Discussion
It started as an engine bay 'refresh' while the engine was out. Having spent the past 3 months of weekends stripping every vestige of paint off my chassis from the gearbox mounts forward (body still on), prepping it with POR15 Degreaser and then their Metal Prep, then two coats of their Rust Preventative Paint yesterday.... which I find today has reacted and bubbled up (high humidity?). So I now have to start all over again... I'm pretty pissed off right now, as you can imagine.
So, question time:
Here's where I'm at: I have already removed engine, box, zorsts, rads and all plumbing, front susp incl rack, column & brake pipes. You can see where I'm going with this... just a rear brake pipe, handbrake cable, speed sensor wire... and a dozen bolts? Rear suspension & diff off and then I could get the chassis blasted and recoated properly with no further need to attend to it in my lifetime (possibly).
Downside is that I am (well, was...) only a couple of weeks off being back on the road and this will add probably a couple of months to that...
Could anyone that's done this please advise what bolts are at the rear (presumably hidden behind the fuel tank?) and inside (do the carpets and dash all have to come out?) Really didn't want to do this now, but if I knew in March what I know now... I would've happily done it then! I hate POR15, it's so bloody pernickity... I swear I'll never use it again!
Probable cost of blasting/zinc & powder coating? Recommendations in the South? General tips and body lifting points?
Thanks,
Rik
So, question time:
Here's where I'm at: I have already removed engine, box, zorsts, rads and all plumbing, front susp incl rack, column & brake pipes. You can see where I'm going with this... just a rear brake pipe, handbrake cable, speed sensor wire... and a dozen bolts? Rear suspension & diff off and then I could get the chassis blasted and recoated properly with no further need to attend to it in my lifetime (possibly).
Downside is that I am (well, was...) only a couple of weeks off being back on the road and this will add probably a couple of months to that...
Could anyone that's done this please advise what bolts are at the rear (presumably hidden behind the fuel tank?) and inside (do the carpets and dash all have to come out?) Really didn't want to do this now, but if I knew in March what I know now... I would've happily done it then! I hate POR15, it's so bloody pernickity... I swear I'll never use it again!
Probable cost of blasting/zinc & powder coating? Recommendations in the South? General tips and body lifting points?
Thanks,
Rik
Thanks for the help (and good wishes) so far, Chaps.
As I feared, extensive internal strip... whilst not being able to fully open the doors.... hmmm...
All the suspension is excellent, having been re-powdercoated and poly-bushed only a short while before I bought it. The front came off very easily (one lump per side) and I have no reason to think that the rear won't be similar.
The interior is good-to-very-good, this is where my reluctance lies; I know what happens to stuck-down carpet when it's pulled up...
I anticipated that a body-lift would be needed at some stage during my ownership (outriggers dented due to careless jacking, some rust, but no holes yet), I was just hoping it would be a few years away...
As I feared, extensive internal strip... whilst not being able to fully open the doors.... hmmm...
All the suspension is excellent, having been re-powdercoated and poly-bushed only a short while before I bought it. The front came off very easily (one lump per side) and I have no reason to think that the rear won't be similar.
The interior is good-to-very-good, this is where my reluctance lies; I know what happens to stuck-down carpet when it's pulled up...
I anticipated that a body-lift would be needed at some stage during my ownership (outriggers dented due to careless jacking, some rust, but no holes yet), I was just hoping it would be a few years away...
Right, my head's in a better place now.
Thank you all for your advice and good wishes, especially Tanguero, who from the start advised me against using POR15 (or Satan's Spittle as I now call it).
I am proceding with a full body lift and professional recoating of the chassis. I will be back some time later!
Thank you all for your advice and good wishes, especially Tanguero, who from the start advised me against using POR15 (or Satan's Spittle as I now call it).
I am proceding with a full body lift and professional recoating of the chassis. I will be back some time later!
I prepared it meticulously, taking no chances, cutting no corners, as I didn't want to do it twice... ...using their own (overpriced) 'Degreaser' and 'Metal Prep', a coat of silver and then a coat of grey 'Rust Preventative'. This was to be followed by the white top coat(s), but I never got that far....it bubbled up. 
I believe that this happens when it cures too fast to let the gas out before it skins. It may have been too hot or too humid or both. No matter, if one has to refer to a thermometer and a hygrometer before using, that is too pernickety a product for me and my world.
That and the difficulty in painting behind tubes, making sure that you don't miss a spot. It makes painting domestic radiators seem like a walk in the park.
Oh, and that you have to recoat before the previous coat dries. Think about it... 4 coats with 4-5 hours between... bloody ridiculous.
I'm sure that it works great on pick-up beds (their own demo) and even relatively 'complex' things like wishbones (off the car) but only if you pick the right (20+ hour) day!
I am now convinced that there is only one way to 'paint' a chassis... and that's get someone else to do it!
(see, I'm OK about it now ...right, where did I put my Diazepam?....)
...using their own (overpriced) 'Degreaser' and 'Metal Prep', a coat of silver and then a coat of grey 'Rust Preventative'. This was to be followed by the white top coat(s), but I never got that far....it bubbled up. I believe that this happens when it cures too fast to let the gas out before it skins. It may have been too hot or too humid or both. No matter, if one has to refer to a thermometer and a hygrometer before using, that is too pernickety a product for me and my world.
That and the difficulty in painting behind tubes, making sure that you don't miss a spot. It makes painting domestic radiators seem like a walk in the park.
Oh, and that you have to recoat before the previous coat dries. Think about it... 4 coats with 4-5 hours between... bloody ridiculous.
I'm sure that it works great on pick-up beds (their own demo) and even relatively 'complex' things like wishbones (off the car) but only if you pick the right (20+ hour) day!
I am now convinced that there is only one way to 'paint' a chassis... and that's get someone else to do it!
(see, I'm OK about it now ...right, where did I put my Diazepam?....)Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff