mac79vette

Looking for a durable decent looking black paint for my frame and suspension parts. This car is a weekend driver that I want to look good, and last, but not worried about it looking exactly original.

Powder coating is a little expensive so I have been looking at the chassis paint from Eastwood, Summit, and at the POR 15 paint. I am wondering what others results have been with these paints, and also looking for possible alternatives.

I did a frame years back on a 56 BelAir with black epoxy primer covered with a acrylic enamel. It looked really well, but the acrylic enamel quickly became chipped up.

RPOZ4Z

I used POR 15 followed by chassis black on my frame and suspension components.

PUNISHER VETTE

Craigslist oven... $50

change cord to fit your 240 outlet...$12

Eastwood powder coating gun $100

powder...$20


I'll never use paint again. just my opinion.

Although I powder coated my frame with this system and a small propane heater I wouldn't recommend that as it took forever. Por15 might be the best for large parts that don't fit in an oven.

RPOZ4Z

Damm......
you powder coated the frame using a propane heater!
now THAT'S hardcore! LOL!

twinpack

I too have been deciding between powder coating and Eastwood’s system. I like the K2 Ceramic. But after pricing materials and considering my time with sandblasting and clean up I decided to go the powder coat route. I live in MA and there is a shop about 40 minutes into CT that has quoted me $800.00-$900.00 for the frame, control arms, trailing arms and misc. pieces from the frame. All said I just can't beat it considering the final result of powder coating. I figure I'll have the 2-3 week window to finish minor body work and prime the body.

rogman16

Used POR15 as well... Sprayed a couple coats of POR15 followed by two wet coats of Blackcote... Looks great (at least I think it does and that's what matters most), but definitely a lot of work...





BTW--the POR products are nasty stuff, and does not come off of the skin until it wears off... Definitely wear coveralls, gloves, mask and goggles... Extremely toxic, even a couple of days after... The tarp on the concrete used to be silver ;-) At least the tarp won't rust!!!

Rogman

twinpack

Look great Rogman. Nice job.

RPOZ4Z

POR 15 easily comes off skin with MEK.... (ask me how I know..)

drwet

Best product for frames is probably Imron. If you're not familiar with it, its a polyurethane paint from Dupont. Wears like iron. However, its expensive, hard to get if you're not a professional shop, and extrememly toxic to work with. Fresh air mask is essential, although you should be using that whatever you're spraying. I have also used POR-15. Its tough too, but doesn't hold the finish well.You need to cover it with a topcoat and I've found their topcoat doesn't stand up well. I've covered it with Tremclad and found that actually works better. If you have a guy who will powdercoat everything for $900, go for it. You'll spent that much just buying the paint if you go with Imron.

70LQ4

For years I used Dupont Variprime self etching primer top coated with Imron and it held up great even on daily drivers here in the rust belt. Then in 2002 I read all the hype about POR15 and went thru considerable time and money to coat the underside of my then new Silverado 2500 . Then I coated it again 2 years later for added protection . I wanted to keep this Truck for a long time . I followed the instructions to the letter , used their products exclusively, stripper , metal etch , and paint.
Well 10 years later the underside of My Truck looks terrible rust everywhere , the POR 15 can be pulled off in sheets once it gets a stone knick the water will get in and rust undermines it like Powder coat on cheep lawn furniture. I will NEVER use this trash product again !! A friend's 99 Silverado with just the factory coating, looks better than mine.

rogman16

Thanks Pete!!!

Rogman

sly vette

In my mind the decision depends on if the frame is still under the body or not. You failed to say. If you are not doing a frame off restoration,naturally powder coat is out of the question. If the frame has been removed and disassembled powder coat is the way to go IMO. You will already have a lot of money involved in the project and the additional cost is a fraction of the total. If the car is intact I would say POR-15 would be the way to go,after listening to all the positive comments for it over the years on this forum.
Good Luck!

ezobens

I've used Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator with great results.
You can paint it over mildly rusty stuff and it stops the spread.
I used it on my 69's frame and it looks like the day I put it on- 7 years ago! The stuff will not come off.

mac79vette

Thanks to all for the good information.

The body is off the frame, so powder coating is an option. I would prefer to just paint, just not sure what the best product would be.
I think that I am going to stay clear of the Por-15, as I keep reading about issues with it pealing, rusting underneath it, and the finish not holding up well.

myko

I used POR-15 and was installing the front suspension yesterday and found another spot where the paint started to peel. When you pull, scrape, or wire wheel it just comes off in sheets. I stripped it and used the POR-15 Prep and Ready this time. If you have cleaned the frame from rust the POR-15 won't adhere well. In the areas where I did this it is hammer proof and can be gone over with a wire wheel and won't come off.

That said, I really wish I would have gotten my sand blaster sooner, done my welding, then sent it for powder coating.

stpman

I don't like POR15 I've used it and won't use it again, as it's name says Paint Over Rust. I had my frame sandblasted and epoxy primed then a single stage topcoat, I also sprayed inside the frame rails with a rust inhibiter paint.

RPOZ4Z

I used the metal ready on mine before I painted the POR 15 on and it's not peeling anywhere... it is necessary to use metal ready on clean metal...

has anyone heard of anyone having problems with POR 15 peeling even after using the metal ready??

Sigforty

I use POR15 on most of my metal parts even after blasting them. I just marine clean, metal ready, paint, and topcoat everything I do. Never had any issues with peeling or flaking off. I have been using the stuff since 2004. It is all in the prep work with POR15. Crappy prep results in issues. Good prep leaves a lasting finish.

70LQ4

Yes You got to use the metal ready or it can be pealed off as soon as it dries. I used it on My Truck , I cleaned to bare metal used Marine clean, then Metal ready, then POR15 followed by with POR15 topcoat satin black. 10 years later it is pealing everywhere with a nice scaley rust under it. The only spot on My frame that isn't rusted is a 4 foot section that a Friend talked Me into using this "new" paint on . That product is Rust Bullet , I didn't like the color (only comes in metellic silver) so I topcoated it with POR satin black.
Now the POR15 that I used on the frame of My Corvette still looks as good as it did when I sprayed it 8 years ago , but it is a garage Queen that never will see rain or a salty road. POR is extremly tough if they could get it to stick like Rust Bullet it would be perfect. POR is a nice tough coating but as Rust protection it is an expensive joke.
If I was to do a Frame now I would first coat it with 2 coats of Rust Bullet followed by Eastwoods Ceramic Chassis paint. Even as a topcoat I just don't trust POR to stick long term. I will never waste My Money on this garbage again.

mac79vette

So has any one used the Eastwood 2K Ceramic chassis black satin & epoxy primer kit?