My Version of Painted Cladding and Stuff.

[CrnCnn]

so are there any completed pics? Did i miss them or are they on another thread?

[ZEUS]

Sorry to leave ya hangin'! I have just been busy. I want to take some good pics at sundown but I was in Moab and then back to working overtime when I returned home. In Moab though, I got nothing but compliments on how the cladding looks! The day I really got to paint, God turned against me and made the cottonwood trees shed while making the wind blow. There is some spray streaking and inconsistency; but it isn't bad or all that noticable. If I had more time, I would have sprayed a third coat; that should even it out nicely, I think. I'll post "after pics" when I wash it!

[ZEUS]

Well, I didn't get to wash it but here are some pics anyway. Now it really looks streaked in these photos - but I swear it does not look that bad, plus it's dirty although it looks clean in the pics.

Before:


After:

[CrnCnn]

I like it. Looks like my next project is set.

[ZEUS]

Thanks! So you know, I used 7 cans of the coating but 10 would be better. I didn't use the adhesion promoter, but I scuffed up the cladding really well. You get better results if you hold the can closer than 5" from the surface. Past that point, it seems too misty and it sometimes creates sand paper. I wouldn't go all that light on the first coat either. The cans do start to spit globs when they get near empty, so beware of the black spit! I tried to get a consistent spatter effect after it happened to me a few times, I actually kind of like the look of the globs, it adds some dimension to the cladding! Also, mask off the sheetmetal higher than I did as I got some overspray on the rear hump because of the wind that day.


So far, the coating has held up well, even at the rocker entry. I have dragged my shoes over it a few times and it doesn't even show a scuff. It seems to clean off well too... no left over bug fragments after hitting the auto wash.

[CrnCnn]

So ZEUS, did you do the hood insert as well. Mine looks like major ish, Bart and Ascinder can vouch, and want to straighten it up as well as the cladding.

[ZEUS]

No, I left the hood insert alone, cuz as biju said, "I have never seen a hood insert that does not even show a sign of cracking!" But I told biju that I would like to change the bracing and replace the hood insert with lexan. I think tinted, 1/4" acrylic, mounted with stainless countersunk bolts, and backlit with a white or chamelion (sp?), color changing light in the engine bay... ahh... would look freakin' KILLER! I would like to get to that... maybe one day. I have it figured out in my head, but anyone is welcome to give it a shot!