Down to the metal..advice?

[El Rondo]

Thanks for this thread...I'll check it out. Also, yea, it most certainly is the second paint job. I actually have an entire record, day by day, that the previous owner kept on anything ( i mean ALL of it) done to the truck and it indicates a second paint job around 1990. The tailgate is still the original paint, since he had this removed when he added a camper to the truck. The good thing is that he opted for the wood bed (factory black) in order to have something to anchor camper to.

I'll go check out this thread! Thanks again, Mr. Hyde (and by the way, Mr. Hyde..the Fredric March version...one of my favorite early monster movies!)

[El Rondo]

My question for all of you at this point is: Down to the metal all the way around, or just where the repair work is going to be obvious?

[litew8]

everything if you want good coverage

[El Rondo]

Gotcha...think I'll start on one panel and work my way around, finishing out each one.

[litew8]

You're in for an experience.

[El Rondo]

Yea, from what I'm researching I don't even know if I can handle it! There are no shortcuts though...no sense in that..might as well leave it cracked and sucker painted if that's the case.

[BMERDOC]

Its definitely some work. I have been over my entire truck and sanded off six layers of paint and lots of bondo. I went back with two coats of eprimer. The big hold up now is a radiator support so that i can take off the fenders and doors to get at the back sides and jambs. I went at it with 40, 80 and 220. There were several times when i asked myself why i even started doing it but the rewards were worth it in the end. Still got much to do.

[El Rondo]

BMERDOC and litew8: I hear you...i think it'll be an experience, but what the heck...I got the time and I'm in no rush, and I don't mind driving it a little on the ratty side while I work...so, my understanding of the stages I need to undertake:

1.) strip the truck down one panel at a time
2.) repair that panel of bad Bondo work (this is what's causing this in the first place)
3.) resurface and clean like crazy what's there ("prep"..this is probably why what's on it isn't adhering)
4.) epoxy primer 1:1 mix...flat black
5.) later it can be scuffed and painted any color, but I can stay with the epoxy primer for now

[BMERDOC]

Sounds about right. I would do one panel at a time so you wont feel so overwhelmed. Do one coat per panel and when youve went around the entire truck mask of the whole thing and add a second coat. Because of the time involved youll have to scuff the first coat.

[El Rondo]

Cool, thanks, that sounds good...this morning I had some repair stuff under the hood. My truck's "ears must be burning"..hears me talking about it, cause I had a bolt that had shaken loose or wasn't put back on on the fan belt to the air conditioner compressor and the vibration while operating had started to shave rubber off that belt. My wife and I could smell it burning pretty good last night while going down the road...so today, get to work on that over a few beers..new belt, new bolt or two. Also, bought a can of rust inhibitor to spray underneath. Looks pretty clean, but I am starting to see some areas I didn't see before with some rust here and there.

[El Rondo]

Anybody know of a decent epoxy primer rust/red? I'm leaning towards the Summit Racing epoxy primer black with a rust underneath that I can show thru. I did a rat rod bike this way once, and it looked fantastic. Also, want to use inside the cab..need the rust red color..I could spray bomb the inside I suppose with flat rust primer, since it's exposure to the elements is less, but epoxy primer would be best..any advice?