Paint Prep / Body Work Tips

[Tonyrodz]

Worked for several more hours. I have to finish color sanding the hood, driver door, and rear hatch (didn't like how it turned out on hatch so redoing). Couldn't help but snap a couple pictures though. It's starting to look REALLY awesome, until you get close and see my paint runs (can never completely sand them out).

I plan on putting a scratch resistant ceramic coating or sorts after I'm done. Then go off road hahaha I bought truck for off road now looks too nice.

NOTE: I'm waiting on plastic rivets to arrive from Amazon. They're a month out :| Then I can attach my front fender flare. I found attaching those works best if you use a combination of 3M emblem glue and plastic molding tape. Use the tape to hold it up, then the glue to get a good even sticky.

View attachment 244474 View attachment 244475

Looks great! Looks like a completely different rig. How's the interior coming along?

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Looks great! Looks like a completely different rig. How's the interior coming along?

Bit behind on interior. I am waiting for parts from amazon which are on backorder due to virus. Have to run a cable to power the lightbar too. lightbar will be at front of roof rack, but I have got a creative idea to run power up there. Might have to cut a small hole for the power [emoji33]

Hood needs further buffing. I ran out of daylight to see what I was doing.

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[Tonyrodz]

Bit behind on interior. I am waiting for parts from amazon which are on backorder due to virus. Have to run a cable to power the lightbar too. lightbar will be at front of roof rack, but I have got a creative idea to run power up there. Might have to cut a small hole for the power [emoji33]

Hood needs further buffing. I ran out of daylight to see what I was doing.

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Imo, interior is the easiest to do--if you're keeping it stock.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Imo, interior is the easiest to do--if you're keeping it stock.

I want to modify the wiring harness ever so slightly. other than that all stock

looking to integrate an ac inverter, looking for trans temp gauge, controls for light bar on roof rack, possibly run stuff for CB radio, and build a bluetooth module into stock stereo setup likely in place of tape deck.

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[Matthew Jeschke]

Slooooooooowly working away yet on the color sanding haha... I've pretty well finished whole truck (minus roof and driver door - no defects) with rubbing compound. I now have a mild rubbing compound I'm working out any extra sanding scratches / hazy paint with. After that I have a swirl remover compound and DA I borrowed. I got the passenger side of the truck finished. The hood pretty well done minus a couple touch ups, that crease along side of hood is a b##%@ to polish haha.

I'm going to order a good ceramic sealer and do it as I finish up. Here's a summary of process I'm on now:

- Sanding and rubbing compound complete, on fine scratch removal.

1. Clean work area with dawn dish soap, clay bar, then windex and microfiber towel.

2. Using a wool pad and rotary buffer apply Miguiars So1o 86 cut & polish. I thought this stuff was junk until I tried it will a wool pad. It works magic to fix little areas that didn't quite compound out.

3. Using a cotton cloth I clean the old polish off.

4. Switch to DA polisher with Meguiar's 205 Ultra Finishing polish. This stuff seems to clean up any issues but I still see light scratching afterwards.

Before I do ceramic sealer I'm going to go over those panels again with 3M Machine polish. I was lucky enough to get some on sale, a quart almost for $10.

I think I can finally call the project finished after all this is done It's pretty quick going. I got steps 1 to 4 done on about half the truck this evening.

Pictures don't do it justice. Camera doesn't really pickup the polish work. However, the hue / darkness of the black has enriched greatly. Everything on this side in photo has been polished with DA Especially anxious to finish front fender so I can put on the fender flare. I should have waited to do all the polishing before putting on the others.

What's a good quality, affordable ceramic sealer to put on?

 

[Tonyrodz]

Slooooooooowly working away yet on the color sanding haha... I've pretty well finished whole truck (minus roof and driver door - no defects) with rubbing compound. I now have a mild rubbing compound I'm working out any extra sanding scratches / hazy paint with. After that I have a swirl remover compound and DA I borrowed. I got the passenger side of the truck finished. The hood pretty well done minus a couple touch ups, that crease along side of hood is a b##%@ to polish haha.

I'm going to order a good ceramic sealer and do it as I finish up. Here's a summary of process I'm on now:

- Sanding and rubbing compound complete, on fine scratch removal.

1. Clean work area with dawn dish soap, clay bar, then windex and microfiber towel.

2. Using a wool pad and rotary buffer apply Miguiars So1o 86 cut & polish. I thought this stuff was junk until I tried it will a wool pad. It works magic to fix little areas that didn't quite compound out.

3. Using a cotton cloth I clean the old polish off.

4. Switch to DA polisher with Meguiar's 205 Ultra Finishing polish. This stuff seems to clean up any issues but I still see light scratching afterwards.

Before I do ceramic sealer I'm going to go over those panels again with 3M Machine polish. I was lucky enough to get some on sale, a quart almost for $10.

I think I can finally call the project finished after all this is done It's pretty quick going. I got steps 1 to 4 done on about half the truck this evening.

Pictures don't do it justice. Camera doesn't really pickup the polish work. However, the hue / darkness of the black has enriched greatly. Everything on this side in photo has been polished with DA Especially anxious to finish front fender so I can put on the fender flare. I should have waited to do all the polishing before putting on the others.

What's a good quality, affordable ceramic sealer to put on?


View attachment 249673

What a difference. Looks great. Nice work !

 

[Sam Harris]

What a difference. Looks great. Nice work !

X2! Awesome man!!

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Thanks has been quite the adventure!

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[Matthew Jeschke]

I ordered a ceramic coating kit off Amazon today with a few more clay bars. Finishing up final polishing / swirl remover. It's giving me a whole new level of shine. I now cannot distinguish the hue from that of the door I did no corrections on. Actually those that have the corrections are even higher mirror finish now. Here's a picture showing finished rear passenger door next to undone rear quarter panel.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

I have half the truck left to final polish, however the other half i did a ceramic seal on (hood, front fenders and passenger side). Using color n drive kit. pretty easy to apply. makes it MUCH glossier.

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