Time for some body work!

[logikfive]

So you just fill or replace the metal, prime it and then base and clear it but how do you actually blend it perfectly like that??? Any idea what it'd cost to "blend" my rocker panels all the way around? They're coated with plasti dip right now. This is the paint from 95'

I cut out and replace the sheetmetal. You need to cut it out, and touch up the bare "clean" metal, or use a rust converter to neutralize the rust. If you don't, there is a good chance you will be redoing it. It's hard to suggest what would be necessary on your truck, without actually seeing it.

I need to learn how to do this...

Also why wouldn't you recommend blending on anything other than black? it seems like black is the "picky" color isn't it?

Black is tough to do body work, but probably the easiest to blend and match. Other colors are harder because there are so many different shades of say, red. Not only that, but sun affects different colors a lot more than it does black. Black for the most part is black.

I've had to replace/repaint parts of my Durango on two separate occasions (Deer!) Everyone thinks that new black can never match old black. Not true. Every front panel, plus my $500 brushguard and all the 130W KC Daylighters were destroyed.

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Ripped her apart and replaced the bent bumper brackets, installed new hood, fender, grille, bumper. All thanks to the Cash for Clunkers program.. Which I wish, honestly that they would do again.

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Got it all fixed up, went with a chrome grille and didn't even have enough time to repaint the front bumper.

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Then not even a month later...

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Same exact damage, all easily fixed with some time. Bumper survived, but instead I lost my windshield from the deer, haha. Needed the truck due to losing an oil pump (when it rains it pours) in my Conquest, so I had to put it together which is why it's all together but unpainted. haha

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Took it all back apart and sprayed it.

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Can't even tell. I also did the hatch and running boards, and can't forget the lift, haha.

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Anyhow..... now that I derailed my own thread.

 

[Mean Green]

It looks like your truck came out pretty good on the sections you did! As you said, black is pretty much black, or it used to be anyways. Nowadays not so much lol But yes blending black is a lot easier then blending in a lighter color especially when you get into pearls and metallics. I can tell by the pictures you posted you have a pretty good idea of what your doing. You used self etching primer on the spots that you brought down to bare metal, so you shouldn't have any problems with the paint lifting. One of the main keys in blending is the feathering, and by the looks of it you did a pretty good job man! Black is a color that hides absolutly nothing, so your body work has to be perfect. It looks 1000X better then when you started, good job!! What brand base did you spray?

 

[jdyates]

I used to have a Durango just like that! Well, it was my moms but she called it mine since i was the only one that drove it haha. It had some weird pearlescent paint that looked midnight blue at night but a nice deep purple during the day. 5.9L V8 4x4... I miss it.

Anywho the black Z71 is coming along nicely!

 

[logikfive]

Thanks guys.

Yeah, new blacks tend to have pearl in them (yuck if you ask me) if I want a black vehicle I want it BLACK. No pearl in it. So doing this on something newer would be more of a hassle. Raining quite a bit lately so getting anything done is pretty much out of the question right now. I'll update more this weekend most likely when I finish the drivers side!

 

[JJZ71]

The best part about the work is that it's in his driveway! Not in a shop or even in a garage.....HIS DRIVEWAY!
Shoot me your address and I will stop by with my truck this weekend, should only take about 13 hours or so to get there!!!!!!!

 

[RHamill]

Jeff take mine too!

 

[Southern Pride]

Beat yall to it! I'm already here Seriously tho, logikfive I need you to come outside and forget about "work" today

 

[borahshadow]

Not to derail the thread but I think the one area on my truck that I need to seriously do some body work to would probably be one of the better areas to blend a color other than black based on what you just told me. I need to redo the back corner of the bed right behind the rear wheel. Based on what you just told me about blending I think It would be an ok spot since it's not just in the middle of a large side panel or something. Most (maybe all I can't remember for sure) of the damage is below the body line so I'd think that would be a good place to blend to as the light would reflect different on that area anyway so a less than perfect paint match wouldn't be as noticeable right? I've got pictures of the damage on my profile here on the site...

Sorry to distract from the thread...

 

[Southern Pride]

logik you just delivered the best news of all time to me because owning a black truck with the 95 paint job I thought there was no way I can get my rocker panels re matched to the rest of the truck...I had no clue black was the easiest to deal with??? Logik man if you can do me a favor and tell me what you think a shop would charge to "blend" my rocker panels to the rest of my truck? I've got a plastic wrap on them now and as you can see its a grey color and I hate it...I want them black again.

The one thing I don't get is the actual process of blending...Like u re spray and clear the damage after body work but how do you actually blend it with all the paint around it?

 

[TLoud]

Nice work man trucks comin along nicely and from the looks of the durango she'll be lookin like new in no time