Painting the 1996, need opinions/suggestions

[TravThePro]

I have completely disassembled, sanded, repaired/replaced panels and body filled my 4runner. Now comes the hard part... choosing a color. I'd prefer to stay grey or white and don't want to be spending over $500/gallon on crazy paints.

The current order of what I'm thinking:

1st: Toyota Cement Grey
2nd: BMW Space Grey
3rd: Dodge Destroyer Grey
4th: Generic Ice White

You're still welcome to suggest paints that don't fit the previous criteria, a good suggestion hasn't ever harmed me.

I'll post pictures when I can, I haven't quite gotten around to adding all of the photos to my computer.

 

[MN4runnerman]

Do a spray out on a test card for each color then hold it up to the car. Helps you visualize.

 

[octanejunkie]

Montaliner Desert Sand, hides dirt and imperfections. Done

 

[MN4runnerman]

Also what brand paint were you think of buying? Have you sprayed primer yet?

 

[Silver Supra]

I ran across this somewhere. I'm not sure what color it is, but thought it may help you make a decision.

I have a natural white and really want to paint it black. Having had my car repainted I can understand your position. Picking a color SUCKS!!!

 

[Hepar]

I like the cement grey colors, but since it's such a popular theme in car colors today, I think it will have a dated feel in not too long. I vote white. Simple and clean. The BMW color is cool too, but just not sure how it would look/feel on a 3rd gen.

But it's your rig and you're the one who's going to be looking at it the most, so make sure it's a color you're happy with and not just one because the majority is happy with.

 

[AntleredRuin]

I've always wanted a Stellar Blue Pearl. They make me ngh every time I see one. :girl:
I'd definitely do that if I were gonna go through all the money and hassle of a repaint.

 

[97t4r81]

I would use one of those higher end bed liner paints. Mostly so I could do easy touch ups.

 

[seczdbz]

Some type of blue would be my personal choice if I were to repaint mine. White would be my second choice.

 

[Mzs14]

Have you thought about Calvary Blue off of the 2018 TRD Pro’s?

If not Cement Gray gets my vote

 

[TravThePro]

Montaliner Desert Sand, hides dirt and imperfections. Done

That would be sweet if I wasn't trying to make it pretty, I had an old blue truck with similar paint and I would drive it through pin-striping hell with a smile on my face.

 

[TravThePro]

Do a spray out on a test card for each color then hold it up to the car. Helps you visualize.

Also what brand paint were you think of buying? Have you sprayed primer yet?

Test cards are a great idea!
I'm uncertain of the paint brand at this moment. I have my neighbor who did professional body-work for 20 years picking up the paint with the instructions: "Pick the most durable high-end paint you can without sending me into poverty."

 

[TravThePro]

I ran across this somewhere. I'm not sure what color it is, but thought it may help you make a decision.

I have a natural white and really want to paint it black. Having had my car repainted I can understand your position. Picking a color SUCKS!!!

Thanks for the picture, it's definitely in the ball game of what I'm after. Having a black one as well, I would suggest against a black runner if you plan to offroad it very much at all. White has been great for me and the only reason I have to respray it is that the previous owner spun it out through a barbed-wire fence.

 

[TravThePro]

I like the cement grey colors, but since it's such a popular theme in car colors today, I think it will have a dated feel in not too long. I vote white. Simple and clean. The BMW color is cool too, but just not sure how it would look/feel on a 3rd gen.

But it's your rig and you're the one who's going to be looking at it the most, so make sure it's a color you're happy with and not just one because the majority is happy with.

The white is sweet as well I would also have to put far less effort into making it white (because it was white before) I was just after a one-of-a-kind type of look.

I have no idea if the grey will get a dated feel, but I have had to remove a lot of deep red and blues from my list because I just don't the 3rd gen can match up to the paint with its "dated" lines/curves.

I have to think of what it will be and make sure I will smile looking at it every day, I think all of the colors are sweet. It is just a difficult task to figure out which of the colors I will regret the least.

I would use one of those higher end bed liner paints. Mostly so I could do easy touch ups.

Oh the terrible stuff I would do to my runner if I had that paint...
Probably something I would do when I create a runner that isn't street legal, just want something which looks a bit better than the rugged liners with how much effort I've already put into it.

 

[TravThePro]

I've always wanted a Stellar Blue Pearl. They make me ngh every time I see one. :girl:
I'd definitely do that if I were gonna go through all the money and hassle of a repaint.

I like the look of the Stellar blue, but I don't think it will match up with my future upgrades and tubing very well.

Some type of blue would be my personal choice if I were to repaint mine. White would be my second choice.

Second choice white is definitely where I'm at as well. I don't think that blue overall matches the personality of what upgrades and look I give to my rig.. Just can't see it happen.

Have you thought about Calvary Blue off of the 2018 TRD Pro’s?

If not Cement Gray gets my vote

That cavalry looks sick for offroad vehicles, I've never even seen one in person or in any of the 3 Toyota dealerships by me. I honestly wouldn't mind running that on the runner, I do think it is too dated to run that deep of a color as well as the new rigs do though.

 

[MN4runnerman]

Test cards are a great idea!
I'm uncertain of the paint brand at this moment. I have my neighbor who did professional body-work for 20 years picking up the paint with the instructions: "Pick the most durable high-end paint you can without sending me into poverty."

