Projects You've finished all the cutting,welding and grinding the frame now what ?

Another '32 Frame ready for the body.HRP

 

I love the sheen of Rustoleum satin black..! Wheels, floors, chassis, suspension, firewall, under carriage, dash, seat tracks, etc. It’s super easy to touch up. I had my wheels balanced and hit the wheel weights with a shot of satin black because the silver weighs bugged me..

 

Very nice car.HRP

 

I went with Rustoleum, I am frugal (spelled "cheap") and I am not building a show car. I used their red primer and Satin (although at times when I am painting the body I feel like it might be "satan" paint even though it's real PPG paint

 

My 56 got catalyzed metallic gray enamel just because I had 2 gallons of it in my garage, and my 34 got self etching primer then catalyzed black enamel once I decided to paint the truck black.

 

My builds are usually real world drivers and not built to impress and car show judges so I see no reason for exotic that will never be seen, there will never be any mirrors to gaze at all the stuff under my car so for the most part simple Rustoleum or industrial enamel does the job for me. HRP

 

The next thing is to put it together and drive it.

 

I heard that! HRP

 

Here's are some related questions.

Situation:

1. I recently inherited a '31 Model A 2-dr sedan.
2. This is a 75% finished project.
3. The frame is a boxed original with suspension, motor mounts, trans mounts, cross members, etc., installed.
4. It's in bare metal.
5. Unfortunately this frame was built over 35 years ago and although stored inside humidity has wreaked havoc with the bare metal. It has surface rust all over it. Nothing deep enough to pit, but it must all be cleaned and painted.
6. Like HRP's cars this will be a driver and not a show car.
7. I'm wanting to disassemble this thing one piece at a time and clean/paint that part.
8. Due to #7 I don't want to set up a spray booth and use a compressor gun; I just don't have room and don't want to clean a gun each time I paint one part. I'm pretty poor with a spray gun anyway.
9. Satin black Rustoleum will be just fine for me. I've used it before on small parts and like it well enough for the frame and small parts.

Questions:

1. After cleaning (wire brushing or blasting or whatever is appropriate for that particular part) do I need to shoot the part with primer?
   
2. What primer should I use?
   
3. Can I use a rattle can primer?
   
4. Will rattle can Rustoleum satin black work/last or should I save up a pile of parts and shoot them all at one time with a gun?
   
5. If I save parts (see #4 above) will the primer keep the parts from rusting again?
   
6. If not what should I use?
   
7. In the event I choose to powder coat this stuff what can I do to keep rust away between cleaning/blasting and powder coating? Note: if I go the powder coat route I would need to take everything to him in one trip.
   
8. If I go the powder coating route how can I keep this stuff from rusting between cleaning/blasting and powder coating; as it obviously has to be in bare metal when it arrives at the powder coater?

 

Use Rust-Oleum rattle can primer and I've sprayed Rust-Oleum in rattle cans and with my spray gun and compressor and intermixed and touched up spots with rattle cans and you can't tell the difference in how they look, just that the rattle cans cost more.

 

Thanx.

I agree about the cost and for one or two parts I wouldn't mind, but maybe I'll use a spray gun and do larger numbers of parts. If I do that what about rust prevention between cleaning/blasting and painting if that time period should drag out (which it will if I paint more parts at a time)? Will Rustoleum primer provide sufficient protection or do I need to use something else?

And what about rust prevention if I should decide to powder coat items? i.e., same as for paint or different product?

EDIT: all parts will still be stored in the dry, but my shop is unheated so I'm worried about humidity condensing on the parts and initiating rust.

 

I run a basement style dehumidifier in my shop while I do this process to keep the humidity down. My shop is insulated and sealed up real well though.

If you can't keep the humidity down, I would paint as I go with rattle cans or even a brush. Primer would be fine if stored in a shop and not a super extended period of time.

You'll get some brush marks if you go that way... we did even with a ton of planning to prevent them.

 

You can also hit the small parts with some Gibbs to keep them from flash rusting. I have had no ill results and typically just did a wash down with acetone or laquer thinner before priming if I had treated with Gibbs.

This is all chassis part prep discussion. I've not played these games with body parts.

 

YOU'VE FINISHED ALL THE CUTTING,WELDING AND GRINDING THE FRAME NOW WHAT ?

Coffee time. Damn, y'all get too serious about this stuff...

 

My '40 was done with POR15, I will probably have my next few frames sandblasted then powdercoated.

 

Depends on the car, a good quick and dirty way is Por 15 and a 2" paint brush, the other end is powder coating. I've had good results with Por 15 and a brush. Now getting it off your arms and hands that's another story requiring acitone and hard rubbing.

 

AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Acetone is a permeation enhancing trans-dermal absorbing organic solvent!

Wear a Tyvek jacket or suit, with rubber gloves, taped to the sleeves.

You are courting cumulative absorption toxicity, potentially resulting in central nervous system damage.

 

Don't be a sissy, I'm not into rubber suits, that's a Nor Cal thing, HaHaHa!!!

 

I am not into cancer and nerve damage. If you are, you do you.