MeanGreen is getting a new paint job!

[diesel_brad]

I had my 00 supercab dually repainted 3 years ago. changed from white to blazing copper. added a cowl hood fixed rust on the bottom of the doors and fixed rust on 2 bed crossmembers. all 4doors were off and every thing taken apart. nothing taped off. i took everthig apart that i could but still make it drivable to the shop. cost me $8600. w a warranty for ass long as i own the truck. i had the inside of the bed linexed. enging compartment rattle caned in flat black. the paintjob is awesome. but as w any afyermarket paint, it is harder than factory and chips easyier. alot of my friend say i'm on crack for spending that money. I did a FULL color change on my 1980 F350 frm multicolor to 64 mustang coral colipso orange and it cost me 2200 in just material and 2 months of nights and weekends

[Jerry Miller]

Brad<
I know what you mean about nights and weekends. Unfortunately, this time around, coming up with the free time to do it myself isn't in the cards. I'm beating myself up over this color thing. I need to decide soon, since the shop has the truck! I think I'm staying with the green, but blacking out everything else. It will be a different look for this truck, yet I won't have to contend with the swirl marks, etc. etc. from a black truck.
Jerry

[Jerry Miller]

Got it back on Tuesday night. I was so excited to get her back that I didn't look as closely as I should. Let's see:
1. Door jambs are horrible
2. Repair patch on bed never got rust proofed on back side...bare metal!
3. Both sides of the truck has "urethane wave" This is where if you sight down the truck from end to end that it looks like there are verticle lines in the clear. Waves. It's from to much clear, too fast, and then not enough wet sanding before buffing to remove it.
4. Dent on bed side was repaired....leaving a bulge in it's place.

6 weeks and 10K later, I'm wishing I would have left it original, and just touched it up, in the worst areas. Shop claims they will make it right, but why not the first time then?

Oh, and the interior....I cleaned only the driver's side so far......2 buckets of water and 10 white rags later and the water was black and so were the towels....this is from the INTERIOR!!!!

If you live in Northern VA, go somewhere else to get a paint job.

Jerry

[RonKZ650]

I'm sorry, that's why I try to discourage any repaints. Happens every time. I know that's not true, but it happens a lot. I would never have anything repainted regardless of how weathered it is. Heck, weathered is cool to me, but I'm different than most.

[Jerry Miller]

Next time, I'm doing it myself. I won 2nd place for Best Jeep, with a paint job that I did back in highschool (1994). I didn't have the time to do it this time around. I should have just sprayed a little rattle can paint on the 2 or 3 areas I was concerned about and just waited until I had time.
We'll see how it looks when I get it back from them having another "whack at it"
My 93 crewcab will be a frame up resto (one day.....eventually) and ALL work will be done by myself.
The lack of professionalism, is a growing concern in this country. I see it in every industry and it sickens me.
Jerry

[K.N.94PSD]

Jerry,

I'm sorry to hear of you're headache, there's absolutely no excuse for such lazy, negligent, and piss-poor workmanship. I personally can relate to your plight. You may want to look into the shop's credentials such as ICAR certification, paint manufacturer system certifications etc... and contact them directly. They may offer to help you out. For a 10K paint job, if they can't make it right, I'd seriously consider legal action.
The best products I've found for vehicle repainting are as follows; for seam sealers: Lord Fusor products, they manufacture the sealers for Ford/Motorcraft and their products come with an unheard of lifetime warranty including workmanship if their product ever fails. As far as paint is concerned, BASF/RM Diamont makes outstanding products, as does Southern Polyurethanes. However, I'd run from a paint shop that uses Sherwin-Williams, or anything laquer based.
The highest durability paint jobs that I've seen will have a properly prepared surface coated with either epoxy primer or epoxy based sealer (ok if not bare metal) and then within the epoxy's recoat window the paint is applied directly to the epoxy, and then the activated clear is applied. All paint products should be 2 component (ie not laquer based). Paint jobs done this way will be very very chip resistant and highly durable. Obviously, I didn't include all the little steps to a paint job, but the basic outline. For corrosion resistance, all body fillers should be applied directly to epoxy and then coated again with epoxy. The same goes for seam sealers, always apply to epoxy.

