A question about automotive paint.

[Musicinabottle]

Thank you! I have an older International truck, that the paint is falling off of the cab. Badly! The top of the roof, and one door are largely primer, and a few other portions of the cab are quickly peeling. Over the Winter, I saw a couple blisters and when you push on them, they are full of water! So, I need to paint the truck cab before the primer starts to rust.

I went to NAPA some time ago and asked about paints, and the guy told me that Acrylic Enamel was the cheapest at $35 a quart, whereas the urethane paints were about $150 a quart. I go in today, and the exact opposite is the case now, but the urethane is $150 a quart and the acrylic enamel is extremely expensive I'm told. I'm also having extreme difficulty finding the paint code for International standard white....... the color of almost every single one of their trucks!

So, my first question is "How do I get the paint code for my 1993 International 4700, and what is going to be the best value in paint for durability verses cost (a medium balance of cost and performance) since the truck will be painted outside and not in a shop building? My main concern is protection from the elements and not so much having a show truck! Any input on where to go for economical but durable paint would be especially helpful.

 

[txvwnut]

Checkout atuobodytoolmart.com and look at Kirker paint. You can get setup for a lot less than the local paint store.

 

[finn]

Check with Summit Racing. They have single stage and two stage paints in several colors, including (a couple shades of?) white.

It may not be an exact match, but if you plan it right, nobody will notice on a work truck, especially one that’s 25 years old.

I painted part of my Ford plow truck with Summit’s charcoal grey, which has a brown tint, like the GM truck grey, but it looks ok for a plow truck that now has rocker panels and cab corners, unlike most fifteen year old plow trucks.

I think their white options are a GM like white and a Ford white which has a yellow or cream tinge.

 

[Bill Bowman]

Depends on year "older International" means. Specific year could be helpful, assuming it's the original color. Check this out. It may help. https://oldinternationaltrucks.com/colour-charts/

 

[K13]

If water has gotten under the paint and the exposed primer has been sitting exposed to the elements for any length of time the water has more than likely soaked through the primer and has started rusting already as primers are, for the most part, not water resistant. I wouldn't spend much money as you are very likely in for whatever you put on now failing in the not too distant future if it is not taken down to bare metal.

Paint codes for big trucks are often linked to the VIN number so you might try calling an International dealer with your VIN and they may be able to get you the code through that. Although any paint jobber that deals with big shops would more than likely have the information.

 

[Musicinabottle]

I have a friend who recommended moisture cured polyurethane from Industrial Finishes. I have no idea how durable or what the cost is. I'm looking at possibly redoing the primer as well, since it might have gone through moisture penetration.

 

[strutaeng]

Like everything, there's low quality and high quality. I recently bought 2k sealer, base coat and clear coat for truck that's going to be a weekend work truck in red. 1 quart of each. I went SW automotive paint and they sold me everything including reducers, hardeners, etc. I paid like $250. It was like their midgrade line.

A buddy of mine does bodywork and uses this cheap paint line. I can't think of the name, but he painted a hood for my other truck and paintcan said it was made in Egypt! Mind you he doesn't do high end work, more like "flipping" cars.

Anyways, I was telling him about this SW Paint and he said red paint is more expensive and his paint line takes up to 4 coats to cover. He was surprised when I told I only had to do 2 coats on mine.

Find an automotive paint store and tell them what you have and what you want. Take a part of the truck and they can color match it.

Use a mid range 2k product. Painting takes time. Time is money in book. I don't understand the folks that spend 40 hours prepping a car only to be painted with rustoleum!

 

[Two Speed]

So, my first question is "How do I get the paint code for my 1993 International 4700,

No ID stickers on the truck?
The napa you goto doesn't have a fleet paint code book?
Does the napa have a paint reader? Drive the truck over and have them scan it and see what the closest factory white it matches. Determine if you want to paint it the weathered color (scan a side body panel) or virgin color (door frame, someplace protected from the sun).
Visit a truck dealer parts department with your VIN that covers Navistar/International and find out exactly what color it is.

