yes i used PPG basecoat and clear. if it was me i would buy some etch prime. you can buy rattle cans for about $5 that work well. it is cheap insurance in my book, you don't won't to chance anything when you are painting, it is just too expensive. etch primers dry quickly so you are only adding a few minutes. it is not a seperate step once it dries it can be topcoated with the primer filler. etch primers have two main functions. one they bond with the metal by means of an acid which helps with adhesion and two it is a rust preventitive measure. paint is pourous and over time water will infiltrate and cause the panel to rust from the metal out through the paint causing bubbles.

 

where can i buy etch primer in a rattlecan?

 

I used the bc/cc chromabase from dupont that i had left over.

 

anywhere that sells paint should have an etch primer, i have even seen it at walmart. it will say something about self-etching or for bare metal on the can somewhere.

 

For basic rattlecan, I have found Krylon generally works better than Rustoleum. Duplicolor actually pretty good. But recently used a new Rustoleum Self-Etching primer (kindof a khaki green color) and it works GREAT - dries very fast and sticks well.

 

Any suggestions on techniques/methods for fixing hail dents? I can swap the hood from a donor, but would like to get rid of them on the roof and fenders. Thanks in advance.

 

I recently smacked into a tree on a wheeling trip. This smashed my tail light and the rear end where the tail light bolts into in a bit. If I took a picture to better describe what I am talking about anyway you guys could help me figure out how to fix the dents?

 

yeah take a pic!

 

I don't think that question needed to be asked

 

Hey body pros! How does the @$%^%$#$#@@n windsheld trim come off? Bought a tool and followed the directions with no luck. Im afraid of breaking those plastic clips!

 

for the hail dents wash the truck and get a good drop light to find all the dents. use some masking tape to mark the dents so you don't lose any when you start sanding.

for the windshield trim good luck. i just broke mine off, i didn't like the chrome anyway. if the truck is over five years old or so you probably aren't going to have much luck. the plastic gets brittle and breaks easily. you might save some but you need to find another source for them.

pics are always helpful.

 

Pics:

 

you may be able to rent a stud welder and a slide hammer in your area. if not you can always weld the heads of nails to the panels to pull out. unless you plan on doing something about the rust in the wheel wells i wouldn't worry about it.

 

Rust on the wheel wells in an entirely separate issue. Yes, I will be cutting the rot out from the body and tack welding replacement sheet metal into it, then bonding it over to even it out. I will check around to see if I can rent a slide hammer or anything.

 

sorry to resurect this thread but ust wanted to let everyone know that i sold my truck.
moved to alaska and someone stopped by and made my brother a good offer on it. sad to see it go.

 

wheatus, good luck to you in Alaska! Thanks for starting this thread for us, it's a wealth of information.

 

Wheatus, thanks for this thread, it has given me enough guts to go out and do some of my body work. I have been slowly fixing the little dents that have happened since 1985, some tapped out with hammer and dolly, some pulled out, have been able to get them to were I just need a light coat of plastic. I removed the chrome, and started filling the trim holes with weld, plastic and sanding smooth. I will need to finish sand what I have done and glaze some areas but for the few nights I have worked on it, I am satified with how it is turning out. It will not be show quality by any means but that is not what I am going for, I just want to get another 25 years out of it. I have found a mom and pop parts store that does the paint mixing for most of the body shops in the area and they have given good advise also. With everything that they have quoted me I will be into all the paints, and supplies for about $300.00, all paints are PPG Shop Line. Things are to cold in my garage to worry about paint right now so I have time to finish it all real nice before worring about paint. basically everything I have done is just covered in rattle can primer to protect it.

If you could verify my plan is correct I would appreciate it. Once body work is done I plan to wash and degrease, finish sand and sand off all the cheap primer. Wash and degrease, etching primer in the area that are down to steel, epoxy primer areas that body work was done, high build primer those areas finish sand and feather the edges in, seal the whole truck, then base clear. is this the right steps thanks.

Also bought the HLVP gravity feed kobalt spray gun and have been practicing with some cheap rustoleum black and clear on old sheet metal. learning to reduce and get a good tack and wet coat. Not doing to bad.

Thanks