Since I painted my jeep a few weeks ago, I decided I should also paint my hard top for good looks.
I never would have guessed painting the top would have been harder than the vehicle itself.

1st off. I cleaned it, and sanded it, and tried some rustoleum flat black with my spray gun. turned out terrible... some parts glossed up and it just looked bad...

so i sanded it again, and tried spraycan duplicolor truckbed liner. almost 1/4 of the surface orange peeled really bad.

now im taking all of the paint off, and going to the plain white fiberglass to start over fresh. its about 75% off as of now.

any tips?
its starting to get cold, and a top would be nice about now...

Get it down to the fiberglass then talk to someone who paints fiberglass boat hulls. Or did...Most of them are out of work around here.

I suggest some of that 2-part epoxy garage floor paint. And paint it with a roller real quick. The stuff is self leveling and will finish itself in a high gloss. And it will stick to anything.
Big JIm <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Let us know what you end up using. I'd like to repaint the top of my Wrangler with something tougher.
The low branches are doing a number on the fiberglass.

Did you sand the texture down to a smooth finish?

Hoping I can avoid it, the ribs on the front panels would be a challenge sanding.

Turns out, under the paint, the white fiberglass is smooth as, well, glass. the texture was in the paint.

I havnt finished removing all of the paint, but when i do, im going to sand it real good to rough it up a bit.


in response to BJ. I like everything about your idea except the high gloss part. i was hoping for more of a semi gloss, or even almost a flat finish.
but at this point, Im opened to all options.
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

That epoxy paint might come in different glosses.. I havn't checked. The granular stuff on there might be simple SAND. It is a easy matter to spread sand on a finish to get a rough finish.
One can PRACTICE spreading with a simple hand-held seed spreader for yards.
I wouldn't spend too much time SANDING as I'd like the top coat of the glass to remain intact.
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Good point, it's probobly like that orange peel stuff they spray interior walls with to cover apprentice grade sheetrock work. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />

I was looking at my friends old Landrover Discovery and pondering what white above the raingutters would look like on a black top. Might have to do a little phototshop and see.

you mean like a 2 tone? I am considering some sort of 2 tone, to match my freshly painted black and green jeep

Only in California!
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

you know you love it. haha. It definitely needs a lift tho. having an unconventional paint job looks weird on a basically stock vehicle. I bought it with a 2" body lift, but i dont consider that a lift, and I will probably take it out when i get a real lift.