Who has painted their own?

blue78 · Mar 18, 2018

I did the paint on my 78 Bronco and it turned out OK so I am going to take a stab at my 68. I have a question for anyone who has done an extensive build or pained their own.

I am replacing all of the metal under the hood and doing a V8/C4 swap at the same time. The question is: Is it smarter to take care of all of the metal work and paint and then worry about getting the motor situated or should I get the motor and trans in while I have all of the metal out of the way and then paint around them?

I can see advantages to both, just looking for some opinions for anyone who has been through this. Thanks.

englewoodcowboy · Mar 18, 2018

I would connect engine and trans, connect to cross member and sling into place and bolt up cross member, then fit mounts, tack in place then pull engine and transmission, weld up mounts then paint and reinstall.

KeithKinPhx · Mar 18, 2018

Agree with Englewood. Get hardware in place including all welding then paint. Install engine/tranny. I was told by a builder do not try to put engine and tranny in at same time with a newly painted bay. Too much can go wrong. Place engine. Bring tranny up from underneath. Almost there myself. The painting was fun. The prep work took 8 times longer than I though and I hated it.

pcf_mark · Mar 18, 2018

KeithKinPhx said:
Agree with Englewood. Get hardware in place including all welding then paint. Install engine/tranny. I was told by a builder do not try to put engine and tranny in at same time with a newly painted bay. Too much can go wrong. Place engine. Bring tranny up from underneath. Almost there myself. The painting was fun. The prep work took 8 times longer than I though and I hated it.

Looks really nice! I fit everything once the engine is installed including brake booster, master cylinder, heater box, shifters etc. everything but fluids. Then I go back and mark ever hole I want to fill that I do not need. Then everything comes out and i finish all the metal work and paint it all. Engine goes in first then I bring the transmission and t-case in from underneath.

This sounds like a huge pain in the butt I know. It makes post paint go super fast - everything already fits and you have ll your parts from nuts, bolts, fittings, - it just flies.

RPM289 · Mar 18, 2018

blue78 said:
I did the paint on my 78 Bronco and it turned out OK so I am going to take a stab at my 68. I have a question for anyone who has done an extensive build or pained their own.

I am replacing all of the metal under the hood and doing a V8/C4 swap at the same time. The question is: Is it smarter to take care of all of the metal work and paint and then worry about getting the motor situated or should I get the motor and trans in while I have all of the metal out of the way and then paint around them?

I can see advantages to both, just looking for some opinions for anyone who has been through this. Thanks.

Paint first then put together. Just take your time

Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk

blue78 · Mar 18, 2018

Seems like everyone is saying the same thing so paint first it is. Thanks!

I was thinking that would be much better for the quality of the pain in the engine bay but I had the same concern everyone mentioned of banging the motor off everything on the way in. Looks like I'll have to find a second set of hands when the time comes. Thanks again everyone.

blue78 · Mar 18, 2018

KeithKinPhx said:
Agree with Englewood. Get hardware in place including all welding then paint. Install engine/tranny. I was told by a builder do not try to put engine and tranny in at same time with a newly painted bay. Too much can go wrong. Place engine. Bring tranny up from underneath. Almost there myself. The painting was fun. The prep work took 8 times longer than I though and I hated it.

If mine turns out half that nice I'll consider it a win, that looks great.

needsmoarturbo · Mar 19, 2018

I'm with the install engine after paint crowd. If you are worried about scratching the paint, just cover the inner fenders, firewall and core support with moving blankets while you are installing and hooking things up.

JB Fab · Mar 19, 2018

Or....... You can let your wife do it.

Justafordguy · Mar 20, 2018

JB Fab said:
Or....... You can let your wife do it.

Jon, I think she is a keeper. ;D

Rustytruck · Mar 20, 2018

JB Fab said:
Or....... You can let your wife do it.

Remember now equal pay for equal work.

blue78 · Mar 20, 2018

JB Fab said:
Or....... You can let your wife do it.

I can't get my wife to understand why I'm building the thing in the first place, getting her involved in painting it would take an act of god. Good on you!!

I'd kill for that booth, I'm doing mine in a garage and all I hear is how I ruined our garage door last time. I put a sweet blue-to-white fade on it because I didn't seal off my painting area completely. Wifey wasn't a fan of the new color scheme.

bronkenn · Mar 20, 2018

I made my front inner clip removable so I won't have to work around it with the engine. It is also easier to paint the front of cab and all the front inner parts, wheel tubs, inner fenders, and core support. Then install all components around the engine and firewall before putting the front end on. Ken

Teal68 · Mar 20, 2018

bronkenn said:
I made my front inner clip removable so I won't have to work around it with the engine. It is also easier to paint the front of cab and all the front inner parts, wheel tubs, inner fenders, and core support. Then install all components around the engine and firewall before putting the front end on. Ken

Nice! I like that!

ObscureMachine · Mar 20, 2018

bronkenn said:
I made my front inner clip removable so I won't have to work around it with the engine. It is also easier to paint the front of cab and all the front inner parts, wheel tubs, inner fenders, and core support. Then install all components around the engine and firewall before putting the front end on. Ken

That's awesome! Well done!

blue78 · Mar 21, 2018

bronkenn said:
I made my front inner clip removable so I won't have to work around it with the engine. It is also easier to paint the front of cab and all the front inner parts, wheel tubs, inner fenders, and core support. Then install all components around the engine and firewall before putting the front end on. Ken

Did you cut back the inner fenders where they tuck into the fire wall and then just weld that gap closed? I was trying to figure out a way to do what you did but that was the one piece I couldn't figure a way around.

I love the idea.

bronkenn · Mar 21, 2018

From what I recall I already had the kick panel welded in and clamped inner front clip to the kick and I believe I trimmed part of the bottom of the kick panel off under the wheel tub and feathered it in. I made a couple "L" brackets for the wheel tub to floor mount. These pics should help clarify what I done. Ken

blue78 · Mar 21, 2018

bronkenn said:
From what I recall I already had the kick panel welded in and clamped inner front clip to the kick and I believe I trimmed part of the bottom of the kick panel off under the wheel tub and feathered it in. I made a couple "L" brackets for the wheel tub to floor mount. These pics should help clarify what I done. Ken

that helps, thanks. I'm going to give that a try. I'm glad I saw the pics because my goofy ass would have probably forgot about needing to secure the wheel well to that kick panel piece.

Skiddy · Mar 21, 2018

blue78 said:
that helps, thanks. I'm going to give that a try. I'm glad I saw the pics because my goofy ass would have probably forgot about needing to secure the wheel well to that kick panel piece.

lol I always gotsa see pics;D

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