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Mon May 19, 2008 7:54 am

It's Krylon #1809, Farm & Implement School Bus Yellow.

Mon May 19, 2008 7:55 am

Well when your in my shoes. Every little bit helps. But once the bodywork is done its done. Rattle can it for now. When you get the $ sand it off and get it painted. Thats why I went for the primer top half.

Mon May 19, 2008 9:16 am

im about to do the same, but without the body work. mine has so much effin rust around the windows id have to drop hundreds in new seals just to TRY and correct those issues before a rattle can paint job, and its just not worth it. once I start tacking the window rust, theres lots of metal that will need to be replaced, so really the rattle can job in my mind is just a great way to make it look OK enough to keep driving till its totally full of holes.

Mon May 19, 2008 10:35 am

VDubTech, did you thin the paint or did you apply it right out of the can? I did my '73 white on top without thinning and it looks great. It is durable and has a very nice gloss. I wonder if it is worth the hassle to thin the paint or apply out of the can. I wonder if the shine is the same???

Can you guys post more pics... I love this topic...

Mon May 19, 2008 2:36 pm

i have been interested in this for a while too.
Would love to hear more success stories and pictures.

My friends and I came up with something like this:

I know a lot of people are gonna be hatin'...but the nose of my bus is painted slightly darker then the rest of the bus, and has always been my biggest pet peeve haha.

EDIT: that was a semi-joke.

Mon May 19, 2008 2:54 pm

Have fun taping that !!! :lol:

Mon May 19, 2008 3:02 pm

Fryedaddy wrote: Well when your in my shoes. Every little bit helps. But once the bodywork is done its done. Rattle can it for now. When you get the $ sand it off and get it painted. Thats why I went for the primer top half.

The bus looks good. A lot of primers are not impervious to moisture and will allow rust to happen if not top coated. You need to check this.
On second thought, it might not be a problem if you applied it over old paint. It you sanded to metal and primed, it can be a big problem.

Tue May 20, 2008 6:41 am

Bay74 wrote: My friends and I came up with something like this:

"Roll-up, roll-up for the Magical Mystery Tour step right this way!!" 8)

OK I'm REALLY interested in doing this and I think I'm just going to do it until I have the big bucks for the works. So first off I tape everything up, and then go over the entire bus with some sand paper to get the wax off and surface ready. Then do I just go to town with painting?? What about a clear coat after to get it nice and shiny?

Tue May 20, 2008 6:47 am

magnus0328 wrote: VDubTech, did you thin the paint or did you apply it right out of the can? I did my '73 white on top without thinning and it looks great. It is durable and has a very nice gloss. I wonder if it is worth the hassle to thin the paint or apply out of the can. I wonder if the shine is the same???

Can you guys post more pics... I love this topic...

I rolled it right outta the can. If you were to spray it, it would definitely need to be thinned, but for rolling it, I haven't ever thinned it. Nice and shiny with very little effort.

Tue May 20, 2008 6:58 am

vdubtech,

can you post more pics?

or PM me

Tue May 20, 2008 7:06 am

Quote: So first off I tape everything up, and then go over the entire bus with some sand paper to get the wax off and surface ready. Then do I just go to town with painting?? What about a clear coat after to get it nice and shiny?

No, no and no. The first thing to do even on a rattle can or roller paint quickie job is to disassemble (always best to remove rather than tape off whatever you can), and then clean everything. Use some dish soap and water and wash the bus as thoroughly as possible to remove any wax. If you sand a waxed area you will merely drive the wax deep into the underlying surface where it will cause the paint to fail. Now you can sand, wipe it all down and then tape. After that give it one last pass with a tack cloth/good prep solvent and then spray. The cleaner the surface the better the job. If multi color be sure to let color #1 dry before laying tape on it and remove all the tape as soon as the paint flashes off.

Be sure the paint you are using is compatible with the existing surface. Try it on a non heart-break area first before diving in. IMO there is no point in clear coating. Kind of defeats the purpose of the cheapo job.

The other alternative to all of this is to take it a step further. Do some research, take advantage of all the "paint it yourself" books and info available, rent a spray setup and spray some true automotive paint. Costs more than the spray bomb option, true, but the results can be excellent while still remaining way below what a pro would charge.

Tue May 20, 2008 7:15 am

vwjw wrote: No, no and no. The first thing to do even on a rattle can or roller paint quickie job is to disassemble (always best to remove rather than tape off whatever you can), and then clean everything. Use some dish soap and water and wash the bus as thoroughly as possible to remove any wax. If you sand a waxed area you will merely drive the wax deep into the underlying surface where it will cause the paint to fail. Now you can sand, wipe it all down and then tape. After that give it one last pass with a tack cloth/good prep solvent and then spray. The cleaner the surface the better the job. If multi color be sure to let color #1 dry before laying tape on it and remove all the tape as soon as the paint flashes off.

Be sure the paint you are using is compatible with the existing surface. Try it on a non heart-break area first before diving in. IMO there is no point in clear coating. Kind of defeats the purpose of the cheapo job.

