Suggestions for prepping a metal CP for new overlay??

sohchx

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Suggestions for prepping a metal CP for new overlay??

This will be my first try at covering a metal CP with a new overlay. Any suggestions on how to prep it before installation? I have already stripped it clean and removed all rust.Afterwards I wiped it down with denatured alcohol,I will do that again before application. Am I missing anything else?
 
Some will say to prime and paint it, others will say that what you've done is enough. The goal is to prevent rust from occurring again, and some think that applying the CPO is enough to protect it.
Personally, I paint it. That keeps air away from all parts of the control panel, including the underside. I just use a cheap spray can of primer, and some Rustolium satin black spray can paint.
 
And once you have it stripped down to bare metal, wear gloves while getting it spotless clean. Any sweaty fingerprint will start to rust sooner or later, regardless of primer and paint.
 
definitely paint. for one it will seal the panel and hopefully keep the rust from reoccurring. It will also give the cpo a good surface to stick to. For some reason a cpo just sticks better to a painted surface than it does a bare metal one. At least this seems to be true for repro cpo's. Plus many cpo's do not fullt cover 100% of the panel so there could be a sliver of the metal panel showing. Most cabs are not silver so it helps make the control panel better fit the cab by painting the cp a color that works with either the cpo or the cab. Black is usually a good go to color.
 
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