Super A painting

[Farmalllover13]

Good Afternoon. I am considering painting my Super A. I want it to look good but I dont have a ton of money to spend on it. Is spray-paint an option? We dont have a spray gun and I was wondering how many spray paint cans I would need to complete it, to compare the cost to buying a gallon of paint and a spray gun. TIA!

 

[old]

Yes one can rattle can paint a tractor and have it come out pretty good. Probably would take 4 plus cans depending on how you do it

 

[Farmalllover13]

Thanks!

 

[Farmalllover13]

Does that include Primer?

 

[old]

Depending on how bad the old paint is one can sand it by hand and never need primer since the old paint is still there. I pretty much did that to a 1947 Cub I got this summer

 

[NY 986]

Assuming that the paint is poor and needs polishing/sanding I would say a few cans not counting primer and not pulling sheet
metal to paint underneath what is normally seen when all assembled. Rattle cans with a lot of patience and some good luck (no
spattering can produce a satisfactory if not show quality type finish. If you are painting this time of year in a freezing
environment it will be important to keep any painted pieces inside in temps at least 60 degrees F for proper drying. I would
figure at a minimum of 200 dollars for wire wheels, sand paper, cloth wipes, solvent, primer, and paint. Are you buying materials
at the local tractor parts after market store, automotive parts store, paint shop, Case IH dealer, or other source. That will
affect your budget and quality of work. Quality decals will add to the cost of the job.

 

[Farmalllover13]

Here are some Pics of the paint now

This post was edited by Farmalllover13 on 01/05/2022 at 01:44 pm.

 

[old]

If it was me I would just wipe it down good with a paint thinner let that dry then spray red paint on it. That is what I did with my Cub

 

[Farmalllover13]

Would this Paint work? We have a RK near us.



https://www.ruralking.com/majic-tractor-truck-and-implement-spray-enamel-international-harvester-red

 

[centash]

Save a few bucks and brush paint any cast or heavy steel surface .....if done when
the paint and tractor are warm, brush marks won't be visible. Sand the sheet metal,
use a fill and sand primer if the metal is pitted, and you will get an acceptable
finish with a spray can. Plan on spending at least ten times the amount of time
sanding and prepping vs spray painting....

Ben

 

[NY 986]

It would work but I am not overly familiar with Majic paints in terms of durability, finish, and bonding to surfaces. I figured
around 12 dollars per can as it seems that was the price the last time I bought any spray paint. I said a few cans before not
including primer but you never know just how these jobs will unfold. Might require a can or two more. You can always take back
any unopened cans and unused supplies. Some guys have had good luck brushing on paint but not me.

 

[casecollectorsc]

Don't use Majic paints...one of the worst in my experience. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Crazy Horse]

As a general rule, rattle can spray paint doesn't have a lot of pigment in it, most of the liquid in the can is carrier solvent. And if you think it's going to stand up to sunlight and the weather and resist fading like an automotive finish, you're going to be disappointed, especially red. Personally, I'd just clean it up and keep it in its work clothes, but that's just my preference. Good advice below for brush painting the cast iron with good quality machinery enamel though. Avoid the high-test solvent types of paints if brushing, they can make a simple job difficult.

 

[WESnIL]

Keep in mind that there is only about four ounces of paint in an aerosol spray or rattle can. A gallon of CIH 2150 red at your local CaseIH dealer is probably
around $70 now. So you do the math. Either will require a quality primer first. Personally I would not use Majic paint. Ninety percent or more of a quality
paint job is in the preparation. Majic paint and a quality paint job do not go in the same sentence for me. Rattle can and a quality paint job do not go in the
same sentence for me. Your mileage may vary. I could go on but you get the message.

 

[aFORDable]

I always brush paint the cast with a good enamel (rust proof) after giving it a good cleaning and use a gun on the hood, dash and fenders. I've tried rattle cans
but the paint faded out too soon. I guess a lot depends on exposure to the sun and weather. Do it yourself and it shouldn't be very expensive. A $15 quart of rust
proof enamel goes a long way on the cast. Then if you can keep it under shed spray cans might be the ticket. I'd think 5-6 should get you a good coat on the hood
and fenders. Total cost at those rates should be less than $100.

