Truck needs a paint job.
 

I have a 2003 Ram 1500 4x4 that needs a paint job pretty bad. Clear has peeled in areas and chalking up. Now heres the deal. The truck is 11 years old, has 140k miles and I actually recently just installed all new front end components: ball joints, upper control arms, wheel bearings, shocks, inner outer tie rods, cv axles, drilled slotted rotors etc. The truck drives like it is brand new. However, I feel a bad financial decision would be to drop $3k on a truck that isn't even worth more the $7k.

My idea is to try and paint the truck myself with a military grade gillespie coating, They sell a flat 34052 lusterless USMC green color. Does anyone have any experience with this type of paint? My plan is to paint one panel at a time and do the best I can prepping it. I already realize that it won't turn out absolutely perfect, but $150 for two gallons and probably another $100 in materials is a lot better than $3-4k for a professional job.

I am soon to be in the fire academy and actively looking for a fire fighter job so funds are tight and I want to keep this truck until I can afford what I really want.

This is the perfect time to use Plastic dip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was my first idea but that stuff is illegal in CA in large quantities.

wrap it?

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=376442

Dipyourcar.com sent me plasti-dip by the gallon out here in California. Painted my K-5 for fun. Easy stuff to use. Holds up pretty decent as well. If I recall it was about $60 a gallon.

Was this recently? I heard CA got strict about this stuff not too long ago.

Get a cheap harbor freight HVLP gun, skuff, mask, shoot.

It was last year if I recall.

I forgot to mention, I have already plasti dipped my roof. I had bad clear coat chalking. Well, the dip has started to bubble and lift in those areas. If I were to dip the whole truck, would sanding down the original chalky clear coat prevent lifting while the dip seals and prevents it from spreading? I just don't want my ****ty dodge clear coat to bubble under the dip in areas that look good at the moment.

+1 for plastidip!

Here is my two cents as an x-bodyshop guy - everything is about the prep. 90% of how it turns out is going to be about the prep work you are willing to do. Painting any vehicle is harder than it looks as well. Every dent, ding and deep scratch is going to be highlighted when you throw on new paint even if it is flat. You WILL NOT be happy with how it turns out. I am not sure where you live - but there are a number of lower end paint shops that will charge you $300+materials to shoot your rig assuming you paint it the same color as before - so all the jambs do not have to be dealt with.

My advice: watch some youtube videos on body work and most importantly preparation (if you don't already know how to do it) - fix your major issues - get it pained the same color by a low cost (Maaco or Earl Sheib) and pay for the good materials. You could be in and out for $6-700.

I just got done sanding My Bro kids Truck,Same proplem
You got to sand alll the bad paint off ,and Spray it with poly fill primer ,then Block it out with 100 grit ,Spay again and then Sand with 220,then 320 ,,,Paint
Then my bro took it to Maaco this week and thay wanted $1200 + to paint,,,I looking for a spray booth now
I painted this car 10 years ago ,,,About $800 for paint and Stuff +$150 for a spray booth ,,,took about 12 hours to paint 2 tone

Thanks for the info. I think Ill just try to get a hold of 5 gallons of plasti dip and spray my truck flat black. No need for prep and if I do want to change my mind later on, it peels off. The question is, will that stuff last a few years or will it start to fade and turn grey?

I coated my car's rims in PalsticDip 3 years a go. Still looks good, no peeling.

I don't know what palstic Dip is ,,,But Zero Rust is the best Rust paint I've ever seen,been using it for over 25 years ,has an ok finsh,,,
http://zero-rust.com/index.php?refer...FS9eQgodTSIAIQ
And a nother cool paint job is use Color Primer,,, I did thay to a van of mine , Two toned it hides all miner body needs intill you have time to fix em

hey shawndoggy you think that vinyl wrap the way that kid did it will work on a boat?

why wouldn't it? Seems like to do it right (and to echo phatboypimp) prep would be key... removing the through hulls, cleats, handles, etc would likely make the final product all that much better. Some good info here too: http://www.roadandtrack.com/boot/col...t-65-5-roa0114