The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Frame Prep Opinions Wanted

Well, after putting my truck project on hold for almost two years while I built my garage, I'm ready to go again. I know the old saying that "opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one and everyone thinks the other guy's stinks", but I'd still like to hear some thoughts from this group. And we all know how hard it is to get people on this list to express an opinion, don't we .

First, some background. I'm doing a frame off restoration on my 1953 3604. When finished it will be my (almost) daily driver. Just before I started my garage project, I took the frame to a local sandblaster ($100 plus the beer for the guys who helped me haul it.) After I got it back, I used a Dupont metal conditioner (basically a weak phosphate conditioner) and was getting ready to paint. I was going to use a standard automotive primer and go over it with a Bill Hirsch chassis black. In looking closely at the frame, I noticed that there was still some 50 year old road tar in seams and nooks and crannies that the blaster did not get. I proceeded to use scrapers and lacquer thinner to clean the frame completely. I know, I should have at least primed it at that point, however ... Now, after about 18 months sitting in my buddy's shop while I built my garage, the frame is clean, dry, and has a very thin coating of surface rust (a little scraping with a pocket knife takes it right down to clean metal.) Currently, I don't have an air compressor, and I've never done any spray painting (other than rattle cans).

So, here's where I'd like some opinions. As I see it, I've got a few options.

1) Wire brush any loose surface rust and then paint the frame with POR-15, ZeroRust, or Eastwood Corroless (probably using a brush or roller). Either leave that as the final surface or go over with a black chassis paint such as Hirsch's or Eastwood's.

2) Take it back to the blaster, invest another $100 (and some beer) to get it down to bare metal again, clean it good, and paint it with a good, black, epoxy primer. I'd also have to either rent a compressor and/or sprayer for this option or bite the bullet and buy them.

3) Haul it to a powder coater, have him prep it (sandblast, clean, etc.) and have the whole frame powder coated.

Have I missed anything? And what do you all think is the best option for a non-show truck?

Before I made any decisions, get a price from the powdercoater. When you add up the cost of the re-blast, paint , thinners, shipping, etc, it may be cheaper to let the powdercoater guy do all the work.

As for the air compressor and the spray gun, if you are doing a frame off restoration, you have a lot of painting and priming to do before the job is complete. Even if you send the exterior body parts out for a professional job, you still have all the engine, tranny, rear end, brake backing plates, etc, to prime and paint. You will need the spray set up eventually..

Before I started on my 53 I had no experience with a gun. With a little practice on parts that never see the light of day ( frame parts for example ) I now find that the gun is easier to use and does a far nicer job than a rattle can..

There is my .02 Jeff, Good Luck..

Ok, after my steep learning curve on all this stuff I will give my opinion. (And mine don't smell)

I would spend just a little time wire brushing, then use some paint prep that will also remove most of the surface rust and then brush on two coats of black Zero Rust.

Actually, it says Zero Rust works better over a slight layer of rust than over bare metal.

Total cost of job: $15 worth of wire brushes, $10 for throw away paint brushes and $52 for a gallon of Zero Rust.

I know a lot of Stovebolters swear by Zero Rust, but I would use POR 15. The reason is that this is the frame. It's going to get pelted with rocks and such. Zero Rust, under those conditions, will chip. POR 15 will not. Either coating would work fine on the light rust with no prep work.

Jeff, after blasting my frame i went with the eastwoods chasis kit.The corroles also says that it can be put right over rust,prepping with a wire brush to remove flakes.I sprayed mine on but i beleive it also comes in a rattle can.It can also be put on with a brush.I was leary abought the chassis black in the rattle can but it did lay down and end up looking nice. My only problem with the kit was i didnt have enough black to finish the job.Droped my film off to day but can show you a pic friday if youre intrestd...Ron