 

[showcrop]

twenty years ago I got the sheet metal to one of my Fords painted at a shop and I did the red chassis myself. I picked up three cans. I used those then got four more. I used those and went back for two more. The paint in rattle cans is very thin. I have touched it up a few times, and I keep it indoors. As crazy horse posted red fades very quickly, unless you use good paint with hardener.




The local FFA painted a friend's H for him 15 years ago.

You can see that the paint has held up well under the decals.



.

 

[jm.]

Nineteen dollars will buy you an alright spray guy ant harbor freight , sand paper $ 4.00 so twenty
five there and about 60 bucks for two quarts of paint at a good paint store. The Rural King paint
goes on good and looks good for about two years then begins to chalk or fade. You could spend less
than $150.00 and have a decent paint job better than spray cans.

 

[Moonlite37]

If you lived neat, I would lend you a wire brush and
paint sprayer. I think the best paint for the $$ is
at your Case IH dealer. Where do you live? 13 Years
old?

 

[Farmalllover13]

I live near Versailles KY.

 

[grandpa Love]

We cleaned this A for 3 days. Purple
power, hot pressure washer. Dawn dish
soap, hot water, wire brush, scraper,
purple power, hot water..... Let dry.
Wipe down with mineral spirits on a
rag. No primer on 99 percent of the
tractor. Brush painted it. 2 good
coats. Then mix a little thinner in and
do another coat. Good hot , sunny day.
Sheet metal was stripped to bare metal,
several coats of spray on primer. Then
short nap foam roller. 2 coats, then a
thinned coat.... It's Glossy! And has
held up great. Rust Oleum IH Red. Took
less than a gallon. Around 30 bucks.
Cheap paint brushes from harbor
freight. Rims were brushed rust oleum
silver.

The cleaner you can get it the better!

 

[Steve@Advance]

You've got a lot of prep work to do there. Grease, flaking rust, peeling
paint, all have to come off.

Full strength Purple Power will strip paint and remove grease, aerosol oven
cleaner works too. A good pressure washer connected to hot water will help.

A lot depends on your skill level with body work, and willingness to put the
hours and hours of sanding, filling, whatever it takes to get it where you
want it. Keep in mind, when it looks somewhat acceptable with primer, it will
look like hammered crap with gloss paint! But also remember it's a tractor,
not a sports car!

There is a Paint and Body section below, look around in there, you will get
most of your questions answered. Also many Youtube videos on the subject. If
you know any paint and body shop workers, ask some questions. They can tell
you where to get paint and supplies. Might even share some trade secrets.

I am not a body man, tried a few times, hated it! What I did find, working
with cheap enamel (and not knowing the proper chemistry about driers), it's
easy to get into paint that never properly dries, still fails the fingernail
test a year later.

Do lots of homework first, it will pay off in the end.

 

[redforlife]

A buddy of mine can make a spray paint
job look REALLY nice. I haven't really
been around him much when he is
painting to know all of his tricks to
it. But, I know he swears by some
faint air movement when the spray
paint is drying.

 

[Pete in Holland MI]

Any paint job looks good the first several months. How it performs after that depends on the prep work, and the quality of
paint you used.

Rattle cans are not a great choice. Paint often is pretty thin (tough coverage) and often doesn't hold any kind of a shine
in in the weather.

My experience, Magic paint is pretty crappy long term. So is Rustoleum. The color (red) and shine disappears quickly. Ya
get what you pay for. Not willing or interested to spend hundreds of dollars on automotive quality paint, I've had very
good luck with the Iron Guard brand of paint sold at IHC/Case dealerships. It goes on well and holds it's color. A
gallon will set ya back about $70 and should be adequate for your tractor. It needs to be thinned with their special
thinner, or acetone. It sprays well (if you don't want to learn, convince a friend to teach ya). It can also be brushed,
but don't to it in the sun on a hot day. It dries pretty quick and won't flow out.

A lot of folks paint the rims silver. They were originally galvanized. Using Rustoleum Hammered silver paint, brushed on,
creates the galvanizing flakes. Again, paint in the shade and a cooler day. It needs time to flow and the crystals form.

Get thru the sucky prep work, then enjoy the finished product !

 

[gene bender]

I have used RUST OLEUM I-H RED spray for brackets,steps flag holders ect give them several coats after good prep and they have stood up well over the yrs no fade,cracking ect

 

[NY 986]

Yes, I have applied several coats on some jobs and have had it hold up.

