Keyser Söze

I have the black removable top (shell) on my 88 4runner and it is really faded and showing through to whatever Toyota used as primer or basecoat in many places.

I am planning to pull the top off to repaint the body and will be replacing the window gaskets and repainting the L-trim on the top and would like any advice on what to do for pre-paint prep for the fiberglass. I don't have any experience prepping/painting fiberglass using a rattle-can or otherwise, and I want to do it right, do it once.

Thanks for any suggestions!

wheatus

are you repainting the entire truck? as for prepping the fiberglass first remove everything you can. sand the entire top with a fairly agressive grit i would probably use 220 but be careful not to sand through the gel coat. you will want to remove everything that is loose but there is no need to get all of it off. repair any places that need repaired and prime the entire top. you could spot prime but if your prep work is good a good thick, even coat of primer will keep you from having problems from the old nasty paint. the most important part of getting a long lasting paint job is to make sure that all the edges and crevices are sanded thoroughly, a properly abraded surface is key for mechanical adhesion. if you did a good job with all of your repairs all you will have to do is sand the orange peel out of the primer and you will have a very good surface to paint on. if you check out the third page of a thread entitled $150 paint job i have given a long list of tips that should be useful to you.

good luck

Keyser Söze

Thanks for your advice!

That is the plan. It's been quite a while since I've painted anything so I wanted to do the top first, figuring the black top would be more forgiving than the truck body while I am re-learning. No real repairs to do to the cover top, the weather has just exposed the basecoat/primer in places like the corners and a strip along the back top edge. The truck itself needs some rust repair in the passenger rear quarter panel (typical) and I am going to replace both front fenders. About 10 or so various small rusting dings and scratches to fix and fill.

Saw that post, good advice there.

1989toy4wd

By the way, you have a 1st gen 4runner (84-89)...

as for prep, just take your time with a 220 grit sandpaper to scuff it up, you know what would be kinda cool? Put some herculiner on that thing!!

Keyser Söze

Good to know, I always thought the 2nd gens started when Toyota switched to IFS.

I already had herculiner planned for the rocker panels like I have seen many here have done, but I may have to think about using it for the top too since I was going to buy a schutz gun to spray the rockers anyway..

Outsane

there are fiberglass replacements for the L-trim..

if you didn't already know..

Keyser Söze

Yeah I did see those, but mine are not bad, and they can be easily sanded and repainted correctly for a lot less than $150+paint for fiberglass replacements.

All the rubber seals & gaskets I need for refurbishing the top will cost $150-$250 so I'm thinking that's probably a better investment for replacement items.

Outsane

good deal..

4runnerx3

If you're going to repaint the L trim, I recommend that you put paint stripper on them and see how much rust is really there. Then lightly sandblast them. And the top came with gel coat color on them, not paint.

geminiroq

It is good to hear that you are going to replace the weather spripping. Are you getting them from the dealer? I am going to start the same thing you are doing and wanted to see where you got yours.

Thank you....

wheatus

i like the bedliner on the top idea. i had a full size jeep cherokee that i put bedliner on the top and along the rockers and about eight inches up the door and over the fender flares. it looked really good with the black on silver. what colors do you plan on painting the truck? and what type of paint are you going to use? i would use a basecoat/clearcoat.

SkinnyDip

I painted my top with bedliner and like it so far. Soon as I get my body painted I planned on doing the rocker panels in the same bedliner. Ready for it all to be done.

Junkers88

The last time I messed with fiberglass it was a lung nightmare. My advice is to pull the top and set it on some sort of stand outside. Go grab an air or electric hand sander that you can put some 1000 grit paper on and go to town. Please wear a respirator. Sand all of it down smooth and shoot it with a black primer, then sand again, then primer. Last you should wet sand it (not with an electric sander) with some 2000 or 2500 grit wet paper to blend everything. Then you can spray with a nice black paint. Since you're going to get all new seals anyway it'll be easier to pull the windows before you start sanding and priming.


Be sure and take pictures.

904_runner

btw its a 1st gen 4runner, not a second gen...

Idk i don't think a top would look good with herculiner on it...
But then again if you like it that is what matters..

Make sure you prep the crap out of it..

thook

It's up to you, but if you sand you'll lose some texture to the fiberglass top. You may like it that way.....would look more like a regular shell for pick ups. I'd use a paint stripper, though. Even if it is gel coat, it will come off. It's also just easier.

thinsley

Was wondering if the top ever got painted, or herculined, etc. I've got a black top here as well and was thinking of painting/herculining it. I'm STILL searching through the forums to see if anyone else has done this. Looking for tips, etc. Did you finally get the top finished?

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

FYI-the OP hasn't been around in over a year:
Keyser Söze
Last Activity: 07-06-2009 01:42 PM

it's all about the prep. My experience with Herculiner on fiberglass (my Trekker Bed/cap is all fiberglass) is that it works better on metal.

thinsley

Thanks for the info. I have been enjoying having the top off the last couple weeks. Isn't always possible here in PDX! But I figured while it was still nice enough, I might try to paint it or something else. I appreciate the feedback on the fiberglass. I've seen a few posts here and there and it sounds like just a black paint might be the better choice. I'm just afraid I'll lose the "texture" with painting it. Thanks again for the reply.

iselloil

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...rshell-213103/

thinsley

Perfect! Thanks! That top looks great btw!