To those that think a paint job won't last if it's not factory, this just isn't the case. Using high quality materials and correct procedures, it's reasonable to expect a high quality paint job to outlast OEM paint. Many top paint manufacturers will give a lifetime warranty on the paint job when applied at one of their select certified shops.
As far as never repainting even when the original paint is failing, is generally called neglect. Why would you want all the factory corrosion protection (e-coat, zinc, etc..) to get depleated from constant exposure? Paint protects these coatings from damaging UV rays. Essentially, a cosmetic problem will eventually lead to a structural issue.

Hope it helps,
K.N.

[Jerry Miller]

K.N.
Thanks for the info. I have used the Fusor stuff in the past and it really is great. As for paint, I have sprayed PPG's DP, DPLF epoxy primers, their DBC basecoat (I forget which clears) and the DCC single stage urethane. I liked it from a hobbiest standpoint.
The shop that is doing my truck is a PPG shop however, the owner talked me into......Sherwin-Williams. I was skeptical at first, but I did some checking, their product lines have gotten WAY better in the last 5 years. The system is there Ultra 7000 series which is a urethane bc/cc system and epoxy primers are supposed to have been used, no lacquer based crap.
When I do my 93, I plan to use PPG again. I may actually spray it with the DCC and forget about a clearcoat. It has been my experience that black cars show less swirl marks, etc. if it is a single stage urethane rather than a bc/cc.
Jerry

[mattski]

I have had very good luck using the PPG DCC single stage urethane. It goes on great, and polishes up like a dream too. Really sorry to hear about your luck. I was surprised to hear you were taking the truck to them even after all of your reservations at first. I know what it's like with the time thing though, that's why mine still has OEM paint too. I sure hope they set everything straight for ya.

Mattski

[Jerry Miller]

Thanks guys. I think they will make it right. They are working on it, and may have it back by the middle of next week. I know all but one of the items will be fixed 100%. The only one I'm skeptical about now is the "urethane wave" They are blocking the clear and repolishing.
We'll see. I was worried about the reputation of some of the other shops, which made me stick with these guys, as in the past with them, the issues were rather minor, and easily fixed. Luckily, this time around, the are trying to make it right, so hopefully it will all work out.
Thanks guys,
Jerry

[dtosh]

Jerry,

I have been keeping an eye on the thread. I was excited to see the finished product. Sorry for the frustration. I had the same thing. I had some spots fixed on my truck a few years back, both spots the paint is now bubbled and blistered. It is frustrating to find quality work these days. I am still fixing crap from when Ken did my engine 3 years ago!

Take care, hope it ends up looking like you'd hoped.
Dave

[Jerry Miller]

Dave,
It certainly is frustrating. I've seen the video and pics of your brother's truck.....if it looks as good in person as it does in the video, I'd have him fix your trouble spots! I'll post pics/results when I have some to post.
Thanks,
Jerry

[RonKZ650]

[quote=dtosh;1620978]Jerry,

I have been keeping an eye on the thread. I was excited to see the finished product. Sorry for the frustration. I had the same thing. I had some spots fixed on my truck a few years back, both spots the paint is now bubbled and blistered. It is frustrating to find quality work these days. I am still fixing crap from when Ken did my engine 3 years ago!

Take care, hope it ends up looking like you'd hoped.
Dave
I'm sorry to say all repaints will do this so don't do it ever. Yes the guy that knows how to paint by coating with epoxy, then spraying with "XYZ", then clearcoatint with "ZYX" can do a job that lasts, maybe, but the other 6 zillion paint shops? F**k them. You're better off having factory paint that's sat in the sun for 50 years than going with these idiots. Probably back in this thread I noted how the only reason I have my 97 is that my 89 was "repaired" for bird droppings on the fender. Of course the fender was complete crap forever after this. Yes one 2" diameter bird dropping rendered the entire truck junk. I'm not going to drive repainted junk, so off to junkland for that truck after that mistake.

[Jerry Miller]

Ron,
I have seen plenty of repaints over 10 years old that look perfect, but you are right, in that it is all in the application. It must be done right.
I have already told my wife, that if I'm not happy with it, that the truck is being sold. I won't drive junk either.
Jerry

[Jerry Miller]

Went to the shop today. The owner wanted me to look it over before the final hand polishing. All issues have been resolved. The "urethane wave" is still there a little, but no worse than some factory paint jobs. I am happy. Tomorrow they are rollbacking it to my house for me, since all the windows, lights, etc. are out. Looking forward to putting 'er back together. Been "truckless" for 2 months now!

Jerry

[mattski]

Glad to hear they fixed it up right for ya. Can't wait to see pics.

Mattski