There’s a lot of options for paint out there. PPG is the name most people know. They have Omni which is there cheaper line but has really good coverage, in terms of what can be mixed. It’s a quality paint and their Omni primer and clear coats are good too. Good value brand that I used to spray a lot but my work switched brands and so I get what they carry now. PPG’s higher end is DBC and that’s just too expensive for what your doing. When doing an overall paint job going with the cheaper line is usually the best idea.

What I spray now is Dupont’s Axalta brand paint. Like PPG they have a cheap line called Nason. Nason has less overall coverage,in terms of what colors can be mixed, available but still is a nice paint. I really like their primers and clearcoats. They have a clear coat that I like to use a lot for boats especially(I buy and sell them as projects). They also have a premium line that’s called Chromabase and an even more premium line called Cromax Mosaic. Both are excellent paints and I’ve sprayed the Mosaic more, but I’d never buy a large quantity of these products to spray an overall job. I priced out a gallon of Mosaic for a guy once, it was over $1000 for it. Dude nearly had a heart attack even after I told him it was going to be a lot.

Tl;dr
My point is get the value line of whatever brand you are going with. For overall sprays it’s really good since you won’t be matching anything. Invest in a better clear coat. Don’t do an etch primer. Just get an epoxy primer/sealer for your first primer. Then pay attention to what color primer your basecoat recommends for you to use. And spray that corresponding sandable primer over your epoxy. Then basecoat then clearcoat. Then make it really nice and wet sand then polish and buff.

 

[TravThePro]

There’s a lot of options for paint out there. PPG is the name most people know. They have Omni which is there cheaper line but has really good coverage, in terms of what can be mixed. It’s a quality paint and their Omni primer and clear coats are good too. Good value brand that I used to spray a lot but my work switched brands and so I get what they carry now. PPG’s higher end is DBC and that’s just too expensive for what your doing. When doing an overall paint job going with the cheaper line is usually the best idea.

What I spray now is Dupont’s Axalta brand paint. Like PPG they have a cheap line called Nason. Nason has less overall coverage,in terms of what colors can be mixed, available but still is a nice paint. I really like their primers and clearcoats. They have a clear coat that I like to use a lot for boats especially(I buy and sell them as projects). They also have a premium line that’s called Chromabase and an even more premium line called Cromax Mosaic. Both are excellent paints and I’ve sprayed the Mosaic more, but I’d never buy a large quantity of these products to spray an overall job. I priced out a gallon of Mosaic for a guy once, it was over $1000 for it. Dude nearly had a heart attack even after I told him it was going to be a lot.

Tl;dr
My point is get the value line of whatever brand you are going with. For overall sprays it’s really good since you won’t be matching anything. Invest in a better clear coat. Don’t do an etch primer. Just get an epoxy primer/sealer for your first primer. Then pay attention to what color primer your basecoat recommends for you to use. And spray that corresponding sandable primer over your epoxy. Then basecoat then clearcoat. Then make it really nice and wet sand then polish and buff.

I'm pretty sure we will be going with PPG as far he has told me, but I'm not sure which line we will be using. I'll be running with him to the store when we actually go to price it all out and see what the price difference is for me to go up one stage in the base.

We already have a sandable primer but I think I'll have to buy some more with how much metal ended up showing when we were getting rid of deep scratches and pulling some larger dents. Semi-gloss is the clear I plan to run if I end up running grey, might try a matte if I end up going with the white though. I think running a gloss would be too shiny for the look of the 3rd gen.

Really appreciate the advice!

 

[MN4runnerman]

I'm pretty sure we will be going with PPG as far he has told me, but I'm not sure which line we will be using. I'll be running with him to the store when we actually go to price it all out and see what the price difference is for me to go up one stage in the base.

We already have a sandable primer but I think I'll have to buy some more with how much metal ended up showing when we were getting rid of deep scratches and pulling some larger dents. Semi-gloss is the clear I plan to run if I end up running grey, might try a matte if I end up going with the white though. I think running a gloss would be too shiny for the look of the 3rd gen.

Really appreciate the advice!

PPG’s matte and semi gloss clear coats are way better then Duponts Axalta. I personally have had many issues with the Cromax matte clearcoat and their single stage matting agent.

I’m sure your neighbor knows what to do.

Also just a suggestion and it’s only my opinion but spray the matte clear instead of semi gloss. Semi gloss just doesn’t look that good on a vehicle. Save that finish for your house paints.

 

[TravThePro]

PPG’s matte and semi gloss clear coats are way better then Duponts Axalta. I personally have had many issues with the Cromax matte clearcoat and their single stage matting agent.

I’m sure your neighbor knows what to do.

Also just a suggestion and it’s only my opinion but spray the matte clear instead of semi gloss. Semi gloss just doesn’t look that good on a vehicle. Save that finish for your house paints.

I'd prefer something shiny, but the 3rd gen runner doesn't seem to run the high gloss nearly as well as its newer brothers. I assumed it would run the semi-gloss decent in the grey, I do know what you're saying though.

I may end up running a gloss and attempt my secondary plan having a clear matte plasti-dip over the gloss clear for a unique look which still offers protection (otherwise there would be trails I couldn't run) The issue is that I simply have no idea how it is going to look on the car.

Take a look at some vehicles with a clear plasti-dip on google and tell me what you think.

 

[zoombyu86]

Recently saw a guy selling a 96 that was painted a "UPS Brown" and it looked amazing!