Protecting the chassis

[billm]

Having stripped the chassis right down, I've painted it with a primer containing Zinc - which looks similar to the old Red Lead. That should help protect it from any future rust problems. And inside box sections will be sprayed with standard clear Waxoyl.

My options for covering over the chassis primer are either:

1. a black "chassis paint" product
2. POR15
3. black Waxoyl Underseal

but which one ?

Any comments, advice or preferences ?

thanks

[MikeyT]

billm said:

Having stripped the chassis right down, I've painted it with a primer containing Zinc - which looks similar to the old Red Lead. That should help protect it from any future rust problems. And inside box sections will be sprayed with standard clear Waxoyl.

My options for covering over the chassis primer are either:

1. a black "chassis paint" product
2. POR15
3. black Waxoyl Underseal

but which one ?

Any comments, advice or preferences ?

thanks

POR is for Painting Over Rust so I wouldn't use that. I'd use some stonechip maybe ... or the black chassis paint (sprayed) for a better finish. What would it have looked like when it left the factory? Bare metal most likely

[billm]

Hi, smooth black paint finish as factory standard from what I can see.

Its a 50 year old car and it hasn't rotted away yet although that's probably because its been painted in Red Lead and also undersealed at some point over the top of the factory black paint.

Then on top of that was 50 years of muck, oil and grease - so much that when I managed to scrape it all off the chassis was imaculate beneath it.

I guess thats a point to consider. Maybe we get "conditioned" into thinking that we have to over protect the chassis with all these new products when in actuality the miles this car will do in the next 10 years is going to be negligable and certainly won't be during the winter months.

So maybe I should just paint it with a thick'ish smooth black paint

[MikeyT]

Prime the bare metal and then coat it in red oxide or similar and then spray black. As you say, it won't be used everyday or in bad weather.

I have a similar thing with my fastback. The car when I got it had a stonechip paint on the bottom but I'm thinking of removing it all and then painting it the same colour as the top of the car as it'll never see rain and will be far better protected with primers and other products than when it left the factory with just a coat of paint which would have gone after a few years leaving the metal exposed to the elements.

No wonder these old cars rusted the way they did! All I've found is that the better and longer you take to prep, the better the final result will be.

Good luck!

[flamingm0]

You can use their Metal Ready product for priming before using POR15...

www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8229&frostProductName=Metal%20Ready%20(20oz,%20590ml)

POR15 is great stuff and would be my choice, Waxoyl does eventually dry out and crack up, especially if exposed.

Edited by flamingm0 on Monday 30th October 12:57

[ELAN+2]

My chassis was powder coated under the oil and grime, I wire brushed the few rusty bits, then scrubbed the whole thing with a green scotch brite scourer thingy . I sprayed UPOL ACID 8 etch primer on the rusty bits and gave the whole thing, inside and out several coats of Celulose. I got 2 litres of mismatch from the local paint factor. Before spraying, i liberally washed the chassis down with "Bodywipe", this makes most paints poour for good adhesion.

before;

After!!


Regards

Mark

[billm]

Hi Mark
thanks for the advice. I've already applied the etch primer/zinc rust inhibitor now. I'll scotchbrite it to flat it off and then panel wipe it as you did.

However I've been told that black "tractor paint" is the best to spray on a chassis as it has good resistance to oil/petrol/grease etc and a bit tougher than standard paint.

Out of interest what is "mismatch" paint ?

cheers

PS .. your cars looking good .. well done

[ELAN+2]

Mismatch is just that, incorrectly mixed by by the paint suppliers, as they custom mix every batch by machine now, if one tint nozel doesnt release any or enough paint, the batch is ruined and scrapped.Or as in this case, flogged off cheap to some mug with a chassis to paint!!