Newest I found was for 1988, Winter White, code 9219.

 

[Viper98912]

I would find a local auto paint dealer (Sherwin Williams, PPG, Sikkens, etc) and ask for their cheapest line and go from there. I've used PPG Omni in the past and it worked just fine.

 

[May Pop]

X2 on the Kirker.
I painted the Jeep in the garage but outside would still have been decent. I have painted a Mack in the same spot the Jeep is sitting but that was years ago. I would definitely use the Kirker on a lower budget project.

 

[man-a-fre]

I would say go with Kirker also.I have had very good results .I painted a truck 12 years ago with their single stage urethane no clear coat and still looks like the day I painted it.I keep it waxed I think that's key to keep it from fading.

 

[man-a-fre]

Sorry Double post

 

[DCarr2]

Interesting... I just did the new bed for my truck using Petit single stage enamel... followed the directions to a T... its called EZ Poxy, and is a marine grade enamel.

Overal, the color coverage is phenominal.. I applied using a mini roller and tipped it out...

however I can chip it with my finger nail after 30 days... - NOT GOOD!

At $50 a quart, oil base product I expected a much harder finish...

I bought the perfomance enhancer, supposed to make it harder, and shinier for $40 for a little jar (smaller than a quart)

We will try that next..

 

[May Pop]

Sounds like it needed a catalyst or hardener in it. The enhancer may have been to help the paint flow out to provide a smoother/glossier surface. Valspar sells a hardener that works in enamels. I have used it in RustOPeum with excellent results.

 

[MattT]

Valspar sells a hardener that works in enamels.

They also sell Tractor Enamel. Around $15/quart or $50/gallon last time I looked. Not gonna be a perfect color match but $150/quart factory color probably won't match the old paint on the rest of the truck either

 

[henry29]

Find a PPG paint shop. Basic Omni enemal is about $20 a quart. What color is it?

 

[6768rogues]

Tractor paint with hardener from Tractor Supply is great stuff. It goes on nicely, looks great and wears like iron. It is not very expensive.

 

[firebirdparts]

Autocolorlibrary.com will (might?) have your original paint chips online. You can order paint from them but I don’t vouch for them on paint itself.

 

[K13]

Autocolorlibrary.com will (might?) have your original paint chips online. You can order paint from them but I don’t vouch for them on paint itself.

They don't do industrial paint codes just automotive.

 

[Musicinabottle]

So, I was rummaging through the truck and happened upon a folder in a plastic bag with all the original paperwork showing all the accessories that were ordered with the truck, several check off sheets and another sheet showing the time and date the truck was built along with other paperwork such as a book for the Grumman box and the Allison transmission. Might be a paint code in this packet somewhere.

 

[evintho]

Kirker is the paint sold thru Summit Racing. I just painted my roadster frame with their single stage and it looks great! Price is good too!

Single stage
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-up601

2-stage
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-swbc537q-12

 

[finn]

If the Summit paint is relabeled Kirker, then Kirker is good stuff.

The Summit paint I bought for the plow truck was a lot cheaper than what my neighbor, with his body shop discount pays at the jobber.

 

[strutaeng]

Another thing to do is to have the Technical Data Sheets handy.

Each product is different and requires a different ratio of reducer/hardener, temperature range, sanding schedule, No. of coats, pressure to atomize, time between coats, etc.

Have s scrap metal around so you can get a "feel" of the paint, if you know what I mean.

 

[Musicinabottle]

Another thing to do is to have the Technical Data Sheets handy.

Each product is different and requires a different ratio of reducer/hardener, temperature range, sanding schedule, No. of coats, pressure to atomize, time between coats, etc.

Have s scrap metal around so you can get a "feel" of the paint, if you know what I mean.

Good advice! It's going to be flat (top of the cab, and door off and sitting on sawhorses) but still.