Painting the tub

[TWoo1234]

Hey everyone:
New to the site and to 6X6.
Just picked up a 1980 Superchief and am stating to work on it.
Has anyone done any body painting.(no not that type of body painting)
We wood like a camo look. Any suggestions on a paint the will stick?
Thank
Tim

[jpswift1]

My suggestion, as well as many others on the site would be to not paint the body. You are almost guaranteed to have your camo paint job chip and flake off the first time you take it out. Plus it kills the value that the machine would have. Many folks have attempted to paint their poly bodies and they always regret doing it.



If you really want a camo paint job your best bet would be to pick up an Attex body that is made of ABS plastic. The paint sticks to these bodies and you would be happy with the results of this. Changing the bodies is actually a fairly easy job and there isn't much to it. You might even be able to trade someone your poly body for an ABS one. And by the way, welcome to the site!

[Mike]

Welcome to the site. Jeff had some great advice. I am one of the ones that has painted my HDPE body. Nothing sticks and after a few rides in the woods it has a lot of chips. Just be prepared to constantly touch it up if you do. Here are some other threads on this subject. One alternative for you may be a stick on camo covering:

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/general-6x6-atv-discussion/43-painting-polyethylene-body.html

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/argo-atvs/2325-bad-idea-paint-my-argo.html

[mdmheine]

what is house siding made of ? as a house painter in buffalo we used to paint it all the time.We would wash the house real good and add "EB" emulsabond to the paint.it would last up to 10 years.the only question is would it last in the woods haven't seen to many houses riding trails and swimming maybe something to look into.

[thawky]

I work in the auto body industrie and I paint many different types of plastic bumpers most of which come from the manufacture raw. The process I have used for the last 15 years has worked without a problem. I wet scuff the body with a lite scotchbrite pad (gold) and a 50/50 mixture of denatured alcohol and water in a plastic spray bottle . After scuffing spray the body down with the mixture and wipe dry. Do not let any scuffing sludge or dirt dry on the plastic. The purpose of this is to remove all mold release agents and oils from the surface. Then I use a plastic primer called all plastic primer which is made by Lesonal then a coat of sealer and then paint. Your best bet is to go to a auto store that sells a name brand paint like Lesonal, Sikkens, PPG, or Dupont and see what there system is. I know 3m makes a aerosol can of a plastic primer for TPO plastics which polyethylen is a type of. This would be a little cheaper if you where going to paint it with aerosol cans or a cheaper paint. The most important step is the cleaning and scuffing of the plastic

[George]

I have an extra ABS body. It's not perfect but maybe it'll work for you. I've been looking for a poly.

[Don]

I'll have to second what JP said and say noooooooo!

Well, it's yours, so it's entirely up to you what happens to it. An attex will lose a lot of it's resale value with a paint job, whether the body is ABS or HDPE. I guess there are just too many purists out there that like them the way they came from the factory. The only HDPE Attex body that I've ever seen turn out well and stay that way is Whipper's springer. I don't know what he used, but I think I remember his saying that he sent it out to an auto body shop to have it done.

ABS will take to paint much easier than the Polyethylene Superchief you have, so if you'd like to work out some kind of a trade..........

Don

[Ducksmasher]

yeah, i second the camo clad or other stick on camo products..