I’m looking for some advice on painting the canopy on my ‘88 runner(attached pic).

I do eventually plan on painting the actual truck OD green as it will be used mainly as a hunting rig. My question is should I just go ahead and paint the canopy od green now or just go with black or dark grey?

just looking for some opinions on this cause I can’t picture how it’d look. Thanks in advance!

 

black or dark grey.

 

Your body paint is still showing a decent gloss coat, I think it'd be a shame to paint that.

Blacking the canopy I can agree with.

 

I was in the same spot as you. I have the same shark-gray colored truck, along with the "gill" decals on the side, and the black fiberglass top. Mine was in notably worse condition. If you search, you'll find a thread I started on options for the top.

In the end, I decided to use the bedliner paint on the top and am very happy with the result. Time will tell how well it sunfades, but even if I have to redo it every couple years, that's fine. Prep was:
1) Wash aggressively with soap and a stiff bristle brush to get all the grime out of the texture. Let dry completely.
2) Mask off the windows, rear wiper, rear washer nozzle, rear window, front cab. Took me an hour or so with blue tape and newspaper. Be generous with masking as no one likes overspray.
3) Sprayed two coats of the bedliner paint. I did it outside on a no-wind day under a carport, and wore a simple respirator filter. I used 2-1/2 cans of Rust-Oleum 248914 Truck Bed Coating Spray, 15 oz, Black.
4) Remove all the masking end enjoy the new color!


Before. Note almost all gel coat is gone.


masking and paint booth


Final result. I could have done a better job in the middle vertical section between coats.

 

Appreciate the input.

Decided I’m going to go with a charcoal/black. Thanks again everyone.

 

That's the common scheme, body matching the topper was a rarity.

 

Second that. Try TR3 cleaner polish. Worked well on my red truck, although I had been too lazy to wax it.

Good decision. Pls keep us posted. My next project is also my cap, but will stay with red to match body.

BTW, what spare tire carrier do you have and from where?

 

Got a question, folks.

Would separate coats of enamel/alkyd/polyurethane paint that uses mineral spirit thinner and automotive paint that uses lacquer thinner be compatible?
Paint for fiberglas boat that I'm considering using on top surface my fiberglas cap uses mineral spirit (turpentine?) to thin it.
I do not plan to apply coat of one type on top of the other, but they would meet somewhere, similar to an FJ with different color top.

Reasons that I want to use fiberglas paint for top surface:Reason I want to use Spraymax blended spray can on highly-visible vertical surface is because it is factory color (3D7).