Body separation from frame and powder coating?

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DeadHorse
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Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by DeadHorse »

Good day everyone!
I am thinking of having that frame and under belly of my 1966 Monza sandblasted and powder coated. My questions are
1. Has anyone else done this with theirs?
2. If so how difficult is it to take the body off the frame?
3. Am I taking it too far, or so you recommend some other way to provide protection to these parts?
Thanks in advance.
Mike


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thewolfe
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by thewolfe »

The corvair is a unibody and has no frame. The front suspension is mounted to a cross member that is bolted to the body with 6 bolts. How difficult it is to get out depends on how rusty it is. Rear has a bolted in cross member that the transaxle bolts to and the torque arms bolt to the body with brackets. All of these parts come out easily if you're not fighting crusty hardware.
Nate Wolfe
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Jerry Whitt
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by Jerry Whitt »

The entire front suspension comes out with just the 6 bolts mentioned, but it is hard work. After removing the A arms, shocks, springs and other misc, took the front cross member to a sand blast shop. Later brought it home and then painted with black high gloss paint. Then had to reassemble all the suspension parts, and then install the cross member, then add the brake hoses, bleed the system. Finally took it to an alignment shop for final adjustments. A LOT OF WORK!!!!!!!!

This is a perfect time to replace upper and lower bushings, shocks, springs, brake hoses and other items that will have to come off.

This is NOT a Saturday afternoon project.

Powder coating is a nice touch, but might be a bit expensive.

Most of my engine area is high gloss black powder coat, and with a touch of Pledge furniture wax, looks really good.
Jerry Whitt
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DeadHorse
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by DeadHorse »

Thanks gents. Great information!! I found a powder coated here in KC that will do the sand blasting and powder coat for $500. Which did not seem bad.


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Allan Lacki
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by Allan Lacki »

Interesting topic! Powder coating always looks nice and is reasonably tough, but I wonder how it would hold up on the underside of a car. Would a 2-part epoxy paint like Imron be better for chassis components? (Downside: Imron is nasty stuff to apply unless you have the right equipment).
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DeadHorse
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by DeadHorse »

I have done some more research on the powder coating of the frame or in this case the front and rear Drive components. And it seems that it will hold up. It may only be for show but they powder coated many frames on the overhaulin tv show. Not that what we see in tv or the internet is always fact.


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thewolfe
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by thewolfe »

As long as it is prepped right it will hold up. That means media blasting, a good degreasing, acid dip, prebake, powder, final bake. My entire suspension was powder coated a few years ago and it still looks as good as the day it went in. I do only drive my car a few thousand miles a year though so time will tell.
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terribleted
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by terribleted »

Powder coating is extremely durable. Much more durable than any paint I am familiar with. Most wheels on current cars are powder coated. There is no issue with durability when applied to exposed surfaces like chassis parts. It is super for engine sheet metal as well. The only real issue with powder coat in any location is that it can be a little thick and strong meaning that it must be removed from any threads or flanges where other parts press in etc. as these parts are not likely to fit. (Example; customer brought a car to me recently with powder coated wheels that had been mounted to the car without removing powder coat from the center hub of the wheel. The wheel were not fully seated on any of the 4 hubs...they were never torqued in place thank god). All 4 wheels were stuck fast to the hubs as well, requiring a block of wood and heavy hand sledge blows to remove. Powder coat is strong stuff, glad the wheels had not been impacted all the way onto the hubs.)
Corvair guy since 1982. I have personally restored at least 20 Vairs, many of them restored ground up.
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Allan Lacki
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by Allan Lacki »

Hi DeadHorse, Wolfe and Terribleted, Thanks for the education on powder-coating vs other coating systems. I learned something new today!
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thewolfe
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by thewolfe »

There is one downside. If powder coat gets scratched or damaged you can't touch it up like you can with paint.
Nate Wolfe
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lostboy
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by lostboy »

The place by me has done a vw pan. No idea how it held up but it sure looked awesome fresh out of the oven.


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1961 Corvair 700 Sedan (80hp 3spd Gasoline Heat)
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lostboy
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Re: Body separation from frame and powder coating?

Post by lostboy »

They also did this:

Image


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1961 Corvair 700 Sedan (80hp 3spd Gasoline Heat)
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