Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Keith D]

Hii Rusty,

I must be the odd one out. I powder coated my Austin Seven chassis and wheels during restoration nearly twenty years ago and I have had no problems at all. Certainly nothing is lifting. The car lives under cover away from rain and sunshine, so perhaps that helps. I don't think it was very expensive when you remember that you have to sand blast the metalwork whether you are spraying or having it powder coated.

The car body was stripped back to metal and painted by a professional using two pack auto paint and that has turned out really dreadful. The stuff is lifting on the body in a number of places. I wish the expensive paint job on the body had been as good as the powder coating underneath on the chassis!

I've used 'Killrust' on a number of occasions, although not on a car. I find that the gloss fades very quickly in our sunlight and rust tends to break through it. I don't use it much anymore.

Happy new year everybody

Keith
_________________
1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution

[Rusty]

Thanks Keith,
I really don't want to "A" remove the body off the frame unless I can't get away without doing it, and "B" completely disassemble the suspension. I already have some of the bushings that will need replacing so, some of the suspension is being repaired, but I would like to leave some of it alone. If when I get into it I find something I don't want to know obviously it will be attended to. I think it would probably be prohibitive to powdercoat anyway, because it's a "big" car, 120 inch wheelbase and over 17 feet long. What I am after is just a reasonable coating that can go on while the body is in place after rubbing down by hand and rotary wire brush, with a bit of phosphoric acid applied in a few strategic places. The chassis paint is I think original and I recon in 1963 Australian assembly most likely nitrocellulose lacquer, so an enamel should go over it but acrylic lacquer may react. I think my question has been answered, with quite a few opinions that have given me some insight.
Thankyou to all of you for your insight and your interest !
Graham