Painting Cars With Rustoleum

[Young Ed]

I sprayed my dash with tan rustoleum. I think next time I will spring for the better paint. The first time I painted the dash it ran. After spending a ton of time sanding that back off the second coat was full of orange peel. I've got way too many hours into a dash compared to the results. Had much better luck with the Omni line by PPG. Now the bumper on my truck is black rustoleum with no hardner and thinned with mineral spirits. That looks great. So far its holding up well also.

[BobT-47P15]

My dash is only painted, never was woodgrain anyway, and I have just used

Duplicolor spray paint from the auto parts store. It's available in many

places, actually. Has held up pretty well for several years now. Under

the hood for engine accessories just used either Wally World black spray

or Krylon.

Have not attempted to paint the outside of a car. Was about to try

with the 54 Plymouth since it was so bad. First bought some decent

quality hunter green enamel at Home Depot. Too much like John Deere.

So got a can of black in the same brand. Was going to mix in some black

to darken the green.....then use a roller. But, the car sold before

I got to try that. Might have been an interesting experience.

It's good to hear the experiences of others with the paint.

[JoelOkie]

I am new to this forum, although I have enjoyed browsing it for several years. I own several P15s, (48 4 door, and 46 Club Coupe) a 1937 PT50, and as of a month ago, a 49 B1B, which I am currently redoing.

I have painted several cars, with what I would term increasingly better results. The knack, or ability to get it right, (of course like anything), increases with each experience. I have gotten it right, at least for me, and it HAS become easy to paint with what I consider good results.

I dismantle, then I clean and do the bodywork on each piece, then use the rustoleum rust primer, which I have found has great adhesion, and I think probably as good potential of keeping rust from growing back as the expensive Eastwood "rust encapsulator" paints, ect. I then put on a coat of NAPA's Crossfire 2X filler primer laid on pretty thick, block sand with 220, and refill any low spots, then another coat of Crossfire, sanding the next time with 440, then a coat of regular automotive primer, such as HighBuild, or Duplicolor, which is sanded with 440, then 660. The regular type primers sand very easy, and gets super smooth quick. The sanding is really very quickly done, if the bodywork is done fairly nice.

I use the Nason brand of Dupont paint mentioned in one of the post above. I have had good luck with it using the medium reducer. I had been painting with a Cambell-Hausfield top loading (gravity) feed gun I bought for about $29.00 at Walmart. My last project (46 Ford pickup) I went ahead and invested in the low line HVLP two gun set sold by Eastwood. I also bought one of their $69.00 inline dryers, to prevent water from the compressor tank condensation getting in the paint. My painting ability went up about 1000 percent immediately. I put a couple of coats of paint on , then when I got the truck back together I top coated everything again for cintinuity, and of course to cover small scratches/imperfections from reassembly. This works (as said, at least for me), and makes for a very decent paint job, which I honestly probably have quite a bit more money in than getting a Maaco, or similar job, but I do enjoy doing it mysef. I will be putting the B1B back together in a couple of months, and I will upload pictures.

I guess that everyone has different things they enjoy most about working on these old cars. Some get more into the mechenical side, and some like the bodywork, ect. Some are obviously better at one thing than another, and it would probably be easier to enjoy most the things you are best at. I would certainly encourage anyone that is interested in doing their own paint to go for it!

[55 Fargo]

Truck looks good, like the color, amy go for something like that on my 47 coupe.

My ? is this, my car has been primered with Tremclad (Canadas Rustoleum) grey primer, it was reduced with medium enamel reducer, then sprayed on 3 coats wet on wet, this primer is great, and has very good sealing properites to it, I have washed my car several times, and no rust has developed.

Should I do my bodywork next, ie filler, on highs/lows dents, etc, panel alignment, then prime over with the NAPA crossfire 2x, or should I do the bodywork, lay on 2k epoxy primer, then use high build primer/surfacer after this.

Just looking for ideas....................Fred

[JoelOkie]

Fred, Sounds like you have got a really good base. I would go ahead and do all the bodywork next, then do the filler primer, as it will help cover sand marks, and to feather filler edges. I am not sure what type primer you will want to use, as it may depend on what paint you are using, so don't know if you should use epoxy primer. I am sure someone on the forum can tell you that. (be interested to know myself) I have not ever used it. I do not wet sand at all, and when I have painted I am done as the paint I use is already shiny and dries very hard, so I am not sure what you might need to do if you plan to do something like that, either.

I like to do the filler primer, then block sand to show the lows, and then I go ahead and do another filler primer to help feather the additional filler areas, a light sanding to prove I have filled the lows, then the Highbuild primer to get good and smooth for painting. This has worked well for me.

Joel

[55 Fargo]

Fred, Sounds like you have got a really good base. I would go ahead and do all the bodywork next, then do the filler primer, as it will help cover sand marks, and to feather filler edges. I am not sure what type primer you will want to use, as it may depend on what paint you are using, so don't know if you should use epoxy primer. I am sure someone on the forum can tell you that. (be interested to know myself) I have not ever used it. I do not wet sand at all, and when I have painted I am done as the paint I use is already shiny and dries very hard, so I am not sure what you might need to do if you plan to do something like that, either.

I like to do the filler primer, then block sand to show the lows, and then I go ahead and do another filler primer to help feather the additional filler areas, a light sanding to prove I have filled the lows, then the Highbuild primer to get good and smooth for painting. This has worked well for me.

Joel

Joel, here is the car in question, it is a 47 Chrysler Coupe, in primer right now, and in need of a ton of body work, lots of highs/lows, small dimples and dents, some stretched metal.

