The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Black Frame & Inner Fenders: Semi-gloss / Satin?

This topic has probably been ridden into the ground, but I'm asking it anyway ...

What rattle-can black paint(s) - brand/type/sheen - do you recommend to paint these parts on my '54 3100:
+ top of the radiator
+ inner fenders under the hood
+ frame parts that show
All parts are in good condition: older paint, clean, and rust free.

#1 objective is durability.
#1a objective is to look near-factory original.
#2 objective is easily available.

I've used all of these with good results on various parts:
> Duplicolor #DE1634 - GM/Chrysler Low Gloss Black Engine Enamel
> Duplicolor #DE1635 - Ford Semi-Gloss Black Engine Enamel
> Rustoleum #252465 Automotive Semi Gloss Black
> Rustoleum #7777830 Satin Black Enamel Spray Paint
> Rustoleum #7777502 Satin Enamel Quart

Thanks for your help.

Semi-gloss and satin are the same thing. I personally think Rustoleum paint holds up fine. Most agree it should be the semi-gloss or satin black paint on all the parts you mentioned.

I have found that buying the Rustoleum in the qaurt cans and using my HVLP spray gun is the most cost affective way to apply the paint to larger pieces/surfaces (it sprays nicely when thinned per instructions, but it takes a long time to dry). I use disposable cups on the gun to minimize solvent waste for cleaning.

For what it's worth: Under the undercoating on my panel truck, the black paint is glossy, I found the same thing on my '49 Pontiac too. I'm with David, If you can get away from the spray-bomb, it's much cheaper. You also don't need a super-duper gun outfit to work under the truck.

David and Christopher -

Thanks for the info.

Any suggestions for the top of the radiator? The current paint is too flat and it is also too soft. Thinking about semi gloss engine enamel.

I'll use rattle can where I need to, and a foam brush for the frame parts that are not easily seen. It's too tight to use my HVLP gun or mini gun.

Plan to do some test strips of black in various sheens today.

Based on the way that it has held up against heat, gas, and oil, I may spray the inner fenders with rattle can Duplicolor Engine Enamel. I'll choose semi gloss or low gloss based on my tests strips. Or I'll use Rustoleum. (My plans are a little up in the air!)

Rustoleum for the other parts because I can get it in a can and it will be easy to touch up.

I'm starting to spray and brush my engine today. The black parts will follow this weekend.

I've had good luck with tremclad (rustoleum for you folks south of the 49), When cured with a little heat. Like on the rad tank, and block. It takes a few hours of running, but the paint gets much harder, particularly, if you use light coats, like the darn instructions say.

Easy to touch up is the best! It's amazing just how fast paint, and spray on undercoat wears under the truck, and in the fenders particularly. I drive in allot of rain though. A little paint goes a long way...

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/HomeCrafter/IMGP1761.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/HomeCrafter/IMGP1770.jpg

Lonnie:

Regular Rustoleum enamel should hold up fine on the radiator top...just get all the gooey old paint off first. Whenever I have radiators clean/repaired, I specifically request that they do NOT paint them. My instructions are followed about 50% of the time.

Thanks David

Looks like Rustoleum is the top choice for everything. The old paint on the radiator should come off pretty easily.

I will add that I do similiar to what Denny does. I prime most of the sheet metal parts with epoxy primer, scuff it and then apply the Rustoleum. I tend to not prime cast iron parts and interior parts. Since most everything I paint gets media blasted, adhesion is usually not a problem on non-primed parts.

Wheel side of fender liners get epoxy primer, rustoleum, and then finally undercoating after final assembly (to seal/protect fasteners, etc). I suppose the rustoleum step could be eliminated, but it just looks better while the part is sitting around waiting to be installed.

I tried the Rustoleum Satin in the quart cans. Sprayed it with my Cheapo H.F. Paint gun. I was happy with the results

You can see my E.P.A approved paint booth/mixing stand in the background of this pic.
...pic...

Thinned it down and it sprays nice. Also did not sink up the joint.
I waisted alot of money with the eastwood spray bombs for the frame that took forever to dry did not look as good as the Rustoleum satin quart.

I was not going for factory correct.Just wanted some black inner fenders.

> Denny - Does Rustoleum package Semi Gloss Automotive paint in a quart can - like the Automotive rattle can paint? I like the Rustoleum Semi Gloss Automotive rattle cans. I'll use it on my oil bath air cleaner ... hope it comes out as good as yours.

> All - I've seen Rustoleum Semi Gloss (regular, not Automotive) in quart cans somewhere. Do you know where?

> David - You're making a believer in me regarding epoxy primer. I used it on interior pieces that I painted. Just not enough room in my engine bay for a gun and hose.

> Gus - I've used Rustoleum Satin for years. Don't know if I'm correct, but it seems to have a little flatter sheen that it did years ago. That'a what I'll use on my frame and maybe the inner fenders. BTW - I've shot Rustoleum with great results through my HF HVLP gun, too.

[b]DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' SPRAY BOOTH[/B] as long as I can get blue tape! This is my half-fast attempt to mask engine bay parts before painting my engine. Hope I find my carb! Masking takes four times as long as painting. The pic was taken after I shot primer on most parts. An old valve cover protects the rockers. Check out that yellow intake manifold that appeared when I wiped down with acetone. Painting the engine and inner fenders while in the truck is proving to be challenging. You guys took the easy way out by painting while your trucks were apart.

Thanks again to all. I'm actually starting to believe that this will come out good.

Home Depot sells quart cans of Rustoleum satin black in my area.

