gscott

Has anybody attempted body on frame painting, if so, how did you do it, brush spray,what paint did you use and were the results as good as you expected ?
I'm willing to do the work, but don't want to look like some kind of a Bubba job.
Thanks, Gary

vetsvette2002

I try to use a large long nap roller on the hood and flat body panels, love that textured look.

Or did you mean painting the frame?

mrg

I did my frame using Rustoleum rattle can semi-gloss #7798. Eastwood and Quanta are other sources for frame paint. The job was made much easier by virtue of the engine, front/rear suspension and rear differential being removed for a refresh. If not for that it would have been tough going and probably not reasonably doable shooting spray paint at some pretty oblique angles had the engine and front/rear suspension, etc., still been in the car. Needless to say frame rust, goo, dirt and whatever else needs to be cleaned off. Rotary wire brushes, in different styles and chucked in a drill, sandpaper, etc. works here.

Then too, there's the problem of overspray. Simple cardboard was used as a paint mask, mainly between body and frame, in easily accessible areas. Masking tape was used, otherwise. Aluminum foil was wrapped around wiring, brake lines, etc. ..

I've read of others here on the forum brushing on frame paint, with good results. For ease of application that would seem the way to go - especially if the engine, etc., are installed in the car.

Pop Chevy

POR 15 flows very nicely when brushed on. It's good stuff ! It's even better on a cool day though.

pchalpin

It took me the last three winters to do my frame. Ground every square inch I could reach to bare steel with a Dremel tool. Shop vac hose as close as possible to gather up the surface rust and old paint dust. Man, that Dremel grinds that stuff in to a real powder. Be sure to wear a dust mask. Primed with 2 thin coats of Rustoleum light grey (it's easier to see) primer spray, then sprayed with 3 coats of Rustoleum semi-gloss black. 48 hours at least between coats. There are some areas that must be painted with a brush, but I didn't have many. Patience is the key. Along with lots of newspaper and masking tape. Make sure you cover the whole body as well. That spray is even finer than the powder and will get everywhere. It can be done, it's a lot of work. The worst part is getting up off the floor from under the car after 2-3 hours of grinding. Ain't as young as I used to be.

Harps

I've heard that POR 15 works really well, but I used some Gloss Black from a company called Lawson. They make a highend spray paint and adheres really well. A local corvette restorer turned me on to it.

I simply sanded and grinded all the areas of the frame that I could get to while having the suspension components removed, and then took old magazine pages and taped them to the underbody panels to not allow for overspray. It took some time, but very well worth the efforts. I also used the painters tape (blue stuff from Lowes/HomeDepot) to tape off other items such as brake lines, wires, etc..that were in the areas that I wanted to tape.

macdarren

Did mine a few years ago with the wire brush and rattle can method. At the time I used a grey engine enamel, don't as me why but I wanted it grey not black. It worked out okay and actually looked nice, but didn't hold up as well as I would have liked. I just recently redid it in black, this time with VHT caliper paint. It is very thin and runny but with practice it goes on nice and seems to cover well, and I hope will last, given it's intended use I am hoping it is fairly durable. I didn't strip back to the metal again, but if this doesn't do it I will and then will use an etching primer first....last time I used that rust converter stuff that is supposed to dry to a paintable primer which does seem to work but is sort of a problem if you also have non rusted metal showing....

Jim Dillon

Gary, I have restored a number of cars body off and body on and the results depend on the prep work you put in before you apply the paint. I would be willing to give you my .02 and help keep your thread alive enough to get you going in the right direction if I knew if you have any paint experience, any spray guns and the size (basic HP and/or cfm capability) of your compressor. POR is good paint for any steel with still has traces of rust and there is always the old standby Rust Oleum. I am not the biggest fan of Rust Oleum but it is decent paint and Home Depot carries the oil based enamel for around $25 a gallon. With some flattening agent you can mix up any sheen you want and it would most likely be better than rattle cans. Rattle cans hold so little paint that if you actuallywant a decent film build they are generally not much of a bargain. You are already on the road to not acting like a bubba by acknowledging that fact-Jim

firstgear

I painted some parts with POR-15 and decided later that I wanted to powder coat them, so I tried to sand blast them....YIKES that stuff will come off, but not very easy.....POR-15 is a good way to go.

A better way is to take the body off and get it sand blasted and then put through a 5 stage washer where they phosphate coat the frame in the last stage of the washer. Then a couple of coats of powder paint and that stuff is really tough! Virtually impossible to get off with glass bead blasting!!!

Good luck what ever you do....POR15 isnt a bad way to go!

AZDoug

Comments:

Don't laugh, I have seen vehicles painted with a roller before, many years ago, and in remote parts of the country. The main problem I saw was they used latex house paint in pastel colors.

Someone used a Dremel tool??? Are you a masochist of some sort? That musta taken forever! Wire cup brush on a right angle 4" Makita grinder works much faster. A Makita and brush can be had for about $70

Don't sweat the frame, scrap the crud, clean up the out side parts, spray with some cans of semi-flat black paint, and if anyone complains about the rest, tell them to get out from under your damn car!

Doug

builder

Has anyone used Iron Guard paint? You can spray it on bare metal and it is an enamel used on farm implements. I feel it is a strong and good paint to use on frames. I have never used it on a Corvette, but on other frames with good luck and color.

longbros

I like the way this guy thinks!! If it is a driver, clean it up the best you can as described above, paint it, and go have some fun driving it.

Cmacsvette

POR 15 is good and tough!
Chassis Coat Black gives your frame a real nice satin look. It is self leveling, this helps when brushing it on.
Craig

cv67

I sprayed these with POR-15, came out perfect. Its self leveling, so when brushing, be VERY sparing, as it goes on like water and runs/sags easily. Follow prep to a T, shorcuts will have you doing it over.

Oh, and dont wipe it down with lacquer thinner first, either and chape out like I did. Yes, afer spraying it it ALL fisheyed and I had to sandblast everything and do it over.

If its a "driver", Id go the wire cup and rattle can route, lot less pain and misery.

gscott

Thank you all for your input, looks like the survey says POR 15 the only place that I can seem to locate it is Corvette Central.

Cuisinatevette, Thanks for sharing, I know that I would have used lacquer thinner for the final cleanup.


Gary

67-427ci

gscott: Check your local auto paint stores for POR-15. S everal stores have it in stock here in Elmira.
Roy

65air_coupe