BTW, I am located 1200 miles or so north of you on I-29 to Manitoba, just over the Border in Canada...........Fred

[JoelOkie]

Fred, That's a nice looking car. It's going to be real slick when you get it finished. Does it have the fluid drive transmission? Keep me up to date on your bodywork and paint as it progresses.

I have been into getting the grille and hoods ready for primer on the 49 B1B today. Everything I buy usually needs to be taken down to the frame, it seems, so I lay the pieces out on a table to work on, then hang them from the rafters like hams in a smokehouse to paint them. I have finished the doors, fenders, and running boards, and have stored them until it goes back together. Hopefully before summer's over.

I invested in a 3/4 hp buffer/polisher last year and am learning to straighten and polish stainless. The pieces I have messed with so far have worked surprisingly well. The rocker stainless on P-15s always seem to need some straightening work. I had checked into getting all my trim on my 46 club coupe professionally straightened and polished and quickly learned that would be something I would need to learn to do myself!

[55 Fargo]

Fred, That's a nice looking car. It's going to be real slick when you get it finished. Does it have the fluid drive transmission? Keep me up to date on your bodywork and paint as it progresses.

I have been into getting the grille and hoods ready for primer on the 49 B1B today. Everything I buy usually needs to be taken down to the frame, it seems, so I lay the pieces out on a table to work on, then hang them from the rafters like hams in a smokehouse to paint them. I have finished the doors, fenders, and running boards, and have stored them until it goes back together. Hopefully before summer's over.

I invested in a 3/4 hp buffer/polisher last year and am learning to straighten and polish stainless. The pieces I have messed with so far have worked surprisingly well. The rocker stainless on P-15s always seem to need some straightening work. I had checked into getting all my trim on my 46 club coupe professionally straightened and polished and quickly learned that would be something I would need to learn to do myself!

Hi Joel, here is a pic after the car was brought home, and it was worse before this pic was taken.

No glass, no brakes, no gas tank, no lighting, no seats, not interior, on exhaust, a real basket case with rusty rockers and floors.

I have been real busy with her over the last couple of years, she would be finished, but it's about money, I have done 95% of the work so far myself, and lots to go, don't look forward to the price of having the bumpers rechromed, or some of the pot metal pieces.

I will never take on a car project this rough again, it was really only in the parts car category.

The car was fluid dirve originally, it has an engine and dry clutch 3spd trans from a 1951 Dodge, and a 3.73 diff, I kinda like this combo. I also own 2 other 251 engines, my engine is a Canadian 25 inch 218 longblock , included is the pic of my engine as it is now. ....................Fred

[grey beard]

I am in the process of painting my B1B pickup with Brightside Marine polyurethane, and am very pleased with the results. There are several pretty strong advantages in painting with a roller over conventional spray painting. Having done both, I am amazed and pleased with the results I am getting with this method. As mentioned in this thread, there are no shortcuts to the prep and body work that must come before any good finish. Surely is much more healthy way to do a paint job - no fumes and no overspray. JMHO

[JoelOkie]

Fred, you have done a nice job with your car. The engine is outstanding, and believe me I can appreciate what it takes to get there. I have never had any car with the fluid drive, and was just curious how it held up after 60 years, and/or what it would take to rebuild. I wouldn't mind having it in my 46 coupe for the simple fact that my wife would love to be able to drive it, but she can't seem to master a clutch shift.

grey beard, I have also looked at the roller method, and it does seem to be a good deal, and sounds like good results. I just didn't know how well it might be to use with disassembled parts, getting into the back braces, ect. I would like to see how your truck comes out, though, as I am all for whatever works the best. For now I will have to stick to what I know best, I guess. My time to work on the truck is pretty limited, and I like how quick I can spray primer, and also the quick dry time in between coats and sanding, ect. You are right on line about the prep, though. That all takes time and has to be done right before any painting happens, so nothing is going to happen too quickly anyway.

I have no trouble with fumes, as I have a 36 " exhaust fan. I also found that overspray can be pretty much be totally eliminated (as far as causing issues in painting different panels and areas on a vehicle, if I start at the farthest point away from the fan draw with the paint and work to the end where the fan is at. The small amount of overspray made by the hvlp is always being drawn away from what is currently being painted that way, and anyplace that is getting a little overspray is going to be painted next. As far as the overspray being an environmental issue, I am in a rural area of Oklahoma , not in town where it might cause problems.

[JoelOkie]

Fred, you have done a nice job with your car. The engine is outstanding, and believe me I can appreciate what it takes to get there. I have never had any car with the fluid drive, and was just curious how it held up after 60 years, and/or what it would take to rebuild. I wouldn't mind having it in my 46 coupe for the simple fact that my wife would love to be able to drive it, but she can't seem to master a clutch shift.

grey beard, I have also looked at the roller method, and it does seem to be a good deal, and sounds like good results. I just didn't know how well it might be to use with disassembled parts, getting into the back braces, ect. I would like to see how your truck comes out, though, as I am all for whatever works the best. For now I will have to stick to what I know best, I guess. My time to work on the truck is pretty limited, and I like how quick I can spray primer, and also the quick dry time in between coats and sanding, ect. You are right on line about the prep, though. That all takes time and has to be done right before any painting happens, so nothing is going to happen too quickly anyway.

I have no trouble with fumes, as I have a 36 " exhaust fan. I also found that overspray can be pretty much be totally eliminated (as far as causing issues in painting different panels and areas on a vehicle, if I start at the farthest point away from the fan draw with the paint and work to the end where the fan is at. The small amount of overspray made by the hvlp is always being drawn away from what is currently being painted that way, and anyplace that is getting a little overspray is going to be painted next. As far as the overspray being an environmental issue, I am in a rural area of Oklahoma , not in town where it might cause problems.

Till Later, Joel