Lonnie: Here's a tip (not mine)...use aluminum foil instead of tape to mask lines, carbs, etc under the hood. Way easier to apply than tape.

And a whole lot easier to remove too!

Good tip!

David - Where you a couple of days ago!!! I'm not looking forward to pulling off the tape and cleaning up the goo.

All - I painted seven black paint samples today. I'll evaluate them tomorrow.

Hey Lonnie, dont know your budget but did you ever consider powder coating? Over the years I've rattled can'd but eventually the elements just takes its toll. Example, inner fender blasted andy p coated should be no more than $50 bucks.hopefully you have a local company that provides this service in you area.

Phoenician71

Powder coat is pretty neat stuff. However, I'm painting everything while it is on the truck - not removing. My truck is a fair weather truck. The inner fenders don't get a lot of abuse. It's got a pretty easy life in it's old age.

I didn't know that powder coating was that inexpensive. Probably less than rattle can paint and blue tape.

im about to get my inner panels powdercoated, ive powder coated my entire frame, all suspension components bumper brackets looks amazing, i think the inner fenders and fender braces will finish it off....just my thought thou as im doing a full frame off resto...ill post pix soon

also i do have a question about what people have done as far as the finish under the cab and maybe even the under side of the top of the cab where the headliner goes. What do people think of rhine lining these areas? i want something to last as to where paint will just wear over time, eventually rusting. let me know what your thoughts are on this

oops sorry didnt realize where i was when i posted this....

I finished painting the frame and inner fenders. I tested the gloss level of a number of rattle can black paints and chose Rustoleum Satin Black. Here is the gloss rank of the paints that I tested:

GLOSS
RANK / / BRAND / / PART # / / DESCRIPTION / / SHEEN-COLOR (Notes)
1 / / Rustoleum / / 252462 / / Automotive Aerosol / / Gloss Black
2 / / Dupli-Color / / DE1613 / /Engine Enamel / / Gloss Black
3 / / Rustoleum / / 209584 / / Automotive Aerosol / / Semi-Gloss Black (Similar to R Semi Gloss)
4 / / Rustoleum / / 7798830 / / Protective Enamel / / Semi Gloss Black (Similar to R Auto Semi Gloss)
5 / / Dupli-Color / / DE1635 / / Engine Enamel / / Ford Semi Gloss Black (Slight grey tint)
6 / / DuPont / / A-5099S / / 1K Bumper & Trim Black / / DuPont Satin Black (Slight grey tint)
7 / / Rustoleum / / 7777830 / / Protective Enamel / / Satin Black
8 / / Dupli-Color / / DE1634 / / Engine Enamel / / GM/CHRY Low Gloss Black (Flat, slight grey tint)

I should have prepped the inner fenders better with more sanding then prime and wet sand. Spent hours masking before spraying for a few minutes. Only sprayed a light coat on them. Heavy enough to have a uniform sheen, but light enough to avoid runs.

> Drvr Inner Fender
> Pass Inner Fender

I also painted the engine when I painted the frame and inner fenders.

Thanks for your help and advice.

Looks great Lonnie

What brand spark plug wires are you using?

Ok I have to throw another wrench in this cause you can never have to many mechanics wrenching on a dead horse...
Since budget and durability are recurring factors and present in this thread I offer this as fat to chew.
Ever consider that rustoleum and duppedlicolor are considered near the lower fifth of the quality paint ladder on Painter and Body work forums?

In the beginning...When I was at this very point (Selecting paint) I chose what was available and affordable for my frame. It took about one can to realize I was going to go bankrupt buying cans of spray paint so I spent 20 buck for a cheap sprayer and another $30 on a couple qts of rustoleum. I was happy but I was only concerned with coverage and price.

When it came time to work on the body I, as a novice started lurking on paint forums and spent hours searching for the magic formula of durability, affordable price and a positive industry reputation. I figured out who the guys were that posted the most reasonable answers and started 'weighting' their ideas on the balance beam of reason. I even went so far as to google the names of some of those guys to find other forums they might be posting on. In the end it lead me to Southern Polyurethanes Inc. For $180.00 I get 2 spray-able gals of epoxy primer. Thats $22.50 a quart folks... in White Grey or Black. Its all I'm using in my body work now. Under and over any filler I may need. I'm blocking and sealing with it as well. No need for guide coat as the sheen shows up great whether dry or wet sanding and when I'm ready for color I'll use it as sealer just before it. I've brushed it on in spots that were pitted and even filled one small pin hole in the back of the cab with successive applications.
All that plus the peace of mind knowing I am using one product from metal to color coat so compatibility is not a concern.

And they ship right to your door if you don't have a local distributor (which your not likely to have)
Go ahead, check em out...
I dare ya....

Gus -

Those spark plug wires were on the truck when I got it almost 13 years ago. I don't see any brand identification on the wires or the boots. Rubbed some Back to Black on them to spiff them up.

Thanks,

Nice results on the engine color.

Looks really nice,you have your inner fender pictures labeled wrong.


Tim

Son-of-a-gun ... you're right about the mislabeled pics.

But they are not wrong any more: I changed the post.

Thanks for the complement and for catching the error.

Rustoleum engine gloss paints are by far the better choice for me. They come in lots of different colors & they dry very hard. they are twice as good as the regular rustoleum paints, they dont scratch/scrap off as easy. They also don't fade out in short time like the others. Just putting my 2-cents in....

I just started painting my frame with Rustoleum 7777830.
It looks really nice, thanks for the research on the colors.