Happiness is a few gallons of 24087

[BFR]

Looks great to me.

 

[jollyroger]

I like it alot. Looks good. I am used to the solid color trucks growing up with M-37's. I go back and forth about how i want to paint mine. I guess time will tell. Thanks for the paint info.

 

[JCKnife]

Carl I know this is an older thread but can you share any info about additives / hardener / thinner used? Are you pleased with how it is holding up?

 

[AceHigh]

While you are waiting for Carl, I will throw this in. I did mine 2 years ago and used Rapco, mixed in some Xylene thinner, Tractor supply hardner (Makes it a little too shiney but the 30 minute drying is great) and sprayed it over rustoleum redlead.

For lettering I always use a paint mask, not stencils.

 

[JCKnife]

That looks awesome, Ace. Please explain though: what is a paint mask as opposed to stencils?

 

[CobraCDR]

Looks good!

 

[Srjeeper]

That looks awesome, Ace. Please explain though: what is a paint mask as opposed to stencils?

Paint Mask is a self sticking vinyl stencil....here's a link that should help explain.
paint masks.

I painted my equipment with Gilispie 24087 almost 6 yrs. ago and only used Enamel thinner and mixed it 2 color to 1 thinner with excellent results. The important thing with enamel is to let it cure (20 to 30 days) after painting before adding stencils.

If you don't ya run the risk of the paint not properly bonding to the base serface and lifting later.

That's my TIWIW..

 

[Carl_in_NH]

I used Xylene thinner and a small amount of hardener that my friend from the local body shop had (I'll check and find out what it was).

Overall, I'm happy with how this has held up. Because it's thinned and hardened it doesn't exactly match the gloss of the rattlecans of 24087 I bought at the same time from the same vendor. You can tell where I've touched up damage from cargo because of that mismatch.

Regardless, I'll be doing the M105 trailer the same way in the spring.

 

[135gmc]

Back when the military bought SG-OD paint, there was always variance in the exact color. A friend of mine went through the headaches of custom mixing the exact color of OD that was on his truck using PPG Delstar - and when he was getting ready to paint the truck, he removed the dash nameplates and found that the paint on the truck was faded from time, sun, and probably being washed with whatever could be found for soap. The paint under the nameplates turned out to be very close to match standard Delstar DAR 42955.

SRJeeper is right - be careful spraying on any lettering or stars until the paint has had a month or so to harden and fully cure. If you have to stencil it sooner, use light coats of paint, and give it time for the solvents to evaporate before adding another coat. Its not as bad on any vertical surface, but be careful on any horizontal surfaces, like the hood. The solvents in the stencil paint can cause the color coat to bubble and lift, and that brings you back to square-1.

The best solution is to let it sit for a month or so before stenciling.

 

[JCKnife]

Paint Mask is a self sticking vinyl stencil....here's a link that should help explain.
paint masks.

Spendy, but good info! Thanks!

What sucks is, my company used to have a vinyl-cutting plotter and I made paint masks on it (never knew that term but I did use them). That was about 15 years ago. I asked about it last year and they just threw it away--I could have made my own!

 

[Katahdin]

I also used Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer, Gillespie paint thinned with Xylene, and Tractor Supply hardener. I was under the gun to get the truck ready for Memorial Day and we had lousy weather all that month, I think I had barely a week of curing on the hood before putting the stencils on -- the weekend before Memorial Day! Definitely the Velspar "Restoration" Hardener from TC made this possible.

However, I did not have a good experience with spraying the Gillespie over spots of primer done with a rattle can, that seems to lighten up the paint over those spots, maybe you need to give the rattle can primer more time to air off the propellants. Most of what I coated was sprayed on with a paint gun.

For the stencils I used rustoleum flat white and lightly misted the paint on with small paint gun using 5 or so very light coats, I was very pleased with the results.

 

[Hoefler]

Your truck looks great. I have a Sparta M36A3 with they typical Frankenstien hood with rust. Sanded with coarse grit on overall surfaces-hit the hood strip with sandblast. Coated the areas with Eastwood rust encapsulator (even though had all the surface rust gone), prepped with acid wash and marine cleaner. Then rattle can painted with Gillipsie paint. Doing a basic detail job on what looked a little shabby. Next year I will do what you did-A PROPER JOB!

 

[JCKnife]

I also used Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer, Gillespie paint thinned with Xylene, and Tractor Supply hardener. I was under the gun to get the truck ready for Memorial Day and we had lousy weather all that month, I think I had barely a week of curing on the hood before putting the stencils on -- the weekend before Memorial Day! Definitely the Velspar "Restoration" Hardener from TC made this possible.

However, I did not have a good experience with spraying the Gillespie over spots of primer done with a rattle can, that seems to lighten up the paint over those spots, maybe you need to give the rattle can primer more time to air off the propellants. Most of what I coated was sprayed on with a paint gun.

For the stencils I used rustoleum flat white and lightly misted the paint on with small paint gun using 5 or so very light coats, I was very pleased with the results.

That looks outstanding! How long ago / how's it holding up?