I have a 5 foot wide cab in an 8 foot wide utility shed. I was hoping to paint the cab and leave it outside on the frame, but I just watched an eastwood video that informed me that I cannot paint the cab now and paint the rest later, the paint probably will not match. I am nearly done blocking, I will put a couple of coats of epoxy primer on it. The cab is on a dolly, but I do not have room to leave it inside while I do body work on the grille hood and doors. I am thinking to paint the cab with rattle cans just to protect the primer from the elements so I can occasionally, or short term, leave the cab outside. This sounds like a really bad idea to me-but I cannot think of a reason that this would not work for me.
Lots of guys do this for a permanent paint job. LOL This is doable. Then when you are ready to paint hit it with a sandable primer. sand and paint.
Paint the inside of the cab, along with the firewall and door jambs and around the windows. Then after you put the truck together, sand and paint the whole outside of it at once. Lots of masking will be required... but it will end up having the same color (and surface texture) on all the outside panels, which will make it look better.
The color of sealer will effect the shade of the color you pick. White sealer will make red brighter while red sealer will make it darker and black sealer will still make it darker. This is more important if you are using base and clear. If you paint it in pieces use the same number of coats an all the parts. Most of the paints are transparent and the sealer really effects the final color. I hope this helps and good luck, Frank
Paint it with 2 coats of the good paint, do likewise with the box, later sand it down and give it all 2 more coats. I know guys who do this to get a perfect paint job. It allows you to correct flaws, and gives time for filler and primer to dry completely and shrink if it is going to. Do not paint with cheap paint to seal it or for a temporary job. It will louse up your final paint job unless you strip it all off.
Rusty is correct about cheap material. I have always used one brand from start to finish, mostly PPG and Glasurit, on the bigger jobs like race car haulers I used Standox because it had the best window to work in summer in Texas. That way help is available from the jobber.
the above suggestions are good but what color is it? if it is a straight color [no metallic] AND it is mixed WELL I would not hesitate to paint the cab now and the bed later.
Three reasons why this happens. Improper application Improper mixing Incomplete coverage This does not apply to tri-coat or candy finishes.
Thank you for all of these responses. You have given me a lot of ideas to think about. I have been using Oliver Green Alykd based paint from tractor supply. I used this paint to cover the POR 15 I used on the bed and the frame(black). This paint faded nearly immediately. I am going to use Martin Senour acrylic enamel to redo the frame, I will probably use a shade of dark green urethane from eastwood for the body. I am not ruling out the martin senour premium commercial coating acryilic enamel from Napa, because my body work has never come out very well. This will hopefully be a better job of body work than I have ever done before.
I don't think that there is any cheaper paint out there that can be used on a vehicle than the Tractor supply Alkyd paint. That's 24.99 a gallon here. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...t-oil-base-enamel-jd-green-safety-green-1-gal From experience I think that alkyd enamel just flat fades rather fast if you leave it outside no matter who made the paint. It usually stands up to rough use pretty well though. When I was wrenching on a Dairy farm 20 years ago I found out that the International Harvester paint that you bought at the IH store was about as rugged as you can find. I repaired the nose of a Tractor and spray bombed it with their red spray bomb paint and it held up to "undocumented" workers pressure washing cow manure off it on a daily basis.
That tells me that Eastwood must be like Kirker and you have to get your paint from the same batch. If the batch number is different then so is the color. I ran into that on a truck that I painted. I ordered the same color and Ray Charles could tell it didn't match. They do save small quantities of each batch get the batch number off the can and you have a chance for a match.
Couple things,,,, That tractor and implement paint can be used with a Hardener that will stop the immediate fade, make it dry faster, and add some gloss and longevity to it. Shoot your epoxy, let it sit and you’ll be sanding it before top coat right??? Ok shoot some cheap clear over your epoxy to get a few years UV protection. About $60 for a gallon kit. Cheaper than a garage, a tent, a tarp. You’re gonna sand it anyways, but pic the right epoxy and you might like it.