Paint Job Options / Opinions

TJMexico

TJMexico

TJ Enthusiast
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Joined
May 26, 2025
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281
Location
NW Mexico
My machine is black with a black top. Hottter 'n hell in this heatwave down here in Sonora. I want to paint the top a light gray. Not interested in putting insulation on the inside; too much effort and always the chance of it falling off, plus getting the right kind of material where I live might be difficult. So, a lighter color top is my best option. I can get the top painted at a good professional shop for about $300usd.

However, I am playing with some other options. I used some artificial intelligence thingy to try out my options (only time I've used it, as I am a confessed Luddite). Here is a photo of my Jeep as she is with three paint options. Let me know which one you like.

Note: On the "Roof & Cowl" and the "Full Two-tone", I'd leave the door around the top all black. I don't want to bother with painting the door, plus I like the way the gray goes over the top then back down.
original.jpg


graycap.jpg


twotonepartial.jpg


twotonefull.jpg
 
For what it's worth , I painted the top on my 99 TJ in 2011 with 6 cans of Rust-Oleum Tan Camo paint . It made a huge difference in inside temperature , and cost $ 40.00 USD. and 3/4 day prep. , masking and spraying . Worth the effort .

My vote would be , paint the top only .
I hope your project goes well !
 
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ColoJeep said:
For what it's worth , I painted the top on my 99 TJ in 2011 with 6 cans of Rust-Oleum Tan Camo paint . It made a huge difference in inside temperature , and cost $ 40.00 USD. and 3/4 day prep. , masking and spraying . Worth the effort .

My vote would be , paint the top only .
I hope your project goes well !
Click to expand...

I have thought about doing that, as well. I figure a good sanding, an automotive primer and a good paint would do it. I may go that route.

My only question is how that holds up to trail use/abuse, like scratches from branches and such. Then, again, having painted it myself, it would be nothing to keep a couple of extra cans of paint and some fine grit sand paper on hand to touch it up, would it?

What kind of prep did you do?

The main thing that attracts me to the full two-tone configuration is that I'm thinking it might help the engine compartment to stay just a little bit cooler in this hellacious Sonoran summer heat, but that might be so negligible as to not matter.

Thanks!
 
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TJMexico said:
I have thought about doing that, as well. I figure a good sanding, an automotive primer and a good paint would do it. I may go that route.

My only question is how that holds up to trail use/abuse, like scratches from branches and such. Then, again, having painted it myself, it would be nothing to keep a couple of extra cans of paint and some fine grit sand paper on hand to touch it up, would it?

What kind of prep did you do?

The main thing that attracts me to the full two-tone configuration is that I'm thinking it might help the engine compartment to stay just a little bit cooler in this hellacious Sonoran summer heat, but that might be so negligible as to not matter.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I didn't sand anything , I washed the Jeep well , then used Lacquer thinner and scrubbed the top real well . That's it . The Camo paint is flat sheen , and doesn't show any issues after 14 years. It stays on and doesn't peel or look weird . I don't believe painting the hood would drop the temp. much since you have an engine making a minimum of 195 F. all the time . Who cares if the hood is 145 F.
 
ColoJeep said:
I don't believe painting the hood would drop the temp. much since you have an engine making a minimum of 195 F. all the time . Who cares if the hood is 145 F.
Click to expand...

That's the coolant temperature, and the exhaust is much higher than that. Hood louvers or some other type of ventilation system to get the hot air out from under the hood would likely work a lot better.
 
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KennethS said:
Y'all got me to thinking about this, so I did a web search and found this thread where folks actually did temperature measurements and verified a 25ºF difference between the factory black top and a light color painted top:

https://www.wranglerforum.com/threa...rior-heat.678681/?nested_view=1&sortby=oldest
Click to expand...
WOW! That's an amazing thread. Nothing surprising or unexpected for me, but good stuff and encouraging.

I have a room in our adobe house with an aluminum metal roof and no ceiling. I applied a white paint made for the specific application (not a sealant, just a specially formulated white paint). The difference is amazing. So, yeah, I believe this.

Also, once I was standing by two trucks in the hot sun. One was solid black, the other was a very dark navy blue. I figured both would be at least nearly equally hot in the full summer sun, so I held my hand on each one. Amazingly, the black one was so hot I could barely touch it while the dark blue one (a very dark navy blue, mind) was not nearly as hot as I could hold my hand on it for quite a while before it got too hot to continue. BIG difference!
 
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I put in a Boom Mat on my black hard top for noise control, not heat about 6 years ago. I had a small corner that was a little lose. i sprayed a little 3M Super 77 and have had no further issues. In CO, not as hot but I the remember the interior of the top before getting extremely hot. Now just warm

Have been thinking about painting the top silver to match the body. Another reason to consider that.
 
I think your top only pic looks perfect. I'd ixnay the other two options, but that's just me.

Not to hijack this thread, but I'm curious if the softops have the same issue with heat. I just bought my TJ recently which has a black aftermarket soft top and it's gotten really hot here in the midwest. Heat inside the Jeep hasn't seemed to be an issue so I was just wondering if there's any difference in heat buildup between the two.
 
I think the full or partial two tone will look goofy with the top off. Just the top itself grey would look cool. So pic 1 or 2

ColoJeep said:
For what it's worth , I painted the top on my 99 TJ in 2011 with 6 cans of Rust-Oleum Tan Camo paint . It made a huge difference in inside temperature , and cost $ 40.00 USD. and 3/4 day prep. , masking and spraying . Worth the effort .

My vote would be , paint the top only .
I hope your project goes well !
Click to expand...
Yes, doing it yourself is simple, cheap, and easy

I bought a white can of Rustoleum zinc loaded oil paint satin black and sprayed the top with an HVLP gun for $15. Did it in my backyard one summer day. Replaced all the hardware too. Super easy project even for a first timer
https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Rust-...ack-Interior-Exterior-Paint-7779504/100160860

I did 6 coats. Interior and exterior
It use to be beige

IMG_5491.jpeg


Got the top off a girl on FB Marketplace for $600
IMG_4049.jpeg
 
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