My Custom Hood Insert Coating...
Hi All,
I just wanted to share a project I recently finished.
A while back (years) I posted my NACA Hood Scoop mod... Well, since then the insert's paint has "shattered" like glass in the hot Vegas sun. So, I've been doing some planning for the later-coming lift and overall VX agression-release. This is just step one...of many.
I removed the hood insert and sanded it down with 40 grit on a power sander. I needed to scuff it up pretty good for the next step... Truck bed liner. I've seen the Line-x and Rhino versions that others have done on this forum, but I wanted a different texture. So I did some experimenting.
I went to Checker Auto and got a quart of roll-on Duplicolor Truck Bed coating. I then went to Lowes and got a door frame paint roller that is made of a fine sponge material. I then applied it to the hood. Holy cow it dries fast... and ROCK HARD! After I finished the hood, I decided it was NOT what I was hoping for...So, I proceeded to sand it down with the power sander again... this time with 80 grit. After the 80, I noticed... wow... it looks MUCH better! So I went down to 150, and put it back on the VX for a trial fit. It definately looked better, but it was just too splotchy and inconsistent in pattern. But, now I had a rock hard smooth canvas to start over on.
The next day a thought popped into my mind... "Jim!" (that's me) "what about the goofy stuff you always see at hobby stores.. the stone spray?" "Hmmm.." I said to myself in amazement. "That could actually work!"
So, off to Lowes I went. I picked up some Valspar Stone spray and also a can of Textured Indoor/Outdoor black paint. My thought was to use the stone spray as "mountains" and the Texture spray to fill the valleys with "hills"... ok.. dumb analogy, but you get my point.
I got home and started spraying the hood. Yeah Baby!! It's working! The pattern is very even if sprayed from about 3 feet away. Then, after it dried I used a black primer, then the Texture spray.
Not only did it meet every hope I had for the project, but people can't tell that it's not truck bed coating! LOL.
Oh.. and as a top coat, I sprayed on some Clear Lacquer to brighten it up a tad.
So, Here it is... 2-3 weeks after I finished. It's been baking in the 107 Vegas sun every day with no ill effects.
---JIM---
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Originally Posted by Ldub
