1956 GMC panel truck - POS to RatRod in one year.........

[MZcountryboy]

Originally Posted by AKjeff

I like the paint. It's not as flat as the rattle can jobs I see on CL. That look is getting old.

Was the mineral spirits only to allow it to roll nicely, or did it add the slight gloss to the finish?

I'm thinking I'd like to do a two tone with similar black and a gloss contrasting color.

Mineral spirits is to thin the paint so that it dries with no orange peel. Some of the internet guys don't like the flat paint on the roller jobs, as the roller marks + brush marks are hard to hide. I was super careful to roll it out evenly and then the very last roll with no pressure on the roller frame. Most folks use a gloss paint, and wetsand between coats to get a nice finish, like JVB has on the red door.

I did no sanding between coats.

I did a bit of research and Rustoleum reccomends thinning with acetone only, but this is due to new VOC regulations, not performance. The roller paint guys say that the acetone takes too long to dry, and mineral spirits works better, I used the "green" mineral spirits even, and it came out great.

[MZcountryboy]

Originally Posted by Speedo66

The paint looks great. I saw the mix ratio, but what is the technique?

What type of roller do you use?

Thanks

The roller paint guys reccomend the foam brushes and foam roller covers. I used the foam brushes (no brush marks!) and a regular 3/8 nap roller cover. During the first coat it is important to let the roller soak up some paint and "steep" for a while, I got lots of air bubbles on the roof (they dried out fine....) on the first coat, but once the roller was saturated, it went much better. Roll it on as thin as you can to get coverage, then come back and add multiple coats to get the finish desired. 3 coats was enough for me, some people go 5 or 6 if wetsanding between coats.

[ddavidv]

I'm another believer in the roller job, having painted my BMW race car that way. Did it as a joke after reading about it on the interweb, and get endless giggles from people who look at it and can't believe that's how it was done. I went with a higher dollar Inerlux boat paint, which doesn't require as much thinning (and thus as many coats). The no-buff finish is really glossy, and if you get the technique down you can achieve an almost glass-smooth finish that will fool just about everybody to think it came from a gun.

It is more labor intensive because of the multiple applications and sanding between (I did it more for adhesion than to smooth it out), but the lack of mess from spraying in my home garage was worth it, not to mention the savings in materials over 'real' auto paint. Just remember, it doesn't do anything for your prep quality; do a crappy prep job and it will look like crap! You can't hide bad prep no matter what path you take.

[cjbiker]

Originally Posted by MZcountryboy

One who wishes to maintain his marital bliss does not count the pennies spent on a folly of a restoration project.







(run away from the CL rustbombs!........)

Hahaha, that's true. I've done just enough body work to know it's a miserable job, but you make it look so eeeeeeasy!

[Speedo66]

Originally Posted by MZcountryboy

The roller paint guys reccomend the foam brushes and foam roller covers. I used the foam brushes (no brush marks!) and a regular 3/8 nap roller cover. During the first coat it is important to let the roller soak up some paint and "steep" for a while, I got lots of air bubbles on the roof (they dried out fine....) on the first coat, but once the roller was saturated, it went much better. Roll it on as thin as you can to get coverage, then come back and add multiple coats to get the finish desired. 3 coats was enough for me, some people go 5 or 6 if wetsanding between coats.

Thanks for the info! One day I may attempt something more my size, like a bike tank.

[MZcountryboy]

mustache and bumper on the front, I have most of the new wiring harness is as well.



Glass on the passenger door is in, with all new fuzzies.

[Beez]

Looks great Scott!

[WeazyBuddha]

Absolutely gorgeous

[cbolling]

nice work!!!

[ADK]

Go back to post 1 to see what he started with...

[c.herman126]

Awesome progress Scott! It's all coming together.

[MZcountryboy]

back door glass in with new rubber gasket



tail lights are in, almost wired up. chrome is pitted, matches the bumpers - $5 plate light. Can't find the right one....

side glass in passenger door



current engine bay pics -






made good progress on the wiring today, got the blinkers working!

[Hughlysses]

Originally Posted by MZcountryboy

current engine bay pics -




made good progress on the wiring today, got the blinkers working!

(Sigh...) I remember when you could actually see the engine in a car and had plenty of room to work on it.

[troidus]

Originally Posted by Hughlysses

(Sigh...) I remember when you could actually see the engine in a car and had plenty of room to work on it.

There's enough room in there to jump in with it and pull the hood down over you to keep the rain off.

[Purcell69]

Scott, your handiwork is incredible! It serves to remind me that I need to get my butt back in gear with my '57 Chevy 3100. I started out with a shell and a good rolling chasis. I put in a 350/200-4R and a disc brake / PS conversion on the straight axle. Bump steer was scary at best, and I decided on a Camaro subframe.

After the Camaro subframe was done, I wanted fuel injection and went with an old Crossfire system from an '83 Z-28. I never did get it quite right. Now the bug has bit me to make mine NAPCO-esque.

I need to replace some of the cab floor, and the thought crossed my mind to mount the body on a 1994-2001 Dodge Ram 1500 4WD chasis with a modified wheelbase to match the body. I have a Jeep Cherokee with a 4.0L 4X4 drivetrain that I am going to use instead of the 350. I want to enjoy driving this, not filling it up everytime I turn around.

Thanks for the motivation to get my butt in gear again!

-Joe