colored primer

^^^ good to know. i've been eyeballing some for my own truck.

Is it true that if you sand your truck and prime it but never paint it that the primer will absorb water and cause rust?
I was going to do the just primer thing too but heard from a car-painter that it's not a good idea since primer's meant to absorb the topcoat a bit so it has something to "hold" onto.

Primer just plain is NOT a top coat. Yes, most primers will absorb moisture - some more than others.

Epoxy primers give you a fairly good layer of protection - but they do not have any uv resistance, so they will break down too.

I use epoxy primer after taking a car down to bare metal... Before doing filler work.

I've had good luck using tractor paint. I'll be painting mine John Deere Blitz Black. It gives it a satin finish and if it will last on a piece of machinery then I'm sure it can last through anything my truck will see.

John Deere paint is great for the satin black look... Lots of friends have used it - seems to be easy to spray, and very durable.

I've also used Ace Hardware's "Rust Stop" brand of paint - which says "not for automotive use" right on the can. But it's been on the underside of my '64 VW for over 5,000 miles, and still looks great. I don't know if I would use it for the body - but it sure does work good on frames and floor pans.