How should I do this?

[banjopicker66]

I have planned all along to prime (with 2K epoxy) the cab, fenders hood and valances at home and then send them to the painter.
But I don't want a good paint job ruined by dropping them or some other stupid accident.
Not sure the best way to do this, so I welcome any and all ideas.
It may help to understand my concern if you remember that I can barely pick up and handle a stripped door shell or a fender - and really, I need help to attach it. (Thank G-d for Slick loving wives. Well, maybe not loving, but at least tolerating!)

What about painting everything in epoxy 2K black, re-attach the fenders and door shells to the cab shell (no interior parts) to line them up, and have the painter topcoat only on the outer surfaces(except the cab interior, of course)???

[brian gilbert soares]

I never thought I'd give advice here especially to one of the guru's here.
I'd go with the 2K black plan.
Good luck mister

[banjopicker66]

That is very generous of you, but I have to admit I'm really not a "guru" because I am always learning from everyone here.
I know almost nothing about painting, so that puts you a great step ahead of me. Thanks so much for the idea!

[Uncle Skip]

John. Interesting question. From everything I've been able to learn so far, painters do not like to paint pieces. This for a couple of reasons. One, unless you have a solid, single stage color you can get slight mismatches in the color and it shows up when you hang the panels. (I probably wouldn't be able to tell because I'm color blind, but artistic types can actually see the differences). This is especially true with metallic finishes.
So, what I'd do is what Brian suggested..... shoot your primer and assemble the truck before you take it to the painter.
I'm going to try to paint my truck by myself, and space limitations have me shooting the color on individual parts a couple at a time, but I'm using a pure white that has been boxed, so I'm not so concerned about the color actually not matching.
Anyway, I'll let everybody know how it goes.
Good luck buddy.

BTW. Boxing is a process house painters use on interior walls. Because they have to buy 5 gallon pails and the colors may differ subtly from pail to pail, they "box" or mix all the pails together so everything kind of mixes and becomes the same color exactly. (If you've ever painted a wall for your wife, you'll appreciate this little trick, because women see everything different from us. Don't ask me how I know.)

[36truck]

Prime all your pieces then shot some paint in the areas that your painter can't get to when it's all bolted together.

[ken462]

John,
I would think if you assemble prior to final paint there are places the painter can't really get to that well with the topcoats, maybe do as 36truck mentioned and shot those areas prior to assembly yourself?


USkip,
I'm painting my truck in pieces as well, mostly due to space. How much paint did you "box"? Also, when you "boxed", did you also add the reducer as, I'm assuming differing amounts of reducer added during paint prep could change the color slightly.

[huckdeuceman]

If your planning a original restore I would tape any bolts you do not want covered in paint before you send it out, otherwise
everything get's painted and it is a pain to remove paint after it's on the bolts! ie, door regulator bolts, window channel bolt's
you get the idea!...my 2 cent's.

[Shaffs 64]

Me, I would have ( and I'm doing this now) paint everything off the vehicle. I know it's hard to re-assemble with out problems but it makes for a better job. Don't tape off anything "Take it off". Who ever you have painting the vehicle make sure he or she mixes up enough paint for the entire project right off the get. You may need something painted much later down the road and you want to make sure you have the correct color.

I'm having the cab painted complete so I can start the reassemble of all the inside pieces first. The Doors, fenders, Box sides are all be painted off the truck. If your not sure about the door alignment have the painter edge in around the hinges, paint the hinges, hang the door and use a grease pencil to mark the correct alignment, remove the doors and tape off the inside of the hinge ( that don't show)
and then have the cab painted. That's my two cents........

Jeff

[grump]

If you're painting single stage paint you could edge the doors and fenders your self and then hang them and get every thing lined up your self. That way you can take it to your painter ready to be shot. If you can shoot two part epoxy you can do this. Don't forget to use a good respirator. If you are going to paint a vehicle in pieces paint the parts the same way they are on the vehicle, such as the hood laying down and the doors hanging up right. If you do this your paint should match.

[William-in-St George]

My painter told me that you can have some of the extra paint put in a rattle can and apply it later if you find a spot the painter missed. I'd ask my painter if he would paint it in pieces or if he preferrs it assembled. Most painters will have a preferred way and I would just let him have the truck and not worry about it. My guy got the truck in pieces! Just my opinion.

[oldtrucks]

Banjo.

When I paint a vehicle whether it is single stage or base clear I first paint all the edges, inside doors, under hood. door jams, basicly anything that isn't visable when it is all assembled and it doesn't have to be done all at the same time. Then when its ready I paint all the outside of the vehicle. The front clip doesn't have to be on the truck or the doors. Like Skip said, if the paint is in more than one container try and find a container large enough to mix all the different cans together then paint everything out of the one container even if everything doesn't get painted at the same time. I will put everything together if its going to be a 2 tone, if its a metalic I paint all the parts at the same time but they don't necessarly have to be assembled unless you don't have enough room to set everything up. As mentioned the doors, hood and fenders should be in the same attitude as they will be when assembled.
Pre assemble everything during the primering process and mark the locations of the hinges with a small drill bit and make good notes for any shim locations. Everything you do before painting to help with assembly will pay off big time as you put the truck back together. Don't rely on your memory. Take a lot of pictures too so you know what things look like when put together. I have been restoring and repairing cars and trucks most of my adult life and I don't even try to remember all the details. This day and age digital cameras are a godsend. Thank heavens for the digital age.