Hard Top

[michibronc]

Just wondering if there's any special prep work to be done to paint the hard top on a 96. I seem to have sort of a pebbled finish which I believe is from the factory. It's a very fine texture.

 

[Jersey]

Just wondering if there's any special prep work to be done to paint the hard top on a 96. I seem to have sort of a pebbled finish which I believe is from the factory. It's a very fine texture.

I don't know all the specifics, but when my boss's 96 eddie bauer was hit and the redid the top the body guy we know real well said there was a special paint that has to be used. I'm not sure what, he didnt go into the specifics.

 

[madmaysey]

good question

ttt for answers

 

[Broncobill78]

Just wondering if there's any special prep work to be done to paint the hard top on a 96.

Yes there is. The best way to prep a top is to "sand"blast it with something like baking soda or pecan shells (walnut shells are pretty abrasive) and use the lowest pressure you can get away with. You should put as few coats of primer & paint on as possible. Traditional sanding with a DA will remove the pebbled texture and putting too much paint on there will do the same thing. Now some guys do this intentionally because they like the look of a smooth top. It makes a definate difference in the way the top looks and they take on a sheet-metal appearance when finished this way. Me, personally, I don't go for it but I've seen it done and it makes the top just as shiney as the rest of the truck when washed & waxed. Looks to me like something Chevy would do so maybe that's why I don't like it. Once you've sanded away the texture that's it, it's gone and the only way to replace it is to strip the top again and spray it with fiberglass resin using a large dia. nozzle & low pressure (or high pressure & a sintered type nozzle but that uses up a lot of nozzles and is *real* messy). If you (or a previous owner) has painted the texture away it can sometimes be retrieved with the soda blasting method but there are no guarantees.

 

[cj_92Bronco]

ive aslo heard people herculining their top to prevent it from scratching during trails and shit. i was actually thinking of doing it myself cause my '92 top is fading. is that a good or bad idea?

 

[Billy Toppless]

Just wondering if there's any special prep work to be done to paint the hard top on a 96. I seem to have sort of a pebbled finish which I believe is from the factory. It's a very fine texture.

i was told to use steel wool just to get teh texture of the old paint off

it wont make the top smooth ether (so i heard DONT quote me on that)

then fiberglass boat paint i heard works the best

i havent painted my top yet but the guy who painted his own was telling me about how he did it

 

[Broncobill78]

then fiberglass boat paint i heard works the best

If you're talking about gelcoat be careful with that stuff. I've used it in the past to "paint" my diving helmets and it's real thick stuff. It's hard as can be but I'd be concerned about losing the texture. Might just be that you could apply the gelcoat in such a way as to retain or even lay down a new texture though. It would be worth speaking to someone at a marina or a shop that does boats.