If all of your panels are solid, but junk...

[Roostboy102]

So here's my biggest struggle with my truck; the body is junk. Well most of it... I had the cab rust fixed professionally. The doors are new. Other than that it's a mess of dents and crappy body work and multicolor paint.

I can't justify or afford going all the way at the moment. Twins due any day but the rest of the build I feel like I did right and didn't skimp so I don't want to skimp on the body when the time is right.

The bed was smashed on a corner and smothered in bondo so I fixed that to the best of my ability but it required me to use oval trailer lights "frenched" if you will . The hood had a dent that was fixed by the previous owner with lots of bondo and the fenders seem decent, but knowing the rest of the body work on this thing who knows what's under the paint!

So, the question, for you experienced people (read first project/resto) is should I rattle can it since all I plan to save is cab and doors? I know what I should do is go all the way but I just can't right now. It also needs a few more things mechanically to wrap it up and I'd rather it be reliable than pretty. Ahhhh what to do! And the color is white too btw.

Thanks guys

[LockDoc]

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I'd drive it like it is for now. I've never been one to worry about all that fancy paint stuff. Sure, I've had a couple of nice trucks but I've had more multi-color, drive 'em like you stole 'em type trucks and they are just as much fun to drive as the fancy ones....

Just my 2¢ worth.
LockDoc

[68shortwide]

Same here, I'm doin suspension and motor first and drive it around a few months to a year and then go out and spend the savings on fancy polished and chrome and hand it over to dad to do his bodywork and paint magic. I'd rather it run and drive like a bat outta hell than look pretty rolling to and from a trailer. I'm with lockdoc on this one, just drive it till you can justify the expense. Just makes it a better feeling when you fly by a show car or 70k Mercedes or Audi lol

[dmack91]

If you are that concerned about the truck being multi colored, you can use an inexpensive single stage industrial paint from your local paint shop. I used it to do my F1 and it worked out fine. A basic Devilbiss gun from Ebay for $25, $100 for paint, and you can be all one color.

[RANDY COX]

Hey I have twins a boy and a girl, Their 18 now... Whew???

[jdw]

I say what the heck's wrong with it? That truck looks great. Dents and dings are just a little character. I even like the mismatched paint.

[Roostboy102]

Well thanks for the input guys! Yup twin girls. It's gonna get crazy!

[special-K]

I only see two colors, not multi-color. It's a 2-tone! It looks great to me. That's what hot rodding was all about... runs good/needs paint. paint and cosmetics were always they last thing on our list. If the vehicle stayed around long enough it got finished out. i love to drive these trucks. I least like driving them to put in a show. Been there/done that.

[my67c20]

Stay away from rattle can paint if you plan to do a real paint job later. I would plasti-coat it, if you want a uniform look. Best part is you can always peel it off later. Aside from that, drive it, go to shows, park next to the guy with the $5000 paint job, and open the hood. At least you did the work, and are not afraid to show what you did versus buy it.

[bs46488]

I'd drive it as is.

If you do some of those paint "band-aids", its just going to be a bigger pain in the butt when you do the final paint job.

I'm also with you, I'd rather spend money on the fun stuff (Engine, brakes, suspension), rather than the pretty paint.

I have young children. The other day I walked out of the garage and caught something red on my truck. Turns out one of the kids decided to customize the black primer on the side of my door. If I just spent thousands on paint, I'd be upset.

[no1udknow]

look at it like this. I'm sure you are just impatient just as I am, but that doesn't make it worth selling the truck and starting over. Your going to paint the entire truck anyways at some point right? Use this time to experiment with colors.... rattle can it, see what you like. I had a buddy that painted his fox body mustang at least 5 times with a quality rattle can paint job before he decided on a scheme he liked, then when he had the money, he did it legit.

I am in the exact same position as you, maybe even a few steps behind. I cant afford to do repair panels on the cab right now. I finished my short bed conversion and eventually I will buy new bed sides, but until then I am focusing on the technical things I can get done. I am going to dial in my engine, drop my suspension, do some bondo work on the bed, and rattle can it. I look at it as a hobby more than a project. Otherwise once it is done I might want to sell it and start over.

[stomper]

LS power!? I say just leave it and drive it proudly. If the multicolor bothers you, flat black the whole thing. I was/am in a similar situation with my orange truck. I got lucky and spent about $50 on a can of hugger orange at orileys and matched the cab. Yours looks tangier orange.

[Roostboy102]

Thanks for the motivation everyone! I guess it doesn't suck as bad as I think. Just wanted some different opinions on the situation!

[Turbo1dr]

Satin black the truck until you can do it to your liking. It will look good as one color. I have a car i spray-canned black and I've even had it in a car show.

[Sammy]

Doubt anyone here would be ashamed of a truck with a LS power plant. What I call a diamond in the rough. Drive it, improve it when you can, most of all enjoy it.

[Hubscrub]

Looks fine, no rattle cans, just more stuff you will have to sand off later. If you must change it by a real primer at a auto paint store, doesn't cost as much as you think I wish I would have done that the first time.