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Tailgate paintjob advice

2K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  tundra3400  
#1 ·
Team,

I had to replace my tailgate. The new one is in great shape, and doesn't need any body work. it's just the wrong color. It is white, fully finished and clear coated (it simply came off a white Tundra).

As my Tundra is dark green, I want to paint it. I think if I did it myself it would look like crap. I take very good care of my truck, I swear! It has 150k miles on it, but when it is washed it still looks brand new.

So, professional paint places quote me around $500. Don't want to spend that much, heck... I got the replacement for $100.

Maaco will do it for about $225.

OR... I buy $60 worth of green rattle can crap and a couple cans of poly.

thoughts?
 
#3 ·
Political Message will just get you keyed !!!
 
#4 · (Edited)
For under $100 and an afternoon of your time, go to an automotive paint store and get the sand-paper, paint, clear-coat, and thinner, use your compressor and a cheap detail gun from Harbor Freight. Color will be the original factory color "un-faded" but since you are doing the tailgate there is not a major need to match perfectly as there is only small color matching area it mates up to. Then again if you are Anal about your truck, bite the bullet and pay the $500 to a professional place.

Doing it your self would be the same as going to Maaco as far as results for a beginner do-it yourself project.
 
#5 ·
Take some 800 grit and a red 3m scuff pad and sand the gate down until most of the orange peel is out. Then blow it off and wipe clean with thinner on a clean rag.

A 30 dollar spray gun from HF will spray the color and clear decent enough to look good. Make sure you clean the color out of the gun with the thinner real good before the clear coat.

Rule of thumb on clear coat is to spray it how you want it to look. But to wet looking and it can run. Practice a few passes on something you don't care about like the old gate to get it down. A mask will help you keep the fumes and particles out of your lungs


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