Topic: Question about auto paint job

[eigenvector]

I'm going to get the truck re-painted and the guy at the shop advised me to wash the vehicle beforehand to get rid of the moss that was on it.

Question about that - since I don't have a pressure washer, what's the best way to do that.  I was looking at basically a scrub brush, dish soap, and a pressure nozzle from a garden hose.  Basically how I would wash a car anyways - except I'd spend more time scrubbing.

Is that sufficient for their purposes or do I need to take it to an auto detailer (as was suggested) to have them remove it their way ()

[martin99]

How bad is it? Isn't it going to be prepped and sanded anyway? I would have thought a scrape and rinse would be sufficient, it's a courtesy to not give it to your painter covered in sh1t but it don't need to be pristine.

[Stev-o]

It's growing moss?!   How long has it been sitting outside?

After a basic wash, acetone could be used to clean off any leftover residue...

[calj737]

Dish soap probably won't remove "moss". You might really need to use some "Purple Power" or the likeand use a microfiber to scrub with.

After you wash it, use a Clay Bar kit from the auto parts store to deep clean the paint. That will leave the car in really good condition for the painter to strip/scuff the car before repainting it and should cost you less than $30 to do.

[eigenvector]

Thanks Cal

I have never heard of a clay bar - no reason not to go for it.  I suspect I won't have too many areas of moss to deal with - after washing it and scrubbing it I bet half the paint will have flaked off, which I'm guessing is the real reason they wanted me to wash it beforehand (less sanding).

And yes Steve - it is not uncommon for cars in Seattle to have moss and algae on them and my truck has never been inside a garage in 17 years.

[eigenvector]

It's hard work washing a vehicle when it has to be clean.

I have to do the inside door sills and such but I wanted to take a break first - my back and shoulders are killing me.

[Steve F]

I wouldn't bother with the clay bar since the paint is crap anyway.  Clay is used to remove the smallest of contaminations that you can barely feel (they're not cheap either) and since they're gonna scuff (at minimum) the surface anyway for the surface to have "tooth" just scrub it good with JOY or DAWN that will remove all traces of oily residue and crap.  An old red shop rag or a piece of burlap will scrub it good.

[MikeSimon]

I wouldn't bother with the clay bar since the paint is crap anyway.  Clay is used to remove the smallest of contaminations that you can barely feel (they're not cheap either) and since they're gonna scuff (at minimum) the surface anyway for the surface to have "tooth" just scrub it good with JOY or DAWN that will remove all traces of oily residue and crap.  An old red shop rag or a piece of burlap will scrub it good.

Totally agree. Clay bars are used to fine finish paint surfaces. What a wasted effort that would be before you strip/sand the paint anyway

[jgger]

I agree with the dish soap, original Dawn will even remove the wax on a car. They are going to scuff it anyway so use a scotch-brite pad, it will help cutting through the crud.

Rinse everything real good when you are done.

[chewbacca5000]

I would ask about their prep process.  No or poor prep and you have something that comes out like a kid did it with a spray can.  And I am not talking professional graffiti artist.

[eigenvector]

I'm not expecting a Rembrandt from these guys - this is my 17 year-old pickup, maybe a Picasso though.

I will add it to my list of things to discuss when I stop by.  I don't even know if they're still going to do it - that all has to be worked out, although I didn't get the impression they were waving me off either.

The quote mentions something about sanding with a chunk of rebar embedded concrete, pinstripping added with a set of car keys for that personal touch.

They're not doing the bed at all - that will be coated with Line-X, what did concern me was the mention of 'sanding off damaged paint' which implies they aren't going to do the entire truck.  I'll have to get that clarified before agreeing.  I would prefer the whole truck unless there's some reason why that's not necessary.  The last thing I want is for them to sand only damaged parts then have the paint flake off somewhere else a week later.

The pictures are typical of the damaged paint

[Stev-o]

I saw a truck last week that had the bed liner product on the entire truck!

[BomberMann650]

Hey hey guise, I had an idea!

[MoMo]

^^^Your truck cowman?

[BomberMann650]

Lol no I drive a ram.

