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thejohnny
Dodge Dakota
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12/26/2003
11:56:30
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 Subject: Body Repair/Mod Questions - Please Help
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hello everyone
i bought a 98 dakota sport used this summer. it is the first truck i've ever owned. i got a great deal on it because i went through a friend and there was a bit of damage to the rear end. it looks like the previous owner was towing something that got away from them and the result is a warped bumper and a dented tailgate with a few scratches. unfortunately there were a number of other scratches (about half of which are down to the primer) on the truck and i have some questions regarding repairing this stuff...any help would be greatly appreciated because everyone i ask is sorta unsure about this. there are not a lot of truck owners among my friends/family.
-a friend of a friend is going to do the painting for cost of materials. he is certified/trained in painting autos. however, i was told to wait until the end of winter to give the paint better conditions to settle in. does this really matter?
-how much does paint cost? i know it's expensive, but does anyone have any idea about the quantities available and the respective increments in price? there are around 10 random scratches around my truck, some tiny and unnoticeable but a few are larger - no bigger than about an inch long, to give you an idea about how much paint i'll have to buy.
-my truck came with a drop-in bedliner that was sitting loose inside the bed. there are holes in the liner but i can't see how they attach to the actual bed...does anyone know where i could find out how to attach this thing?
-what is the best bed cover for under $500?
i know that's a lot but you guys seem to have everything covered here. thanks.
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sj34
Dodge Dakota
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12/26/2003
19:58:29
| RE: Body Repair/Mod Questions - Please Help
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i work in a body shop, so i can help you out on a few questions.
are you going to repair the scratches before painting? you didnt specify in your post.
as for the paint goes, it depends on the brand/ quality of paint...but look at spending $50-$80/quart. ya...paint prices are a joke
ive never heard about waiting til spring to paint. perhaps if your painting outside (which i wouldn't recommend if you want it to look decent) it might factor into it. but all the painting the shop does is in the paint booth where it doesnt matter what the weather is like.
hope this helps ya some
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thejohnny
Dodge Dakota
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12/29/2003
17:25:34
| RE: Body Repair/Mod Questions - Please Help
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what would i have to do to repair the scratches? just prime them? the painting will be done inside a clean garage but i heard all the salt on the streets for the winter could ruin the way the paint dries/sets. apparently it's no big deal.
thanks so much for your help so far. by the way, would a quart be enough to paint an entire tailgate and my random scratches?
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silverbullet
Dodge Dakota
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12/29/2003
21:29:37
| RE: Body Repair/Mod Questions - Please Help
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What color is it?
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sj34
Dodge Dakota
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12/29/2003
21:58:30
| RE: Body Repair/Mod Questions - Please Help
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hmm. a quart will definately be enough for a tailgate and some scratches. the thing is, you will also need primer and a clearcoat.
as for the scratches, it depends on the size and depth of them how you fix them. if just the clearcoat is scratched you can normally buff it out. if the paint is scratched, you'll need to wet sand the part, repaint the area, and then clearcoat it.
if it is a large scratch, or a dent, you will need some more work. say for example the right front fender has a dent in it. you will need to grind the area, fill the dent and grinded area with body filler. (3M makes a good product) sand, smooth, then prime. when its primed you will be able to see if the scratch is gone or if you need to smooth out your repair more. once you are done this, you need to paint it. but say if you just repair and paint about a half a square foot area, you will need to paint that area, wet sand the ENTIRE fender, and spray a clearcoat over the whole fender.
as you can tell, its pretty pricy to fix large scratches/dents properly.
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thejohnny
Dodge Dakota
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12/30/2003
11:50:01
| RE: Body Repair/Mod Questions - Please Help
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the truck is amethyst, to be exact.
the bad scratches are down to the primer and too deep to be buffed out but there isn't any dent. i figured there would be some sanding involved as well as primer, etc.
thanks you guys have been a big help.
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daddio
Dodge Dakota
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12/30/2003
12:04:48
| RE: Body Repair/Mod Questions - Please Help
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if you want a good bedliner for under 500 try line-x or rhino lining spray on. i got line x. was in the truck when i bought it. i believe you can get it done for about 350.
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thequestion
Dodge Dakota
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12/30/2003
19:41:03
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"-what is the best bed COVER for under $500?"
not "liner"... thanks for the info. though.
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jcham
Dodge Dakota
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12/30/2003
20:33:06
| RE: Body Repair/Mod Questions - Please Help
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I have a Checkmate Tonneau. I paid $400 for. However, I drove to their shop to have it installed so shipping might get ya. The cover is great, it sits flush and no leaks in 2 years. Hope this helps
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thejohnny
Dodge Dakota
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12/31/2003
15:51:35
| RE: Body Repair/Mod Questions - Please Help
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i was looking into the checkmate tonneau...thinking about driving out to get it installed as well. do those covers sit flush if you have a bedliner?
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