Help a rookie paint his cucv

[Dillard88]

I’m painting my suburban and m1008 all in the same setting. I have 3 gallons of red oxide primer and 3 gallons of my top coat all from Gillespie.
How many coats of each is recommended? Obviously no thinning?
Is 3 gallons enough to cover both vehicles?

 

[Dillard88]

Before stripping

 

[87cr250r]

If you don't have any bare metal a primer isn't really necessary. If you have a little bare metal go ahead and use the red oxide for spot repairs. If you have a lot of bare metal you'll want to use a zinc primer for spot repairs and an epoxy primer to cover everything.

 

[nyoffroad]

3 gallons of any primer is a lot, 3 gallons of single stage color for two trucks isn't all that much. Nothing sticks as well as factory primer and paint, never "strip" a vehicle down unless something is wrong with the paint itself.
I've painted professionally and there is no way I'd do two at the same time, your flash time between coats will be way off and you'll have a ton of overspray. At this point it is what it is, Is the red oxide some kind of old lacquer product? I haven't seen a red oxide product in 20 years!
As said bare metal needs to be covered with an etching type primer, I like Dupont Vera-prime and then a couple coats of decent -good urethane primer. I've used epoxy's before and never again, they sand like crap. Finish all body work with 120 or 150 grit and then one coat of etch primer and when dry follow with a good heavy 2 or 3 coats of the 'fill' primer, let dry over night, then sand with 400, blow off wipe down, tape up, ( do not use the same tape/paper for prime and paint) tack off and spray. Sounds simple but remember there is a reason body shops charge thousands to paint a car. Good luck

 

[87cr250r]

Red oxide is a colloquialism for an alkyd type maintenance primer. They are solvent born which helps when painting poorly degreased surfaces. They don't really have any performance advantages beyond that.

When I hear etching primer I feel those have been obsolete since the late 1970's. Zinc rich primers have been standard from manufacturers starting in the mid 1970's. Zinc rich primers are the only ones that protect in the event of a painting defect or chip.

 

[nyoffroad]

Red oxide is a colloquialism for an alkyd type maintenance primer. They are solvent born which helps when painting poorly degreased surfaces. They don't really have any performance advantages beyond that.

When I hear etching primer I feel those have been obsolete since the late 1970's. Zinc rich primers have been standard from manufacturers starting in the mid 1970's. Zinc rich primers are the only ones that protect in the event of a painting defect or chip.

That's odd, I know I'm old and got out of the dent bangin biz years ago but still do a few jobs here n there. Etch primers are still in high use around here (North East) and as far as "poorly degreased surfaces" go there's only one cure for that and that is to CLEAN IT!
Back in the 70 lacquer was still king, Dupont Centari was just making it's debut, Yeah I was around back then and learned to use lead too. But I also have kept up with newer products like the urethane's of today, WOW so much better! Even the cheap (relatively speaking) primers of today are light years ahead of the old red/gray lacquers.
Oh yeah, anytime you break the surface of one coat and get into another it should be sealed with some kind of primer or sealer. I don't use any waterborn stuff and that may not apply with that stuff.

 

[Dillard88]

3 gallons of any primer is a lot, 3 gallons of single stage color for two trucks isn't all that much. Nothing sticks as well as factory primer and paint, never "strip" a vehicle down unless something is wrong with the paint itself.
I've painted professionally and there is no way I'd do two at the same time, your flash time between coats will be way off and you'll have a ton of overspray. At this point it is what it is, Is the red oxide some kind of old lacquer product? I haven't seen a red oxide product in 20 years!
As said bare metal needs to be covered with an etching type primer, I like Dupont Vera-prime and then a couple coats of decent -good urethane primer. I've used epoxy's before and never again, they sand like crap. Finish all body work with 120 or 150 grit and then one coat of etch primer and when dry follow with a good heavy 2 or 3 coats of the 'fill' primer, let dry over night, then sand with 400, blow off wipe down, tape up, ( do not use the same tape/paper for prime and paint) tack off and spray. Sounds simple but remember there is a reason body shops charge thousands to paint a car. Good luck

the paint on the burb was in terrible shape… I’m talking flaking off with your fingernail. It had to go. I guess I’ll call Gillespie and see what they have to say

 

[Valley Rock]

I painted my entire M35 water truck with 1 gallon of paint, thinned it per the instructions, used a roller and brush, no primer, laid down great, looks great .

Thats All I got .

 

[edpdx]

If you don't have any bare metal a primer isn't really necessary. If you have a little bare metal go ahead and use the red oxide for spot repairs. If you have a lot of bare metal you'll want to use a zinc primer for spot repairs and an epoxy primer to cover everything.

Spot on 87cr250r! The real trick is to get it degreased completely and then take several hours- yes hours to blow out EVERY nook and cranny (sp?). This is a step I have learned to be as important if not more important than any other in the painting process- especially true if you don't have a paint booth and are resigned to the fact that crap will end up in your paint (bugs, dirt, dandelion seeds, etc). Get your compressor wound up, attach a comfortable air nozzle (gun type) and get every angle on every hole, seam, body break there is. After several times around you will think you have nailed it- but this is where it pays to go around again.
I know some don't give a rip about perfection here as CARC or any other paint associated with military trucks gets laid on with lower expectations that at a commercial shop. But developing habits that give you your best looking finishes will pay off when painting cars that demand a better finish down the road. Best of luck.

 

[ssdvc]

Clean it, scuff it and paint out any bare metal. Then use Behr Marque House paint (flat), let her sit in the sun for about 3 weeks and you should be good to go for about 10 years.