[MoMo]

Lol no I drive a ram.

not a Cowasaki?  sorry for the bad puns

[BomberMann650]

Lol no I drive a ram.

not a Cowasaki?  sorry for the bad puns

There certainly are plans for a MooCraft Cowasaki in the future.  A Dr. Bovinestein creation will bellow to life soon.

[MoMo]

Several years ago I was friends with an artist from Narrowsburg, New York who painted nothing but cows.  IIRC his wedding had a cow theme.  ...Larry

[eigenvector]

Talked to him about the prep, he satisfied my curiosity about what the job entailed.

So now I get to experience the joy of not owning a cage for a week.  I'm going hardcore baby - motorcycle only!

[RAFster122s]

The paint will need to be stripped if it is going to last.  What will stopp the paint from continuing to peel, for areas not yet flaked off.  You can thank water-based paints for your paint problems.  GM had a class action suit that finally got settled over 6 -8 years easily from  the car's manufacturing date.  It went back to 84 as my ex's car was a Chevy Chevette that had this problem.  Paint was loosing clear coat and crazing befor it was 4 years old.  Was told you get what you pay for.  So, I never spent another dime with GM after that.
Neither will I do so for the rest of my life...
Hope your rain gear is in good shape as it is pretty much be assured you will see rain sometime in that week.
Especially true when living in your part of the country.
IF you have space have a couple changes of clothes at work in case you get caught by unplanned liquid sunshine.  I actually would often have a change in case I did a boneheaded thing and spilt a drink on myself, etc.

I hope you are happy with their work, the paint will have to have some curing afterwards before you can wax it...hopefully some warm days after getting it painted to help that along.

There have been several offroad truck rebuilds and mods which have been sprayed with bedliner all over.  When done right it is very durable substitute for vehicles seeing hard use.
Diesel Brothers has used it on one or two builds and I think even West Coast Customs have used it a time or two.
 It is not good for fuel efficiency as a textured surface is draggy.

[eigenvector]

So the paint job is done.

I won't say I'm super stoked, but it looks much better than it did before.  Kind of a 'Meh' feeling - no big deal, this is a pickup after all, not a Jag.

I can't wash the truck for 30 days - bummer really, but a small problem since I'll be gone for 2 weeks anyway.

One other thing, there were a couple small chips in the paint (talking 1/8" diameter) that the guy called "places that were missed".  I can only wonder what he meant.  I wasn't going to rake him over the coals for it, I wasn't expecting perfection anyway.  It does make me wonder - should I fix those with filler or paint or something after the paint has cured?  I just don't want those small craters to be a location where the paint will begin the process of peeling all over again.

[Stev-o]

Got pics of the paint job?   Was this a $299 special??

[eigenvector]

Naw, I'm probably making it sound worse than it is.  I don't feel ripped off, which is really all I care about. 

But I'll see about getting some shots of the "craters" - there's only two of them.

[RAFster122s]

Likely a contamination of something caused the paint to pop in that spot. Let it cure and then a few good wipe downs with acetone, spot blasted, and then touch up with a few drops of paint.

You can mask off an area just larger than the spot using a paper punch on a piece of 3M vinyl painters tape, you sand it in the circle or spot blast it after the wipe down to remove any chemicals. That way you don't sand that contaminant into the metal.
Then you can paint that spot and pull the tape after it skins a bit so you don't get a raised edge of the painted circle.

Is is a clear coat paint job or a single stage acrylic enamel?

The paint shop might be able to give you a small jar with the paint mixed for your color so you can touch up the paint.

David

[eigenvector]

I went outside and looked it over REAL hard.

Only a few placed where it happened.  Looks like fisheye to me.

The paint's pretty fresh so I don't want to get too critical - maybe some of this stuff will blend as the paint cures.  I'm okay to drive it, just can't wash it for 10 days, after that cold water and light scrubbing only for the next 20.  No soap for 30 days.

There's clear coating mixed in with the paint

[BomberMann650]

Rafi might be right.

[RAFster122s]

Hey hey guise, I had an idea!

Perfect paint job if you owned a Chick-fil-A restuarant, right?

Eat more chicken...