Frame Restoration

[pappy1952]

Is it better to powdercoat a frame or us something like zero rust? I am going to have the frame blasted and keep hearing different opinions. Maybee With the springs and rear is what I am hearing different stories on. I am assuming if you powdercoat, it would be a low gloss black finish?

Does anyone know what the best way would be and what would have a good look?

[Young Ed]

I don't think I'd go with the expense of powder coating. Something that big would probably be quite expensive. My truck one was already painted black but for my coupe I just sprayed it with rustoleum rusty metal primer and then rustoleum black. If you have yours sandblasted regular paint should be just fine.

[48Dodger]

Por-15 is a good alternative. Porcelean has a higher PSI than rust and can "kill it" by containing it. Por-15 brushes on, or sprayes on with a thinner. It comes in several colors like satin black, gloss black, grays as well. It was originally designed for frames but has moved into other areas since. Don't blast your frame until you know what method you are going use. Powder coating is the best, but I agree with dodgepu1946 that it isn't necessary unless its on its way to being show winner. Por-15 can be painted right over rust because of its strength. I used a gray Por-15 on my 72 race car undercarrage. I sand blasted first, brushed on por-15, sprayed the flat areas, than went back over it with gray single stage paint with a strong hardener. I go into greater detail on my website( www.6mopar.com ). Look under "construction of the 72 charger". Good luck

[Merle Coggins]

I did my frame with POR-15. I sand blasted the few spots that still had paint on it. Then cleaned and prepped the entire frame with POR-15's Marine Clean and Metal Ready, as they recommend. I sprayed the POR-15 with a Black & Decker airless sprayer. Then a coat of POR-15 primer and top coated with POR-15's Chassis Coat to give it a satin gloss finish. The POR-15 is UV sensitive, so if it could be exposed to sunlight it will fade. The top coat won't.

POR-15 is a very tough finish that bonds tightly to rusty metal and seals it from further rust. I have a friend that painted his Jeep frame with it a few years ago. This Jeep lives off-road (he was the Northwoods Jeep Jamboree coordinator) and the only damage to the coating is where he has bounced it HARD off of a rock. Even there it is a small nick and there is no secondary paint failure. This is what sold me on using it on my truck.

Merle

[Jim Shepard]

I didn't powdercoat mine, mostly because I didn't totally dissasemble it. I steam cleaned it, then power washed, and scrubbed with a wire brush and then used POR15 Marine Clean before painting it with POR15 rust stuff. I then top coated it with Rustoleum gloss black paint. All this with a foam brush! It was easy and it looks great.

[Jeff.P_46]

Powder coating is great for some things but you have to be careful. The way powder coat is applied (static charge draws the powder particles to the grounded metal) you can have eddy currents in cornors so you don't get even coverage. This can mean that you might have no coverage or very little so you will get rust bleed thru. It is also harder to touch-up.

Jeff

[Steven Hood]

Definitely go with the Por-15. If there is a nick, or you have to repair anything, it is easier to touch up. If you chip the powder coat, you are screwed!

[grey beard]

I have used POR-15 on several vehicles and it is fine, but pricey. Since I began lurking on this forum I learned from gtk of Zero Rust, which I now use. It has two advantages over POR - cleanup is with lacquer thinner before it dries, which means you don't have to wear gloves to use he stuff - and it is less than half as expensive. In my book it is absolutely just as fine otherwise. I prefer it, myself. JMHO:)

[Big50Dodge]

Does anyone know what the best way would be and what would have a good look?

The 'best' way is going to depend on budget, experience and what you expect to do with the truck once it's completed.

I'm still working on a '66 Ch*vy that I started a long time ago. I want a modified driver, so I had the frame sandblasted, then bought a cheap paint gun at Sears. I used a quart of Eastwood's chassis black and sprayed it on in my garage. Actually looks pretty good even now. I've had to touch-up a couple of places where I didn't plan well, and had to make 'adjustments' along the way. In an attempt to match, Eastwoods rattle can is less than desirable in my opinion.

For my '50 Dodge, I've got a quart of POR-15 and a bunch of foam brushes.

I'm not planning to take the '50 down to the bare frame like I did the '66 either.

Its about 15 deg F right now outside, so I think painting is going to be in a few months.

The frame is the starting place - think about what your desired end result is, then go from there (based on budget). While your thinking about your frame, you can start on the motor, trans, or even the body to get those ready for the finished frame.

Keith

[oldmopar]

I had used Eastwood Rust Encapsulator on my 62 Willys about 2 or 3 years ago it held up well and will be using it on my 46 WD truck frame. I use the brush on they sell a spray also but I have been using Rustoleum Rust Reformer for parts that need to be sprayed also used it to touch up the frame on my 64 W300 which is in good shape and I am trying to keep it that way here is a link about the Rustoleum product

http://www.rustoleum.com/Product.asp?frm_product_id=30&SBL=1&dds=17

Ed

[48Dodger]

sorry pappy....my website is www.68mopar.com....sorry if you had trouble:D