 

[SVcummins]

Spray painted this old farmhand 3 years ago now still looks as
good as it did when I finished it never has spent a night inside
a shed or day for that matter .

 

[Butch(OH)]

The number of spray bombs needed will vary greatly with your definition of being painted. To paint the entire tractor top and bottom with enough paint to have a good job you are probably looking at close to 20 cans. If your just going to splash a bit on top so it looks like kinda red from the road then half that much. If you have an air compressor you will do better with a cheap Harbor Freight spray gun, a gallon of farm store red and some reducer. It makes little difference what brand of cheap paint you buy because ALL cheap paint especially red tones fades quickly unless its kept inside. It takes a couple hundred dollars per gallon or more to get good quality paint.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

jm.
I used RK cheapie paint on my Farmall and Jubilee.
I added a touch of mineral spirits so paint would flow better.
Also buy their thinner and hardener.
Clear coat gas tank or gas will damage paint.

I repainted the Farmall C many years.
Still looks good. I don't leave any of my tractor sitting in the sun. They all have a bedroom with a roof over their heads.

I'm with you, buy a cheapie gun at HF. You don't need a gun permit either.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Dad used 6 cans of Rustoleum IH red to paint his Cub. It looks... painted. More like an older restoration than a fresh paint job.

 

[Stephen Newell]

Generally rattle can paint is the bottom of the ladder on quality. Then to paint large areas you have to keep a wet edge which is very difficult with a rattle can. In any case there is only a little bit of paint in a rattle can for a lot of money. It would be cheaper and better to purchase a cheap sprayer from Harbor Freight and use Rustoleum Farm and Implement paint with hardener. I think it's as close as you are going to get to automotive paint.

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 17:34:52 01/06/22) The number of spray bombs needed will vary greatly with your definition of being painted. To paint the entire tractor top and bottom with enough paint to have a good job you are probably looking at close to 20 cans. If your just going to splash a bit on top so it looks like kinda red from the road then half that much. If you have an air compressor you will do better with a cheap Harbor Freight spray gun, a gallon of farm store red and some reducer. It makes little difference what brand of cheap paint you buy because ALL cheap paint especially red tones fades quickly unless its kept inside. It takes a couple hundred dollars per gallon or more to get good quality paint.

My guess would have been 20 cans and it will look like chit... Dr. Love has it down rite good and it will fool a good body man as a spray job.

CNH 2150 Rouge red and 6 cans of their rattle can paint to blend it in it will be the correct red hold up and look great. I have the harder number somewhere add that to it. When you venture off to other brands of paint it never looks good as the deep rich CNH paint...

 

[GordoSD]

All that old paint, rust, dirt, grease has to come off before you spray one inch of
the tractor. Use a 5 inch DA sander, on a good compressor, and about 6 220 grit sanding
discs. After that you will need at least 2 quarts of epoxy primer to seal it. Then a
quart of high build primer to fill in pits. Then final sand and then primer sealer. Then
sand a gain and THEN paint. You MIGHT get the steering wheel painted with one rattle
can.
Go talk to some body shop workers before you start. You are biting off much more than
you realize.Anyone who suggests you can paint it for $4.95 is fooling you.

 

[gab]

My guess is also 20 spray cans and you're going to be disappointed, and you're going to spend a lot of time sanding and
scrubbing before it's ready to paint. I'd get a cheap Harbor Freight DA sander and a stack of various grit sandpaper and
a cheap paint gun.

Take your time it ain't fast, I'm not anyway, must of spent over fifty hours straightening my Super M grill and hood.
This is a sample of what IH 2150 looks like.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I have brush painted a tractor once a long time ago. The brush marks still show up in the sun when it is looked at fairly close. Brush painting is good for cast and high wear places like the noses on a cornhead where it will wear off in a year and be repainted when done for the year. I have had decent luck with those foam brushes and using paint right out of the can put on sort of thick and it will settle out most of the marks and look decent. I don't do much for prep work. I'm not after a show /trailer queen look. Just want to cover the iron so it doesn't rust away.

 

[SVcummins]

 

[SVcummins]

I use white rags and paint thinner I wipe the piece until the
rag stays white

 

[Hobo,NC]

I remembered reading this thought I would pass it along. If I am going to this much trouble I am going to spray it. On cast paint out of a can works great with a brush.



https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/hrdp-0707-1962-ford-falcon-budget-paint-job/