aero3113 Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 (edited) I am going to paint my radiator black to try and make it look more original. I am only going to paint the side frames,top/bottom tanks and leave the core and fins unpainted. I read it is ok to use any type of paint on the tanks but it is the core/finns that need the special radiator paint, what do you think?Also do you think I should prime the bare aluminum? Edited January 3, 2011 by aero3113 Quote
Harvey Tank Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 if it was mine I think I would take it to a radator shop and let them paint it. they will know what kind of paint to use. good luck. Quote
49roadster Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 Eastwood sells radiator paint in a spray can. Quote
yourpc48 Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 Ruth1932 has the right idea. At least call a radiator shop and ask what they would do if they were installing it in your car for you. Or contact the manufacturer and ask them. Who better to ask than the people that built the radiator? Quote
yourpc48 Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 Ooops. I forgot. Radiator specific paint like the Eastwood paint mentioned is a must if you expect the paint to last. Quote
michael.warshaw Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 you live right by action powder coating in farmingdale take it to them it will come out mint. Quote
suntennis Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 At one time, to get paint to bond to aluminum well, a yellow oxide type of primmer was needed. Perhaps todays paints do not need that. Eastwood has some good products, so they would have the answer. There is no paint that will make that radiator look anything close to an original radiator. Quote
Frank Elder Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 On aircraft aluminum we used alodine wash, then zinc chromate primer, then poly. Quote
aero3113 Posted January 3, 2011 Author Report Posted January 3, 2011 you live right by action powder coating in farmingdale take it to them it will come out mint. I have used them many times, they do great work. Quote
aero3113 Posted January 3, 2011 Author Report Posted January 3, 2011 On aircraft aluminum we used alodine wash, then zinc chromate primer, then poly. This looks like the way I will go, they do not make zink chromate anymore but I have the alternate which is Zink Phosphate primer. Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 I painted my stock radiator with the lowest priced paint I could buy. I am not a believer in buying special radiator paint. Quote
RobertKB Posted January 3, 2011 Report Posted January 3, 2011 I painted my stock radiator with the lowest priced paint I could buy. I am not a believer in buying special radiator paint. Agreed. I used Tremclad (Rustoleum) semi-gloss on my radiator. My guess is it will stick to aluminum also. Quote
55 Fargo Posted January 4, 2011 Report Posted January 4, 2011 Agreed. I used Tremclad (Rustoleum) semi-gloss on my radiator. My guess is it will stick to aluminum also. Tremclad sticks to most substrates like "$hit to a blanket", my rad is painted with Gloss Black Tremclad paint, with no ill effects. Keith use the Professional series, or the engine Black Rustoleum, you can't go wrong. Another suggestion, is Black Laquer based paint, much thinner, not sure how it will stick to aluminum, but am sure that it will.... Quote
old stovebolt Posted January 4, 2011 Report Posted January 4, 2011 This looks like the way I will go, they do not make zink chromate anymore but I have the alternate which is Zink Phosphate primer. just a comment here....zinc chromate primer is still made..... and available.... Quote
aero3113 Posted January 4, 2011 Author Report Posted January 4, 2011 just a comment here....zinc chromate primer is still made..... and available.... Not in aviation, for some reason it is not available and they will only sell Zink Phosphate. Quote
aero3113 Posted January 4, 2011 Author Report Posted January 4, 2011 Tremclad sticks to most substrates like "$hit to a blanket", my rad is painted with Gloss Black Tremclad paint, with no ill effects.Keith use the Professional series, or the engine Black Rustoleum, you can't go wrong. Another suggestion, is Black Laquer based paint, much thinner, not sure how it will stick to aluminum, but am sure that it will.... Hey Fred, Happy New Year!!! Its funny you say that, today at work I panted my radiator and it came out GREAT. I used a light coat of Zink Phosphate primer then Rustoleum Engine Black like you said. I noticed that the Rustoleum is thinner than other engine paints I have used. I have it at work curing and will post pics tomorrow (I forgot my camera today) Quote
55 Fargo Posted January 4, 2011 Report Posted January 4, 2011 Hey Fred,Happy New Year!!! Its funny you say that, today at work I panted my radiator and it came out GREAT. I used a light coat of Zink Phosphate primer then Rustoleum Engine Black like you said. I noticed that the Rustoleum is thinner than other engine paints I have used. I have it at work curing and will post pics tomorrow (I forgot my camera today) Happy New Year to you too Keith, I am sure the Rusto Engine black paint will be just fine. Post some pics for us soon......Fred Quote
aero3113 Posted January 5, 2011 Author Report Posted January 5, 2011 As requested here are some pics of the radiator painted. There were a couple of runs on the top tank that were bothering me so I decided to wet sand them and repaint just the top tank. They sanded out fine but when I resprayed the paint it started to bubble. According to the can you can repaint after 24 hours but I guess it didn't cure . So I had to strip the paint on the top tank and prime and repaint it again! Good thing it came out just as good as the first time minus the runs . Quote
aero3113 Posted January 5, 2011 Author Report Posted January 5, 2011 That looks great! Thank you Quote
busycoupe Posted January 5, 2011 Report Posted January 5, 2011 Your new radiator looks great! -- However, I have a question for the forum. The radiator in my D24 does not appear to be painted. The top tank looks like it is brass. Were the radiators painted from the factory, or were they bare metal? Quote
aero3113 Posted January 5, 2011 Author Report Posted January 5, 2011 Thanks, I think they were all painted. People sometimes take the paint off the brass radiators and polish it to shine like a mirror. Quote
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