The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk chassis resto

Down to the chassis on '57 3100. Can't decide whether to have sandblasted and painted or powdercoated, or just clean it with wire wheels and use chassis coat (POR 15). Truck will be driven plus some shows and cruise-ins. Also, what to do with leaf springs to finish. My first full resto at age 64. Must be nuts.
Dave R

Dave, If you are going to drive it I would paint it. It's easier to repair if you get a chip. Plus it will cost more to powder coat. Just my $0.02

George

I agree with 46forme. If you are going to drive it, paint it and use somethng that you can touch up easily. Chem stripped my frame and then used zero rust and could not be happier. I was able to use Metal-2-metal to fill all the rust pits and get a nice smooth look back onthe frame as well. I don't think you can do this if you powdercoat.

They make a product called "Lab Metal" that you can fill pits with and it will take the heat of powder coating. A little hard to work with compared to regular filler but works OK. Several powder coaters around here stock it for customers. I find powder coating to be cheaper than painting but most probably don't go through the steps I do and use the premium materials. A frame, driveshaft, rear end housing, springs, A-frames (Camaro sub), and maybe a couple small parts run a little over $300 to powder coat; a paint job including cleaning and prep will run at least twice that or more. With all this said, I prefer a painted frame.

I have always wished I had powder coated at whatever expense and however much trouble. It is almost nick proof when re-assembling and will never need touch up. I spray canned mine with rustoleum after wire brushing it. Powdercoat! No question. I spent a lot of time cleaning the frame (my first one at age 61) and then to just paint it? Never again! If you are taking your time and rebuilding everything and new rubber products, glass, nice final paint job, etc, then you are a guy that should powdercoat. If you are just "getting it running good" then paint it.

The last chassis I worked on the primer/paint cost $48 and that was a year ago. Por15 is now about $40 a quart...but a quart will give you two coats if you need that many.

On my chassis last year I spent enough buying the sand and with the cost of paint/primer I could have had it professionally blasted for about $175 (last one cost me $150) and add another 40 for POR15 and total cost is about 200-225.
So, I recommend sand blasting to get the chassis clean and then POR15. You can touch up the por15 with a spray can.
Just my opinion to save you a lot of hassle and headache and the job for the money spent will be well worth it when you show it or got to cruises.
Its your though so its your decision.

Blast, POR15, Top coat with either Chassis Black (POR15) or your favorite color Then drive it. Done this on two vehicles so far and it works for me. I can touch up if I need

A friend of mine powder coats his frames, and that works for him up and to the point when he needs to drill / weld / grind on his frame after it is finished (then powder becomes way more expensive than paint)

Shoot Dave, your just a kid at 64 ya got 36 more years to enjoy that old truck before they take away your license! I started mine at the same age when I retired and it sure does fill in that time between sitting on the porch in the rocker and those long afternoon naps.

I’m right up there in line with Alvin, and Scott.
A lot depends on your time frame and your budget, if you can afford to have it blasted that eliminated the rust problem in a few hours, and finishing it off with Por-15 system will preserve it for the next 52 years, by then we will be out of gas and have gone all electric and it will be a museum piece. Por-15 is darn near indestructible as long as it’s not in direct sunlight.
Over the years from what I’ve seen if you spend a week or so wire brushing it and paint it with Rustolium your just asking for trouble a few years down the road. And as far as the powder coat goes, ya can’t touch it up if ya ding it and all you have to do is get behind a big old semi-trailer that had it’s back end powder coated and see the sheets of paint blistering off where the rust got under it to convince you.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny's got a point. I would only add, if you decide on powder coating you choose a color (like black) that you can successfully touch up if and when needed. Powder coating is perfect for show trucks if that is your goal. Another thing that hasn't been mentioned, all those crossmembers that you won't remove will have rust where they rivet to the rails. If your a perfectionist like Denny, you might want to remove, wire brush, and paint those areas after you get the frame back from the blaster/chemers.