Project Novakane - Paint and Body - 2004 GMC Sierra

Project Novakane 2004 Gmc Sierra Paint And Body Front Angle

As you have undoubtedly read, when we last left off with Project Novakane (Throwdown Thrash, Volume 37, No. 10, page 92) it was painted and in the capable hands of Chassis by Aaron Iha for the final stages of the trucks performance transformation. All the paint and bodywork completed before that fateful trip were barely mentioned as the focus of the story was on the incredible fabrication and truncated time schedule necessitated to get Novakane running and competitive for Truckin’s 2011 THROWDOWN.

Take a step backward with us as we recant the tale of L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California, and how the crew there managed to bang, weld, fill, grind, sand, and paint over the abused skin of our 2004 GMC Sierra. With nary a straight panel in sight and many of the stock items being ruined beyond repair, it was necessary to gather a few items to prepare for this mission. LMC Truck sent enough parts and accessories to make us feel like giddy children on Christmas. Included in the build was a paintable front bumper, valance, projector headlights with dual halo rings, grille shell, paintable door handles, roll pan, and all necessary hardware to mount the entire nose. Smoked LED taillights from Recon and LED turn signals from ANZO finished up the lighting array. Inside the LMC grille shell went a T-Rex grille insert, while out back the tailgate received a smooth Sir Michael’s skin with a handle flip kit from Street Scene keeping the gate’s functionality. The final piece of the custom bodywork was the through-the-body exhaust tip from Stylin’ Trucks.

Project Novakane 2004 Gmc Sierra Paint And Body Rendering

We are well aware that the satin finishes and “murdered-out” theme have been running their course in the industry, but the sinister look achieved was too much to pass up for Novakane. In keeping with the newer laws in California and wanting to do what we could, even if only in small part, we sourced Auto Body Color and Supply in Nashville, Tennessee, for PPG’s latest and greatest water-born paints to get the dark and flat coloring necessary to finalize the GMC’s rendered look. Follow along as L&G breaks down the steps necessary to bring this desert beaten body to the arrow straightness required for our dark horse as it prepares to ride.

1. Stripped of its ancillary parts, Novakane looked to be in sad shape. We were not kidding when we stated that a straight panel was impossible to find on this truck. In the capable hands of L&G’s team, the original finish was sanded down to find some workable material. In the process, many of the low spots including chips, scratches, and door dings were filled.
1. Stripped of its ancillary parts, Novakane looked to be in sad shape. We were not kiddin
2. It had already been decided that a fuel cell was going in the bed so the GM fuel door was no longer necessary. With all the internal parts including the spring and bumpers removed from the inside, the metal door was leveled to the rest of the bedside and carefully welded forever closed.
2. It had already been decided that a fuel cell was going in the bed so the GM fuel door w
3. On the passenger side of the bed, it was apparent that something quite large and heavy did not make it all the way into the bed on the first try. A large dent had been smacked into the thin sheetmetal and it crossed through the upper bed curve and body line. A slide hammer was used in multiple places to pull the stretched skin into submission.
3. On the passenger side of the bed, it was apparent that something quite large and heavy

4. Thanks to the judicious use of the slide hammer, the offending damage was nearly straightened. The smaller low spots left behind were easily filled before being sanded to the correct body contour and readied for primer.
4. Thanks to the judicious use of the slide hammer, the offending damage was nearly straig
5. Whoever owned this GMC previously made sure L&G was stocked with work. It was far easier to cut the tailgate’s original skin off and replace it with a smooth skin from Sir Michaels than it was to attempt to straighten the banged up sheetmetal and just run a handle flip kit filler. Here, the sheetmetal has already been removed and the Sir Michaels part was being test fit.
5. Whoever owned this GMC previously made sure L&G was stocked with work. It was far easie
6. Welding up the skin required moving around the panel and forming tack welds to keep the metal cool and prevent damaging the new skin. More damage equals more work so slow and steady won the race here.
6. Welding up the skin required moving around the panel and forming tack welds to keep the

7. The bed was nearing completion of the bodywork phase and the final piece to the puzzle was LMC Truck’s roll pan. We chose to weld it on for a smooth final appearance. It may surprise you to know LMC Trucks carries a full line of custom body panels in addition to their replacement parts, including roll pans, custom grilles, and lights.
7. The bed was nearing completion of the bodywork phase and the final piece to the puzzle
8. For trucks seeing towing use, a hole is included to access the receiver. Needless to say, what Novakane will be hauling doesn't require a hitch.
8. For trucks seeing towing use, a hole is included to access the receiver. Needless to s
9. Finally in the paint booth, the truck had been given the green light for a healthy coating of urethane primer to seal up all the filler spots and give L&G a fresh coating of material to guarantee the truck’s trueness. With one color on the truck, it was appearing that light was indeed at the end of the tunnel
9. Finally in the paint booth, the truck had been given the green light for a healthy coat

10. Back out of the booth and coated with a dark guide coat, the laborious task of sanding continued. As long as the guide coat sands off revealing the primer underneath, the body is straight. Should any of the guide coat get left behind, a low spot exists that will require further attention.
10. Back out of the booth and coated with a dark guide coat, the laborious task of sanding
11. One more panel still needed to be addressed and that was our new (used) HD hood we sourced from a former cover truck (thanks Justin!). Liquid paint stripper was used to break through the top layer of clear and color to make sanding the panel a little easier.
11. One more panel still needed to be addressed and that was our new (used) HD hood we sou
12. It’s as if the sanding just never ends. After sitting under plastic to retain the stripper’s moisture, the layers that bubbled up were scraped away. To get the panel finished off, a heavy-duty sander was employed to get the hood completely to bare metal. We’ll explain why shortly.
12. It’s as if the sanding just never ends. After sitting under plastic to retain the stri

13. Brian Smith, at Auto Body Color and Supply, set up L&G with everything they wanted from PPG to ensure the best possible finish on Novakane. Thanks to law changes in California and several other states, PPG made sure to supply all the color, thinners, and modifiers in environment friendly water-base.
13. Brian Smith, at Auto Body Color and Supply, set up L&G with everything they wanted fro
14. All the truck’s panels were cleared of the guide coat, meaning the sheetmetal was finally straight again. A batch of sealer was mixed and sprayed over the truck to lock in the fresh bodywork and give the Envirobase color something to adhere to.
14. All the truck’s panels were cleared of the guide coat, meaning the sheetmetal was fina
15. Proper ratios are always necessary when it comes to mixing paint. One wrong move can kill a paintjob. The professionals at L&G are properly trained for waterborne paints and have all the correct booth settings and spray equipment to ensure the PPG Envirobase comes out as it was designed.
15. Proper ratios are always necessary when it comes to mixing paint. One wrong move can k