The other alternative to all of this is to take it a step further. Do some research, take advantage of all the "paint it yourself" books and info available, rent a spray setup and spray some true automotive paint. Costs more than the spray bomb option, true, but the results can be excellent while still remaining way below what a pro would charge.

Thank you!!! :D I was reading in the "Paint/Body" area and what grit sand paper should I use??

Tue May 20, 2008 7:55 am

Before you grab the spray can finish sanding off with #360 grit, #400 to slick things up even more. I should also mention that it is a good idea to use a silicone wax remover after an initial wash with detergent and before picking up the sanding block. But then again the more steps I mention the more I seem to be veering away from the whole idea of the down and dirty quickie spray job.

Tue May 20, 2008 8:16 am

True...but the better it will look!!! Plus I don't want to harm the metal or create more rust so the more info the better in my opinion.

Tue May 20, 2008 2:10 pm

Every spring, while most people are waxing their cars, I roll on another coat of white Tremclad. If you thin the paint with mineral spirits you will get a bit smoother, quicker drying coat. If you do not thin the paint your coat will be rougher and more orange peel like. The past couple coats on mine have been straight out of the can and looks great from a distance. And don't forget to do every square inch of the underside as well while you are at it.

The main drawback? Each time I paint the bus is another year I put off having it painted properly, which may or may not be the best thing to do in the long run. But I do use the bus for camping alot so I am often driving down very narrow logging roads or ATV trails which would scratch up even the most professional paint/body job. So I say roll your own.

Tue May 20, 2008 2:13 pm

Nice ride. But that is a great point and one reason I decided to go Rattle can. A daily driver/camper is bound to get "used".

Tue May 20, 2008 2:28 pm

i worked at Sherwin wiiliiams for couple years and they sell industrial paint and think they can also match colors too. not the cheapest stuff but the quality is good and beats thousands!

Wed May 21, 2008 5:51 am

thewalrus wrote: vwjw wrote: No, no and no. The first thing to do even on a rattle can or roller paint quickie job is to disassemble (always best to remove rather than tape off whatever you can), and then clean everything. Use some dish soap and water and wash the bus as thoroughly as possible to remove any wax. If you sand a waxed area you will merely drive the wax deep into the underlying surface where it will cause the paint to fail. Now you can sand, wipe it all down and then tape. After that give it one last pass with a tack cloth/good prep solvent and then spray. The cleaner the surface the better the job. If multi color be sure to let color #1 dry before laying tape on it and remove all the tape as soon as the paint flashes off.

Be sure the paint you are using is compatible with the existing surface. Try it on a non heart-break area first before diving in. IMO there is no point in clear coating. Kind of defeats the purpose of the cheapo job.

The other alternative to all of this is to take it a step further. Do some research, take advantage of all the "paint it yourself" books and info available, rent a spray setup and spray some true automotive paint. Costs more than the spray bomb option, true, but the results can be excellent while still remaining way below what a pro would charge.

Thank you!!! :D I was reading in the "Paint/Body" area and what grit sand paper should I use??

Keeping with the spirit of this thread, don't worry about sandpaper. Get yourself a couple of those green plastic dish scrubbers. A goodly amount of dish soap in your water bucket, use the scrubbies to wash every inch of the bus. Rinse thoroughly. Let it dry until you are SURE that it is dry. Wipe with a "tack rag" (cheap) just before applying paint. Those scrubbers are as abrasive as a very fine grit sandpaper. Lots of good auto painters use them as the final grit.
Lastly, I realize that most of you who are preparing to paint with this method, have a vehicle that has not been waxed in many years. But one or two of you may have waxed it in the hopes of a miracle. The surface must be clean and nothing waxy or greasy should be on it. This includes fingerprints. So, wash it, let it dry, wipe it down with a lint free cloth and expensive "prep solvent ". That stuff is flammable, so is gasoline, which will work just as well for this job. Paint it. Remember the tack rag, use it just before paint, it can be saved and stored in the plastic it came in.

Wed May 21, 2008 8:05 am

TheTominator wrote: ...wipe it down with a lint free cloth and expensive "prep solvent ". That stuff is flammable, so is gasoline, which will work just as well for this job. I would disrecommend using gasoline. It has gobs of stuff in it that will leave a residue. Keep it clean with virgin solvents.

** And be sure to dispose of all your hazardous waste properly! ** 8)

Wed May 21, 2008 8:27 am

jtauxe wrote: TheTominator wrote: ...wipe it down with a lint free cloth and expensive "prep solvent ". That stuff is flammable, so is gasoline, which will work just as well for this job. I would disrecommend using gasoline. It has gobs of stuff in it that will leave a residue. Keep it clean with virgin solvents.

** And be sure to dispose of all your hazardous waste properly! ** 8)

Using gas?? At these prices....sorry! What about paint thinner?? If not what exactly are "virgin solvents"....?? It's suppose to be a perfect weekend around here so maybe I can shake out a new look for the old gal!!