Started painting my Jeep and it looks like a carnival ride or a bass boat (Keep going or buy another paint?)

[Vtx531]

Fenders and grill are back on. Forgot to mention previously that I spray painted the firewall black. That part came out pretty good. Maybe one day with the tub off and all the attachments removed I can sand blast it and paint the firewall body color but that will have to wait for another time loooong down the road.

 

[Vtx531]

I bought a new windshield frame as mine was rusted beyond repair. I was pretty sure the glass was the original windshield so I had a new one installed. The shop I had it done at asked for the rubber seal that was on the inside. They said they couldn't get one. I Just dropped off the old frame and glass and I'm not sure how they removed the inside seal.

I ended up tossing the rusty frame with the old glass still in it and I'm glad I didn't do it before I saved the seal. I have had a glass shop remove a windshield for me for reuse (not a Jeep). It worked out fine but they would not guaranty before doing the job that it would.

I remember that day. It was COLD!

I was able to safely remove the old glass today. I used a combination of a cold knife and piano wire tool, both from Harbor Freight. The piano wire tool worked amazingly well but it would be a nerve wracking job with either one if someone was trying to not damage the surrounding paint.

I made sure the wire went all the way around especially at the corners, to be sure the windshield glass didn't get damaged during removal. It just lifted right out, no pushing or pulling or anything forceful.

Now I have a ton of old polyurethane sealant to get off.

 

[Jamison C]

The part that was holding me up is painted - grill support.

I painted a couple other items too since I had to mix up the paint anyways. I'm very glad I went with matte black and not the satin or gloss. Should look really nice for the door handles, bumpers, possibly fender flares. Maybe the shine will come down a little bit the more it dries. This photo is just after it dried enough not to leave fingerprints - 20 mins or so.

View attachment 359877

Wow, my rear bumper looks horrible with new paint next to it side by side!

View attachment 359878

I’ve never understood the satin black recommendations for trim prices. It’s way too glossy imo.

Nice job so far!

 

[Vtx531]

Did the underside of the hood today! Time is definitely running out for cold weather approaching with fall. Today was 65 degrees which I thought was close enough to 70.

Took off the hood prop, bumpers, etc. Washed. Sand blasted. Blew out all the sand. Sanded. Scuffed. Cleaned. Primed. Painted.

Had a few issues but I learned some things and it was good practice for painting a large surface since it won't really be seen much. Took me about 7 hours. Maybe I'm slow.

Before I started

Rust

Sandblasted

Primered

After first coat- bad striping. Not sure why, seemed like it was my gun but maybe the angle wasnt right or not enough overlap (I did 50%).

I also learned it is hard to see what you are doing in direct sunlight with this paint.

Here is after a few more coats in different directions and a bit of mist coating. The part that was in the sunlight has a rougher texture and not as good since I couldn't see as well how it was laying down.

More orange peel/ texture than I would like on the sunlight half showing up here.

This is better.

 

[Vtx531]

At the risk of tempting @Vtx531 ... here's what my silver to grey change looks like. That bit of silver will be gone this week.

View attachment 354577

How is yours holding up? I am thinking about switching up strategy to do Rustoleum and go piece by piece. I just don't have the time to prep and paint everything all in one go, I feel like it will never get done.

I sandblasted and sprayed a junk wheel with Rustoleum "aluminum" color out of a quart can and I think it might work on the whole Jeep.

The two-part paint just doesnt work for me if I have to do a little bit at a time and too stressful trying to make everything perfect for the Big Day of spraying the final coat.

 

[PCO6]

How is yours holding up? I am thinking about switching up strategy to do Rustoleum and go piece by piece. I just don't have the time to prep and paint everything all in one go, I feel like it will never get done.

I sandblasted and sprayed a junk wheel with Rustoleum "aluminum" color out of a quart can and I think it might work on the whole Jeep.

The two-part paint just doesnt work for me if I have to do a little bit at a time and too stressful trying to make everything perfect for the Big Day of spraying the final coat.

View attachment 443281

It's been great! I finished it last Sept. and drove it through the winter as my main vehicle while I gave my XJ & MJ a bit of a rest. The paint has held up well. I haven't buffed it out or even waxed it yet. I ran it through the winter with the half doors on. I plan to paint the full doors before this winter. I've camped with it a few times. I painted my off road trailer the same colour as a "test" and liked it so the LJ followed. I don't wheel this thing but it's been on several trails, nothing tight enough to scratch it up though ... yet.

I'm building a tear drop trailer now and will likely go with the same paint and colour. I'll be shooting parts of it with Raptor Liner and understand that I'll be able to use it with a tint base. I guess I'm going to find out!

 

[Vtx531]

Decided to keep pressing on with the 2-part paint...

Worked two hours today on the windshield frame - more de-rusting, feathering out rock chips, body filler on a dent I got from a parking lot security gate coming down on me at work 13 years ago. Still more to do on it.

 

[Andy-WhiteTJ]

In the long run, you'll be happier with a 2 part paint. With 2 part paint, you can use thinner or acetone to clean up any tar or overspray from a spray can paint without lifting or wiping away the main color.

 

[Vtx531]

In the long run, you'll be happier with a 2 part paint. With 2 part paint, you can use thinner or acetone to clean up any tar or overspray from a spray can paint without lifting or wiping away the main color.

Yea, especially since I already purchased the paint and I already did the inner fenders, grill, inside doors/hood/tailgate. I just need to keep the focus on making progress and moving forward.

Worked two hours today. Body filled a dent on the hood, tailgate, hole that I welded under the tailgate, second coat on the windshield frame.

I bought a DA air sander a while back and it really is working well for this stuff. I have an electric DA and it's no good at all compared to infinitely variable speed on the fly with the air powered DA.

I can't really tell how it will look with paint on it but seems good so far, better luck than I had in the past when I tried body filler. Couple steps closer to being done...

 

[Vtx531]

Two hours on the cowl today. I removed the screen and double sided tape with windshield removeal piano wire. I spot blasted rust, rocks chips, and edges. Feather out the spots, sanded and scuffed the top surface. I still need to do the bottom. I'm a little bit weary of the blast spots showing through the paint but its the same technique I used on the underside of the hood and it came out nice.

 

[Gunnersmate]

Damn Esee you need a mural, pinstripes and some airbags

 

[Vtx531]

Decided I should take the roll cage off in order to be able to sand and paint the tub rails easier.

Then I decided to remove the dash bolts just to pull it back to sand and paint under there. That lead to this:

 

[ColoJeep]

Decided I should take the roll cage off in order to be able to sand and paint the tub rails easier.
View attachment 447110

Then I decided to remove the dash bolts just to pull it back to sand and paint under there. That lead to this:
View attachment 447111

Looks good ! , but due to Scope Creep when are you installing the LS , 10 speed hydramatic , and 4spd. Atlas ?