I have an '82 CJ7 that is (was) red, and now faded to pink. I would like to paint it a color that will be quite forgiving to spray-can paint job. I don't plan on painting it really nice until I decide to get a new tub for it (either YJ or glass), and that will be years down the road.

I don't want to paint it green or black (I know, two easy colors). I was thinking tan, orange, yellow, royal-purple, blue, or even a dark red.

So, in Arf's vast experience of a little bit of everything, what colors have you found that go on easy and don't look too horrible when done from a spray-can?

Current pic. Will have soa lift and 37(ish)" inch tires on it within a year.

Multi-Cam

I went  with a basic green with my CJ7.....I see you don't want green.....The next color that I would pick for easy touch ups would be tan.


Personally I would skip the rattle can...it's a bitch to get even coverage out of them (It will look like tiger stripe most of the time). Get an air compressor and an inexpensive HVLP spray gun (even bad job with a spray gun will look better than a rattle can job), visit a paint supplier and they will help you pick out an easy to spray paint.

Coyote Tan, or Flat Dark Earth

Go to your local tractor supply house and pick out a tractor enamal that you like.  You can by a gallon of paint, hardener and reducer for less than 80 bucks.  Once you get the jeep painted it can be touched up with matching spray bombs sold at the tractor store.

<------I would go with John Deere green FTW!


ETA in your listed choices I would go with CaseIH red or Allis Chalmers orange.

Primer Tan = "Coyote Tan" or "Desert"

If you get a scratch, just hit it a lick with the rattle can and good as new!

Purple....
I am never seen a car run into a purple Jeep.
I mean like Grape Ape type of Purple...

Hmmmmmm..........   I like the "flat dark earth" color a lot! Looks forgiving, and will go great with black wheels and top. It will also go great with the big bolt-face logo that will go across the hood.

I might just borrow my friends paint equipment, but I just don't want to put too much time into cosmetics (I'm sure I would be glad I did when it's done though)- as it is just a mud toy. I would rather put time/money into the drivetrain

Rustoleum Khaki (Camoflage line - Lowes etc has it) goes on easy, looks good.



Keep in mind most (if not all - I cant think of one thats not) rattle can primers, and to a lesser extent flats, are more or less porous. They can contribute to rust.

Luck
Alac

Quoted: Keep in mind most (if not all - I cant think of one thats not) rattle can primers, and to a lesser extent flats, are more or less porous. They can contribute to rust. Luck Alac

How could I circumvent this?

seal it with a flat clear coat

Light colors Tan, white, silver
matte helps out too

Quoted: Rustoleum Khaki (Camoflage line - Lowes etc has it) goes on easy, looks good. home.att.net/~alacritylost/Khaki_Sidekick.jpg Keep in mind most (if not all - I cant think of one thats not) rattle can primers, and to a lesser extent flats, are more or less porous. They can contribute to rust. Luck Alac

That is the most un-gay Tracker I've ever seen.  Very nice.

Quoted: Sherwin-Williams CARC paint in OD or Desert Tan

Didnt realize you could get CARC from SW - still cataloged tho. Is it a restricted item DPMM?  If you use CARC (or anything with any Isocyanate) DO NOT spray it yourself and treat it seriously if you sand it later (me, I wouldnt sand it all). The only good thing about CARC - its non-porous (nearly impervious). How flat is the SW tan DPMM - more a satin or? You'd be better off with Gillespie or Aervoe camos - they are more semi-gloss, but flat enough tho pricey.

Couple of ways to get better protection from primers - nothing you can do from a pre-mix auto store rattle can - except as asknight adds, overcoat primer with something like PPG DCU 2060 (Flat clear coat) - your local paint store might be able to rattle can it for you. But that's a lot of trouble if you're using rattle can primer. You could have a paint store mix some flat of your chosen color and put it in a can. Or if you spray yourself you can mix in overcoats with primer.  Rat-rodders have made this a hot topic, plenty of info out there on options

The Rustoleom Camo paint seems to seal well enough, but even Gillespie and Aervoe camo, tho much better, ultimately arent as good as other auto topcoats. Doubt you'd have any issue tho.

Luck
Alac

Quoted: Quoted: Rustoleum Khaki (Camoflage line - Lowes etc has it) goes on easy, looks good. home.att.net/~alacritylost/Khaki_Sidekick.jpg Keep in mind most (if not all - I cant think of one thats not) rattle can primers, and to a lesser extent flats, are more or less porous. They can contribute to rust. Luck Alac That is the most un-gay Tracker I've ever seen.  Very nice.

Yea I thought so too - could use some lift tho

Luck
Alac