The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Can I paint the Cab, doors, fenders separately?

Oh, the struggle of doing a restoration / refurbishment in your garage. Just not enough room to lay everything out to prep and paint at the same time. I've got the cab in epoxy primer and getting ready for the urethane primer and then single stage polyurethane Ocean Green top coat. I want to paint the cab then do the hood , and later the fenders and finally the bed. Have others painted their trucks "one piece at a time" and been successful ? The paint isn't metal-flake or metallic so can I get away with it?

First of all, I’m not a paint and body man, so I won’t pretend to be one. Do you have a paint booth? I’m guessing not. My main concern would be variations in the hue of the various panels. Make sure you keep detailed notes on how you prep each part and how you mix the primer and paint. Note the air pressure you use, the temp and humidity on the day you spray. Try to copy as best you can each time you paint a panel. I may be preaching overkill but it just seems logical to me. Good luck.🛠

Hey Dusty53, shouldn't be a problem with single stage solid color,make sure you have plenty of paint to do entire truck.When we rely on paint jobbers to mix paint there could be a problem from one mix to the next, I doubt that a factory pack is available for for your color.If you have more than one gallon you might consider mixing two together.If you have a trusted jobber disregard this advice. Pat

I did mine single stage solid partly because it looks a bit old school and also because of issues I've heard of with metallic, pearls, etc. I think it came out great. Only suggestion I would have in addition to the above is I would start with a smaller part like a door or fender since that is simpler than the cab.

Dennis

With limited space I might paint cab first,doors,fenders then hood in that order.when cab is painted then doors can be hung,then fenders and hood. Storing painted parts is not easy. Hanging sheet metal always gets enthusiasm for project moving. Hope this helps,Pat

My cars have always been painted piece-meal with no problems.

Pat66 posted good advice.

I will have someone else paint my 54 pickup, which already has all metal prepped and has been epoxy primered (to prevent rusting).
Some "filling/surfacing" will be needed.

My order of metal parts painting will then be (primer/filler/surfacer and urethane final coat) :

metal bed parts (see note below)

cab exterior (gas filler tube)
cab interior
seat frames

inner fenders
outer fenders

doors
hood
front/rear valances

chromed grill "details"
running boards

Oh yeah, bed boards will be painted, after bed metal parts are painted (so the bed can be assembled early onto the frame).

Tim,
Thanks for the input. Question, you painting the bed boards same color as the exterior like Bob Adler says they came from the factory. I plan to.

Again , thanks to everyone for your input. Its very helpful. Miraclepieco , thanks for your advice.

I apologize for my post/information below being "way off base" - I answered the wrong question.

The information, below the dashes, is for the running boards.

I do not know about pre-1954 bed boards.
I think that 1954 bed boards were painted black, but that might not be correct. I'll look for references.

I apologize for the "hot air", below.

Here is bed board information from Jim Carter.

========================================
Bob is THE Advance-Design trucks expert. But, I disagree with him on this topic.

I will be painting the running boards black on my yellow-bottom/white-top 1954 pickup.

I have a variety of GM factory/Chevrolet/GM illustrations with body-colored running boards or with black running boards.

Here are a few illustrations with black running boards.

The harder choice is the color of the running boards on a 1954 Chevrolet two-tone exterior color schemes (there were at least 4 or 5 combinations). But, here is a 1954 two-tone panel illustration with black running boards.

More photos are shown at various places on my website. (a few examples)

Here is an illustration that shows both ways.

Nonetheless, I have a factory document that states that some two-tone models had lower-body colored running boards.

So, take the advice suggested by Blind Faith: Do What You Like (both choices of running boards color are correct).

A related topic/disagreement: some illustrations of two-tone 54/55st trucks had the location of color-break above the midline "ribbon" and most have the color-break below the ribbon.

For A-D truck owners who have never heard of Bob Adler, here are some links:
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/bob-adler/
https://adlersantiqueautos.wordpress.com/
One of Bob's excellent/impeccable restorations.

Painted my 53 in my garage with single stage urethane two years ago,
Same problem with you with space, first the cab, day later the four fenders, couple days later the bed pieces and grill and tail gate-then hood the last. Turned out great, paint doesn't know what time it is.
On paints that come reduced already like summit brand, it will take two gallons, at least. Make sure you get some paint cans and mix it really good between gallons, the only advice I have.
Steve

PS thanks for the links Tim, some good reads there.

Jim Carter - bed information, including bed wood color

I think someone recently posted different painted bed-wood information, but I cannot not find it.

I'm going to be doing it the same way. all at once is always best, but reality is, well, one piece at a time. If you buy more than a gallon, get an extra can and blend all the paint. if you buy 2 gallons, get an extra can. pour 1/2 into the empty can, then pour 1/2 from your other gallon into the can, mix, then pour back. follow this process and you will have uniform paint. As long as you don't paint 1/2 the truck, let it sit in the sun, then paint the other 1/2, you should be ok. It may feel like wasting money, but always buy more than you will need. cause you will need it. especially if you are like me and don't paint but one truck every decade. try and have similar environmental days when you do it. humidity and temp. I wouldn't hesitate on a solid color, metallics and pearls or candys, one day, one shot. i've heard horror stories. but it sounds like you are shooting a solid color. Make sure your prep is done and everything has been test fitted. nothing worse than having to massage a door or a fender to fit once everything is nice and shiny

Tim, it was my post and you contacted Bob Adler and here was your reply copied from that post.

I have spoken with Bob Adler (Stephentown, NY), and, Bob says that:

1. 1947-1953 Advance-Design pickup beds were painted black (boards & strips)
And the boards and strips were (somehow) painted together and placed in/on the bed as a painted assembly.

2. 54/55st Advance-Design pickup beds were painted body color (lower body color on two-tones).
These boards and strips were not painted as an assembly.

So, Ronnie, yes, your bed boards/floor came that way from the factory.

By the way, I really like that 1954 Ocean Green color.

Tim

The feedback has been fantastic , thanks everyone!

Ronnie,

Thanks for tweaking my memory.

I go back and forth on the 1954 bed wood color (even after considering Bob's advice). I am going to paint my 54 bedwood black because it will contrast well with the yellow body color and the black running boards and black rear lamps (other contentious issues in 54/55st). I'll just carry GM /Chevrolet 1954 bed-wood/running-board illustrations and enjoy the discussions.

I hope to have my 1954 pickup painted by next summer.

I can't wait to see the yellow color are you going with the Yukon Yellow ? I'm in the process of prepping a fender I got out of Arizona and it looks like the original color was yellow. Thanks again for your input Tim.

Yes, I think the 1954 colors were Yukon Yellow and Pure White.