Let’s share some tips ’n’ tricks for B-side beautification. Like most any other body- and paint-related task, there’s more than one way to achieve our desired end result. When it comes down to needed materials, we have a number of excellent choices. In certain areas, however, our choices may be limited to what’s acceptable according to law. In this instance we’ll make use of some California-compliant leftovers from the shelves of our previous shop.

To abrasive-blasted steel we’ll apply a protective barrier of epoxy primer. Ordinarily we wouldn’t shoot more than two coats but on the advice of our go-to guru (an auto-paint chemist we occasionally confer with) we’ll make an exception. This time, over a two-day period, we’ll shoot three coats of epoxy primer, which we’ll attempt to illustrate when we get that far along.

Our preferred epoxy primer can be recoated for up to a week. Once it’s cured enough to touch, we’ll seal any moisture-retentive seams. Then we’re planning to follow that up with a trustworthy rubberized undercoating. It’s nothing new. It’s a product that we’ve worked with since the middle of the ’90s that is still more-than-adequate today.

In this shop, our rubberized undercoating of choice is the no-cleanup version of 3M Body Schutz (PN 08964). It’s largely for corrosion protection but it’ll function as a sound-deadener as well. With this system and about a minute of play-around practice, we can dial in and control the texture for that special sort of medium-glump effect that resembles heavy orange peel once painted.

Why paint over 3M Body Schutz? Well, we don’t absolutely have to. As a matter of personal preference, I like to topcoat it with catalyzed urethane. With a slick finish, the undercoating’s outermost pores are sealed for strengthened stain-resistance and easier detailing down the road.

So, to get started, we’ll need padded jackstands, a box of nitrile gloves, and a few extra hands to safely tip this ol’ cab underbelly-up. Apart from a few recognizable items from Harbor Freight Tools, most of what we’ll use here is available from Summit Racing Equipment.

1. Last time this cab was tilted this way was back at our previous shop. Years later, the job isn’t done, but for what it’s worth, we’re gaining.

3. Along this protruding seam we’ve slit a clean section of brand-new heater hose, only to serve as a cushion. The heater hose is expendable. This is all about the cab.

4. Now that this cab’s bare-metal B-side is exposed, we’re noticing some surprise damage. If you’ve been with us, you may recall this truck was wrecked.

6. While the cab has been on its cart, these bent-up braces have been hidden. Now, according to this crooked straightedge, indeed there’s something wrong.

8. By this time the heavier hammerin’ is pretty much done. As it turns out, our square tubing is an invaluable tool. Clamped in tight, it makes a form-fitting dolly.

10. Our hammer and dolly work has left some faint witness marks. When our texture goes on, they might not even show. This little smear of filler will ensure that they won’t.

12. These days most painters should be familiar with static-cling masking material. If you haven’t ever worked without it, try that sometime—just for fullest-possible appreciation.

14. For what we’ll be shooting, we won’t need an expensive spray gun. This one surely wasn’t. Years ago it was $9.99 from Harbor Freight. Today, it’s still earning its keep.

16. A day or so later, while our epoxy primer is curing, we can tend to necessary seam-sealing chores. In this instance, good ol’ 3M Drip-Check sealer works just fine.

18. This won’t require much target practice. It only takes a few test squirts to dial in our desired texture.

20. Now that our Body Schutz application is pretty much finished, we might as well take a minute to read label instructions. It says right here to spray at 30-50 psi.

22. Here’s the part that matters most. Take a good look. This is the medium-glump texture I’ve been struggling to describe. Now let’s go on and paint it.

24. With the same little spray gun we used earlier for epoxy primer, and again supplied air for survival, two coats of black single-stage urethane get this job done.

26. Last time this cab was tipped, it only took three glove-wearing strongmen. This time there’s a little more help available.