nickwisconsin

I am restoring grandpa's old car. Not a frame off restoration. The body and interior are in great condition. The undercarriage and components are a bit rusty. After researching it pretty thoroughly, my plan was to remove rust to bare metal and hit it with a satin black epoxy paint. I went to my local shop to pick up some VHT rollbar paint to try it out on my backing plates. More or less a test to see how it works. Eventually I'm going to de-rust and paint frame, suspension and steering linkages, etc. While looking at the paint I struck up a conversation with a guy there who sounded like he was a bodywork and paint guy in a previous life. He begged me to reconsider using the VHT paint. He strongly recommended a quality epoxy primer covered by a 2 stage urethane top coat. I explained what I was doing, and he said that this would be much more durable even though it was a little bit more work involved. He wrote down some paints from the Eastwood website, but also said I could get it locally. I have a cheap spray gun and air compressed that would likely get the job done for what I'm doing.

He was adamant that I am making a huge mistake using the VHT alone. He said friends don't let friends use spray cans on classic automobiles. I certainly understand his philosophy for body pant as having an excellent finish is of paramount importance. For something like I am doing, I don't really see the huge advantage. There also may be areas were I will need to use a brush. He made me rethink my simple plan. What do y'all think?

PS. I am not going to use POR

BackInTheGame

I used Eastwood Extreme Chassis Black on the frame and suspension parts. With proper prep it looks awesome. I don't know about longevity yet, as I don't have any real road-time on it since the refinish was done.

70cutty

I have used Rustoleum brushed/rolled on, with great results that lasted for years.
Also if you want to rattle can it, John Deere Blitz black is great, when it cures it's tough as nails. It comes in spray cans and gallons/quarts.

Lonnies Performance

There will be no comparison to the durability of a true 2 part epoxy paint to spray cans.

Undoubtedly the cost is significantly different as is convenience, where the spray cans win.
Also, do not be fooled into comparing the volume of spray cans to true quarts of paint... spray cans are thinned significantly more to allow it to spray out of the can.

Now if you are planning to wire wheel/brush down a rusted frame & paint it...
My suggestion is something along the lines of POR15 (or some sort of chassis saver paint), which bonds to rusty metal, even better than epoxy primer.
You can also brush this if necessary. Using a satin or flat paint will hide a lot of imperfections also.

nickwisconsin

Do you think a 2 part epoxy paint directly to metal, and call it a day, or do an epoxy primer and top coat of 2 stage urethane?

oldcutlass

I use VHT engine ceramic paint on mostly everything. Seems to adhere well and last a long time.

69 Hurst

Three years ago I stripped to bare then used Eastwood's 2K primer. Sprayed POR15 Chassis Black rattle cans and it looks awesome. I've heard others say they've experienced good longevity as well.

chopolds

Lots of thoughts on this. First is: spray bomb paint will never hold up as well as "real" paint. The best for chassis, IMHO, would be an epoxy primer over a clean sandblasted surface. Then a single stage urethane in gloss. or satin. When I get chassis that are not super clean, I degrease, wire wheel, clean again, then POR-15, with silver POR ( better at rust protection), and then topcoat with a satin black while it's lightly tacky.
In your case, you aren't doing a frame off, and neither are you going to be able to blast, or super clean anything. So, compromise is in order. Cleaning and wire brushing is imperative. Spray equipment is necessary for shooting the good stuff. But if you don't have it, I'd suggest brushing on a rust encapsulator. You could also use an acid base product and scrub it clean, but I doubt you want to deal with the mess and hazards of this approach. Topcoat with a quality (if you can really call it that) spray can black. If you use something like POR-15 black, you don't need to topcoat. Chassis do not see the sun, and though POR is UV sensitive, it doesn't matter, underneath the car. But it you do want to topcoat it, be sure to do it after it partially dries, and is till a bit tacky. If it dries, nothing will stick to it.

442Dude

Good morning! I've done several cars with the Eastwood 2K Ceramic chassis paint and love it. I sandblast down to the bare metal and then add the primer and black basecoat. I've had great luck with the adhesion and durability. It's hard to chip and seems very durable. I've painted both the frames and the underbody with this paint and been very pleased. It does come in rattle cans but I like spraying it with a air operated paint sprayer for larger areas. It can easy be blended and touched up too if you make other changes or modifications to previously painted areas. I have lots of pics in my build thread if you want to see how it looks on the car. Eastwood offers satin and full gloss sheens.

Good luck.

Showing 2K ceramic black gloss paint.......

Painted the firewall and underbody along with the frame and suspension components.

Oldsguy

Sounds like you don't like aerosol paint in a can at all. We know you know that it is really real paint though.

Lonnies Performance

Primer is the way to go for best adhesion with any paint.
As mentioned above, sand blasting is the way to go, but not everyone has the capability to do so.

I had poor adhesion with epoxy primer in the past to poorly cleaned metal so I lean towards POR-15 when a backyard budget build is in order.
It actually sticks to rust coated surfaces better than bare metal.
FYI... POR-15 recommends adding a topcoat as it is not UV stabilized.

I recently did a frame in POR-15 & then sprayed a topcoat of semi-gloss Duplicolor black over it.
Very easy to touch up as needed but durable.
I could have spent a few hundred more in paint to epoxy top coat it, but I'm happy with the results.



2 years later it still looks the same after a few thousand miles