what to pick????? need help (long read)

[Steven R]

I am at the point of needed to decide which brand of supplies to buy. I stopped at the autobody store near me and ask this same question. I was told there are a lot of brands and types to choose from and that he has learned not to give out his option on which to buy and have it come bit him in the but. I can understand this to a point.

SO here is my goal.

I want a nice looking truck. Daily driver for summer, NOT a show truck. It been a truck all its life and plan to use it as such. I do not see the need to buy 5000.00 per gallon of paint. But I am willing to get good stuff.

I want to use GOOD quality stuff. no knock OFF or second line stuff.

If we go with the thought process that I will sand to bare metal and start there. Panels have had rust removed and were primed with epoxy primer to seal metal while metal replacement parts were welding in, I plan to sand to bare metal

Step one????
What product goes frist, which to use? brand and type of primer to use direct to metal ??

Step two???
I then plan to prime with a few high build coats of primer, Are these TWO different primers?? I plan to sand and find lows, fill with bondo, and reprime

Step three???
I need a body filler, was thinking 3M but not sure what to ask for, as to the type of bondo? As I sand and fid the lows and fill I would assume that this bondo would have to direct to metal in place and over primer in other places.
do you use the same primer after bondo? ie primer over the bondo?

Step four???
I would like to paint in factory color, the med bronze but with small metallic, and white top and bottom.

I want a primer which will work well with the tops coats. Ie same brand of primer and top coats, I am assuming this would be important?

Step Five???
I and thinking i will need to clear over all of this fine work with a few coats of clear which to ask for?

I am planning to do a test fender with all these products and see what the final will look like, so I need to know which brand and type if product to ask for so I can do this test.

I would love to find mentor to help me it this process of what to pick out, The guy who will be doing the painting has said he mostly works with 3M bondo and PPG paints.

Sorry for the long post just trying to get all the info out there and get an informed answer. I realize I am asking alot of questions?

[BR3W CITY]

Epoxy prime
Bodywork
high build
seal
color
clear

[72HuggerK20]

As far as your paint question, PPG Deltron, BASF Glasurit, Axalta Cromax, etc. About anything works. Pick a system and stick with it. Do not mix products, and follow the tech sheets.

You don't need to sand your epoxy all the way off down to bare metal as long as it was applied to a completely clean surface.

You do need to sand the epoxy with 36-80 grit in any area where you plan on applying filler in order for it to mechanically adhere.

Do all of your filler work before you spray anything else on there. It's pointless to fill over primer unless the sole purpose of said primer is to protect the metal from rusting while you're working on the filler. Which is what leaving the epoxy on there will do.

3M makes great products, as does Evercoat.

Finish out your filler work to anywhere between 150 and 220 grit, also sand the rest of the epoxy with 220 grit, then go in and apply 3 or 4 coats of primer/surfacer to the entire truck. Block that out with a hard block, use guide coat, start with 150 or 220 grit to knock the resin off the top, then switch to 320 to block it so no guide coat shows. Then switch to a soft block and sand with 400 then 600 to refine the scratches.

Use the proper shade sealer for your color. Sealer will stop the primer from absorbing your expensive basecoat, making it so you need less coats to achieve coverage.

Apply your basecoat according to the instructions.

If you are using a basecoat/clearcoat system, which you should, you absolutely must apply clearcoat within the manufacturer's recommended topcoat time. Use clear from the same paint line as all your other products.

If your painter mostly works with PPG paint, ask him what line to get. Again, I'd say deltron, but envirobase hp is awesome stuff if you have the equipment to do it.

[Foot Stomper]

Did you check out GUY'S in Steinbach?

[Steven R]

Thanks for the detailed outline and product suggestions. I just needed to hear it from someone else. I feel better about my plans. gotta love this site.

and Yes guys is the place I will be dealing with, I have heard good things about them. And fully understand his not wanting to promote specific products.

[Foot Stomper]

I've sold (and used) paint and body shop paints and supplies from the early 90's to 2014 and for my 59, I'm using Lusid epoxy, Five Star DTM high build primer, Rage Gold Extreme filler, BASF UNO single stage urethane.
You can mix and match products to your liking just NEVER intermix products! (Example: use UNO activator with UNO paint: use Lusid activator with Lusid epoxy: use Five Star DTM activator with Five Star DTM primer)
You can use any high grade quality reducer with any of the above as long as it's high grade (expensive).