Hello,

I am preparing to do a lower budget paint job on my 1989 Dodge Cummins. It is grey metalllic looking factory color for that year.

I am wanting to spray it some color that is close to stock and do it on a budget. I have looked into the various tractor paints, spray cans you name it. I don't want to roll it.

Anyone have any ideas on what type of paint would work well. I would like it to hold up for 2-3 years and be close to factory? It will be sprayed outside in 75 ddegree weather.

Currently I am considering Valspar tractor paint that is Massey Ferguson Grey. I am open to other ideas or brands. I am painting the outside of the cab only. Not the inside at all or the bed, since it is a flatbed.

Should I just hit the Napa store and get it all there?

Reasonable durability and life, not looking to spend a mountain of money.

Thanks, ROB

Great paint, not too expensive...

http://matrixsystem.com/

I have been using the cheapie Gravity feed Harbor Freight paint guns for over 10 years now. They cost less that $50. They are knock offs of some major brands, but as long as you keep them clean, they work quite well.

I got a cheap hvlp gun at advance or autozone. I painted two cars and a few bikes with it so far, no problems. Cost about $100 or $120.

The compressor is probably gonna be your weak link unless you have a big one. I have a 110 volt one the one that is a little bigger and taller than a trashcan. Definitely not quite enough for painting cars, but I did it anyway. Watch out for water in the lines- at least use an inline filter.

good luck

http://stores.ebay.com/TCPGlobal-AutoBodyDepot


these guys sell alot of paint on ebay. Its cheap and they have a pretty good color selection.

Valspar and Matrix are both great quality paint lines,can't go wrong with either one. DeVilbiss Finishline or Startingtline ,Astro guns are inexpensive and will give you good results. Are you planning to shoot base/clear or single stage?

I know that this may sound a little "redneck" but I am leaning pretty strongly towards the tractor paint after all.

Keep in mind, this is for a work / local / rural driver that hauls some scrap and sees some rough usage.

Here is why:

I can get a whole gallon for $30, hardner, primer, a little bondo etc. all for an even $100 including paint. That gives me enough paint to get the flat bed painted, the whole truck and a real good start on my car trailer.

If I scratch it, I can get matching cans to shoot it for $6 each.

The truck is something I am intending to use for a couple of years and then retire to snowplow duty. It will also be shot outside, likely by high school students.....

Final thoughts? Flawed logic? Concerns?

I will say that I am going to buy a spray can of it and paint something to compare to the inside and then make up my mind for sure.

ROB

Even on my '20 footer' car I take to the cruise nights, wouldn't bother me one bit to use that Massey-Furgenson paint from Tractor Supply. I've seen paint jobs at the local tractor meets and they'll put that high end Sikkens to shame.
Even if I had to do it John Deere Green. It's a beautiful green. We don't need no stinkin 'Midnight Mocha Perlescent micro-flake 3 step, 2 stage, waterborn Syn-II Epoxy-MegaCoat' paint.

I use Omni (AU) paint it's about $250-$300 for a gallon of basecoat and a gallon of clear. I may be a little off on my prices it's been a year since I bought it. The prices may have gone up while my memory may have gone down. I use a Harbor freight silver with purple gun I think it was $60 for the kit of 1 full size gun and 1 detail gun had a couple different tip sets with it also. I don't like the all purple guns. I have a finish line 3 gun that I think I paid $200 for that I used for about a half of a car and switched back to my Harbor freight gun. A guy that rebuilds guns for a living told me that the cheap guns are knock off's of good guns. They will work just fine unless you plan to paint a couple cars a week for a couple years with the same gun