want to go back to that.

 

[Blmpkn]

That was 10 years before oliver was born... I have since discovered my truck was originally a special order fleet green and I want to go back to that.

Aw man.. here I was thinking that if I ever have a kid I'd name them after ford's fastest color.. velocity blue

Now that I know it's not a thing.. they'll get stuck with some normal name

Sounds like the warthog was a company vehicle before you had it? How did it spend its life before you came around?