What to paint the wishbones with?

[zed4]

Hi,

I’m going to be removing the wishbones soon to fit new bushes and ball joints, so I’m thinking of painting them too. I have a company who can prepare and hot zinc spray them to ensure they’re well protected, but I’m not sure how to finish them.

Any recommendations? I’m after something very hard and tough, which won’t get chipped from stones. I was thinking of having my local wheel specialist powdercoat them, but I wonder how hard wearing it will be. It’s also difficult to touch up if they do get chipped.

The other option is to paint them by hand. I was thinking of using a hard yacht topside paint, something like the International Toplac or Perfection 2-pack, both are available in white. The advantage of using one of these is I can buy them easily and cheaply (work in the marine trade) and I can touch up any chips in the future. But I don’t really know how tough and durable it is. I’m sure I remember someone on here using it before...

Any help?

Dan

[zed4]

Ah, I found the thread now... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Still interested to hear of other experiences though.

[zed4]

I should mention that the zinc plating will prevent the wishbones from rusting, so the paint is more for aesthetics. I would like the original white colour too.

[zed4]

I’ve been emailing lots of coating and painting companies for their advice. One company in particular has been very helpful and they’re recommended a belt and braces, done for life solution for my wishbones. They will blast and prep, then hot zinc coat and finally apply two coats of International Intercure 99 epoxy coating which is then baked in an oven. They can do most colours and say it’s an industrial strength finish which will withstand most chips.

The paint will provide a very hard coating and just in case, the zinc coating is there to further protect against any possible corrosion.

I am thinking I might go down this route. I like the International products and it’s easy to touch up by hand if the finish does ever get damaged. Price wise, I’m going to be looking at around £320.00 plus VAT to blast, prep, zinc coat and then paint with Intercure 99, which I think is reasonable.

It’s going to be a fairly costly project, around £350 for Powerflex bushes (managed to get a full set, brand new from someone who had sold their TVR and had these spare for a very good price), £384 for painting and coating and £140 or so for 4x front ball joints, but it will be worth it in the end.

[zed4]

s6boy said:

Sounds like a good price, presumably for all wishbones?

Who are you hoping to use and what turn around do they quote please?

Oops, sorry I didn't come back to you sooner. Yes, for all 8 wishbones. It was from a company called Ripblast.

I've actually just had another quote back from RFI Screening, they've quoted £134.40 (£112 exc VAT) to prepr and zinc coat all 8 wishbones. They don't do painting, but they recommend I hand paint them with some good 2 pack paint. That's going to be a very cheap way of doing it.