Painting the XJ (LOTS of pictures!)

[XJ John]

So 2 days ago I began the process of painting my entire XJ semi-flat black. I personally think it looks great.

We set up a giant car port in my driveway and got started.

Pretty much all of wednesday and most of today has been sanding but some painting got done today.

Just wanted to post this up and let everyone see how it looks!

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01981.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01982.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01983.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01984.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01985.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01986.jpg

BTW If you set foot out of your house at all (which I know we all do, we offroad.)
Then you know of the horrors the weather has been for the past 2 days.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01987.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01988.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01989.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01990.jpg

[XJ John]

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01991.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01992.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01993.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01997.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01998.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC01999.jpg

I know it looks grey/primer-ish. I have the truck in a white tent, when the lights outside go out the truck turns black in light. The sun shining through the white tent is what made it like that. If you look at the pictures with the flash on its black again.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02000.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02001.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02002.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02003.jpg

[XJ John]

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02004.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02005.jpg
^ (First coat)

Eddie and Matt were a huge help on this project too thanks guys!

I had to paint the emblems too unfortunately (I think it looks lazy with them painted too) but I think I'm gonna go over them with gloss black and a small paintbrush. Haven't quite decided what to paint them yet.

All the paint sticks strong and we just gotta wheel it to see about scratching!

[spike11]

sweeet ,looks good,i wanna do mine in olive drab soon,theres not much of the original paint anyway ,

[XJ John]

that happens with those scratches! lol

[Ensiferum]

NICE! Can't wait to see it finished in person.

[HuLuD44]

what did you use as far as paint? rattle can or a gun?

[Steve]

Looks great, gives it that offroad/mercenary vibe in the semi-flat black.

PS - Posted this up on the homepage. These are the kinda articles/threads that we'll be putting up on the main page for all who visit to see.

[Phreak480]

looks like you knew what you were doing prep wise s it should hold up well just give it a few days to really harden. paint cures by evaporating solvents and it takes time for them to fully evaporate. black is beautiful

[XJ John]

thanks for all the positive comments guys! So here it is finished:

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02006.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02007.jpghttp://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02008.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02009.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02010.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02011.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h213/Doomplayer666/DSC02012.jpg

Only down side is that without the clear coat the mud really gets stuck in the paint...='( so I gotta

A) Scrub it
B) Wax it

or scrub it clean and then getting it clear-coated...but then there's no more touch ups in the driveway lol. Luckily it scratches black so you can't see white scratches.

rattle can with a paint-gun attachment btw ; )

[BermB1026]

nice! that gives me some inspiration to paint up mine

[XJ John]

just remember that the paint is gonna be a B*tch to flatten out. Grooves are gonna fill with mud/dirt and clear coating it means no touch up paint ='(

[Steve]

Love the final pics that's probably the best rattle-can job I've ever seen someone post.. Usually looks so splotchy and junky that came out a lot more even than I would have expected.

And the USA flag in the background just makes the pics. That's as Jeep looking of a pic as one can get!

[Phreak480]

prep and technique are key to all paint jobs whether its with a rattle can or a spray gun costing hundreds of dollars

[Phreak480]

btw that is a compliment in case someone isnt sure. i used to own a body shop so i know a thing or 2 about paint

[XJ John]

Thanks for the positive comments everyone! BTW BKSM8 is in school for body work. I gotta hand it to him if he didn't walk me through it it wouldn't have come out this good = )

[Vin]

Looks good, John!

[Pugulis]

Wow! That's exactly how I painted my 67 Mustang. But I ended up wet sanding it, which gave is a slight shine.

[565matt]

Flat black just looks evil.. I like it

[565matt]

John.. What rear bumper/tire carrier is that on your XJ??

[XJ John]

sorry for the long delay on this but its the JCR offroad stage 3

[antithreat]

dude i think you parked next to me today!!! Was that you in the bestbuy/bjs parking lot in levittown???

[BermB1026]

John..you said you used a rattle can with a gun attachment. not sure I've ever seen one, you have a pic or link for them?

[Ensiferum]

John..you said you used a rattle can with a gun attachment. not sure I've ever seen one, you have a pic or link for them?

It's called the Can-Gun or Snap N' Spray, they sell them at most hardware/auto parts stores:

Can -Gun® Spray Handle (11650) - Sprayer Guns - Ace Hardware (http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1276387)

Krylon makes this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Krylon-K07099-Aerosol-Trigger-Handle/dp/B002KSMIQ4

Both the same thing basically.

[BermB1026]

nice, have never seen that. thanks

[RckCrwlrXJ]

wet sanding it will help it alot! i have acces to a enclosed vented booth and all that happy horah shit but i give u props for doing it in a carport and it still looks mint! wet sand it and that dirt will come right off

[XJ John]

Awesome man thanks when the weather turns you think I could hit you up on that?

[Exploderman]

Does it matter what the temp is?

[RckCrwlrXJ]

Does it matter what the temp is?

the lower the temperature the slower the paint drys, if u dont mix or the right paint for the weather or temperature u can get blotches because the paint will not blend right or it will not cure to the surface properly.

and hit me up on what? to use the booth?

[XJ John]

Nah, to help me wet sand this mofo lol.

[RckCrwlrXJ]

o yeah i can help. actually i was in the tan xj yesterday that was pulled over on the side of the lie, not the driver the passeneger