Painting rocker panels
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Westminster Maryland
Painting rocker panels
What paint is good for rocker panels? Should it be flat, semi gloss, or gloss? How about clear coating the paint so it will not chip? I need to know what they were originally, and I am sure some of you have done this before. TIA
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Crossville TN
The choice of paint is up to you. The GM approach to painted rocker panels (i.e., 1978, etc.) was to use semi-flat black paint. I think semi-gloss or gloss black would look gaudy, myself. Semi-flat or satin look good and are pretty close to the same sheen.
Whatever you do, don't sand the anodized aluminum surface or the anodized[protective] coating will be lost. To prep the panel for painting, use #0000 or #000 steel wool followed by wipe down with Prep-Sol or lacquer thinner. I would leave the painted stripe alone; it can act as a primer for that area, after it is scuffed with steel wool, also.
Let freshly painted rocker panels cure for 4-5 days, before it will have any durability. Epoxy paint would be more durable, but it would be harder to remove, if you want to change the look again. You might consider putting some of the Clear-tastic plastic protective material over the paint to give it some 'road rash' resistance.
Whatever you do, don't sand the anodized aluminum surface or the anodized[protective] coating will be lost. To prep the panel for painting, use #0000 or #000 steel wool followed by wipe down with Prep-Sol or lacquer thinner. I would leave the painted stripe alone; it can act as a primer for that area, after it is scuffed with steel wool, also.
Let freshly painted rocker panels cure for 4-5 days, before it will have any durability. Epoxy paint would be more durable, but it would be harder to remove, if you want to change the look again. You might consider putting some of the Clear-tastic plastic protective material over the paint to give it some 'road rash' resistance.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,352
Likes: 1
From: Westminster Maryland
The choice of paint is up to you. The GM approach to painted rocker panels (i.e., 1978, etc.) was to use semi-flat black paint. I think semi-gloss or gloss black would look gaudy, myself. Semi-flat or satin look good and are pretty close to the same sheen.
Whatever you do, don't sand the anodized aluminum surface or the anodized[protective] coating will be lost. To prep the panel for painting, use #0000 or #000 steel wool followed by wipe down with Prep-Sol or lacquer thinner. I would leave the painted stripe alone; it can act as a primer for that area, after it is scuffed with steel wool, also.
Let freshly painted rocker panels cure for 4-5 days, before it will have any durability. Epoxy paint would be more durable, but it would be harder to remove, if you want to change the look again. You might consider putting some of the Clear-tastic plastic protective material over the paint to give it some 'road rash' resistance.
Whatever you do, don't sand the anodized aluminum surface or the anodized[protective] coating will be lost. To prep the panel for painting, use #0000 or #000 steel wool followed by wipe down with Prep-Sol or lacquer thinner. I would leave the painted stripe alone; it can act as a primer for that area, after it is scuffed with steel wool, also.
Let freshly painted rocker panels cure for 4-5 days, before it will have any durability. Epoxy paint would be more durable, but it would be harder to remove, if you want to change the look again. You might consider putting some of the Clear-tastic plastic protective material over the paint to give it some 'road rash' resistance.
) and I did use steel wool to clean them once the pant was off. This is a set I bought at Carlisle- not original, but clean and straight. The clear-tastic is a good idea!
Thanks!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,352
Likes: 1
From: Westminster Maryland
