American Expedition Vehicles Brute Hardtop - Manual (Page 4)

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B. PAINTING THE TOP
OVERVIEW
The Brute’s hardtop can be painted in a number of ways and the builder has many options.
AEV typically recommends using a medium to course spray texture and base coat on the
outside with or without a clearcoat. The inside is typically sprayed with a fine texture and
painted with a base coat only, however some builders have successfully used other methods
such as spray in urethane bed liner or carpet like found in many pickup canopies and speaker
boxes although the carpet can be a little trickier to trim the edges properly. Common questions
regarding the Brute top involve painting; one common question is if the top can be left smooth
and painted to match the vehicle’s base coat / clear coat finish. The answer is yes it can be
painted smooth to match the vehicle but it can’t simply be scuffed and painted. The painter will
need to sand and block so that flow marks from the manufacturing process and wows in the
composite surface do not show through. This type of finish is often best left for professional
body shops that specialize in painting composite components. Another common question is if
one can paint the Brute top black on a colored vehicle like the factory does. Of course it can be
painted black, however it is generally concurred that it doesn’t look very good because it is
distracting to the lines of the Brute. The top of the bed was intentionally raised to trick ones eye
into believing the vehicle is shorter than it really is. By painting the top black, visually you are
splitting the car up and it will cause the illusion that the vehicle is “bent” in the middle or just not
proportioned correctly. Regardless of how and what color the top is painted, be sure to lightly
sand or scuff the entire top to ensure the paint adheres properly. Its not required, but for a tidier
appearance all seams, including the inside seams can be sealed with a high quality sealer such
as FUSOR 123 but should not be filled and sanded smooth.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare the top for paint. Lightly sand the exterior of the top with a 320-400 grit Dual
Action Sander (DA). If you plan on painting the interior, use a good wax and degreaser
and a red ScotchBright Pad to lightly scuff the interior (if there is any shine to the surface
the interior paint will not stick.)
2. Texture the top if desired. For an OE look textured top, use Standox Stone Chip Primer
(Part #11344) or equivalent and apply per instructions to achieve a similar texture to the
OE top. Textured tops tend to be much more durable and show less surface irregularities
(which is why they are textured from the factory). If you are looking for a smooth finish,
we recommend bolting the top down, aligning the seams and checking for wows in the
surface. Any wows must be filled and blocked to provide a quality finish.