The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Prep Work Towards Final Paint

Guys, I'm doing some body work on my '59. It won't be a show truck but I want to do a good job with it and I'll be doing it all, myself. So! That said, since I have no experience in this at all, I thought I would at least share the path I am on to see if anyone here with experience tells me I'm going about it all wrong or if I'm ok to proceed... before I get too deep into the path. Now would be a good time for redirection.
I have the driver front fender off the truck and have the dents out. I've sanded the latest layer of oxidized re-paint off and feel I have reached the original paint and dark original primer (A fellow bolter stated to me that the original paint and primer with it's set age would be a good foundation). After sanding it entirely for good adhesion, I decided to spray it with Gray Rustoleum Automotive Primer (rattle can) to seal it and give me the feel of completion of that stage until I'm ready for final sanding and paint.
To me, it looks good... but I've read so much on different ways to go about this, I've grown a few more gray hairs. The pretty gray primered driver fender is now set aside and the passenger fender is now on the bench... I'd planned on doing the same process. The other option would have been media blasting to the metal all over, then epoxy primer... but is what I've done wrong?
The paint is another issue. I'm leaning toward single stage paint and have now seen Acrylic Enamel and Acrylic Urethane. The source I am looking at is "Restoration Shop". By their Tech Sheets I really can't tell much difference, even in price. Could someone shed a light for me on these two options? Would either be an issue to the primer I have mentioned?
Thanks in advance! This site is awesome and it's because of the components that make it up... you guys!
Jerry

Seems to me your doing 3/4 of the major work and then using minor supplies...
You were on the right track getting stripped naked and putting some epoxy on.
Stopping at the old paint and primer is worthy of a 'Rustoleum' job but if that's what your after why even strip it that far? Just scuff and paint.

Get yourself to a few painters forums and search around and you'll find the difference in products is mentioned as well...

As has been said here before, the quality look of the paintjob will be the determined by the time spent on the prep work. Now I will say that I am as cheap as they come sometimes. But I have also grown to appreciate the time and effort that something takes just to finish it off with something that may not last, and end up spending time and effort again. My first repaint was on a 63 GMC. Scuffed the original paint, fixed the big dents, shot it with primer, didn't block it out, squirted a blue metallic acrylic enamel over it. Spent a lot of cash on the paint, picked a difficult color (dark blue) and a metallic to boot, just to have it flake off because the surface was not prepared correctly. Out of frustration, I went to TSC and bout a gallon of IH red and IH white, cleaned off the old paint, scuffed, cleaned it well, then re-shot that paint. it dulled and faded quickly, but is still stuck on there.

Through experience learned the hard way - time isn't cheap, and cheap paint/primer isn't cheap. Buy good stuff all the way through - filler, primer, paint, etc. I think in the end, you will be happier with the results. I typically use the Dupont shopline Nason because I have a buddy who works at a paint store and he always guide me in the right direction with products. By the way, he is in Bryan, which isn't too far from Palestine.

I also learned that the difference in a good job and a great job is the time spent on the prepwork. But that can be said about many things.

Thanks for your input and experiences, guys.
When my Stovebolt bud said the old primer and paint would make a good foundation and with my experience level of zero, it seemed to make sense as there was no rust and it's protected the metal for almost 54 years.
Like I said it's not going to be a show truck but I do want it to look nice.
I may not be painting anytime soon but I obviously have to do a truckload of research as I approach this phase of the project.
Jerry

Just remember that good ain't cheap, and cheap ain't good.
Take your time and go slow, ask lots of questions, and when you think you've sanded it enough, sand some more. Prep work and using the good stuff will make all the difference in the world in how it comes out in the end. Good luck and post pictures as you go.
Tramp

Well said... I'll remember that.
Thank you, kindly.
Jerry

cheap can be good, but then it'll be sloooooooow

the guy who does my painting is an artist, and does resto work for the love, but takes his sweet time fitting that between the good paying insurance work

Bill