What 'order' to I paint my panel van in...I don't mean primer, paint etc., I mean start with the roof, then the...

I've got all the doors off etc., it's in 'guide coat' so about to go to high fill.

Also, my dash area is in good shape, can I just rub it back a bit and high fill it, or should I prime and guide coat it before high filling it. I do need to fix one of the ribs around the radio cut out, so will need a bit of 'work'.

Also....I plan on using Acrylic...but also want to airbrush some of the dash and rear end....what ratio of thinning would I need? - and can I get 'candy' translucents in acrylic?

here's what I'm planning to do...

Tarnn[ Edited on 11-8-2005 by crewcabconnection ]

your best off reading the manufacturer specs on thinning, as each brand will be a little different.. if your doing any rapair - prime it.. will just give u a better result - no edge of the repair shrinkback - provided u let it all cure out before rubbing

if you rub the primer before it is cured/dried it may look all sweet when u paint it but a few weeks later or even the lext day it can start to shrink back into the scratches underneath, as the paint will shrink as drying.

do the body inside first, before you rub the outside primer - that way if u get overspray on the outside, its just like more guid coat - less masking!!!

then you just mask up the doorsand hit the outside
then do all the "hang-ons" last doors, tailgate etc.

base it all up, starting with the roof.. then you can do your airbrushing - there are products u can spray on over the basecoat so u can clear if you leave thebasecoat for more than 24hrs - which is what the airbrush guys do - so you dont really have to rush too much i guess