I removed the engine crossmember, front sway bar, braces, control arms, spindles...etc. I decided to have these parts repainted and cleaned up after fifteen years on the car during this little restoration. The 36mm bar and the braces of the K-member were powder coated from the factory, exactly like the original springs, but had blisters of rust still. With no access to powder coating easily, I was advised to use a spray can paint by VHT, their epoxy chassis and roll bar paint to be exact. I was assured that this was tough and not your average rattle-can rust stopper for your mailbox, and would hold up to some abuse rather well, and would be better than driving many miles to powder coat the larger parts, and spending a small fortune. I did not at the time own a spray gun or have the ability to spray "higher quality" paints, so this seemed a good alternative.

Now, however, after all parts were sandblasted, cleaned with VHT's cleaner, painted, and then top-coated with their clear coat urethane, or Quick Coat, all of which they recommend, and done with great attention to their directions, (Also, wore gloves, and made sure there was no chance of contamination) I am disappointed.

The factory powder coated bar was very tough, It was handled a little carelessly a few times, and the factory coat was only slightly scuffed, hitting it with a hammer a few times did nothing to it's coat, no mark whatsoever. Today, I dropped a small bolt atop one of the newly painted braces, which has cured for many weeks now while other things are done, and has looked fantastic, and was shocked to see that a very large chip had been cracked right off of the side of it by this little bolt. Curiously, I picked the part up and gave it a light tap with a small ball peen hammer, and the paint simply flaked right off with the slightest tap.

Of course, I haven't been trying to ruin the paint, so I did not know it would be doing this, but now it's evident that every part painted with it does this by my own gentle experimentation. I've used the off-the-shelf rust-inhibiting paints for grills and furniture before, and this is absurd that this supposedly tough paint chips from a small rusty bolt dropping atop it from just a few feet.

Have I expected too much, or is there some error on my end from other's experiences? I will add, however, that these parts were primed with VHT's primer as well, a Zinc Chromate primer that I was encouraged to use as well, the epoxy did not require a primer, but I was instructed to use one, and I am thinking that it may be the culprit, but I am not an expert on paint by any means. Can anyone add any input here?

Much appreciated, thank you.

 

Should have used POR-15

 

 

Seems I should have considered my options more. I just cannot believe how wimpy this paint is, even if it isn't close to the POR-15. I didn't intend to leave these parts out, give them a salt bath, or expect to make them look pretty after a demolition derby, but if it cannot even withstand some light metal tapping, it looks like I will have no choice but to repaint everything. I stripped and repainted a piece with no primer...and it changed nothing. And here I've heard of people using VHT's paint for headers and manifolds, and as long as it was carefully done, it seemed to work well enough. When the manifolds came off, I had considered using their manifold paint as well....maybe this should be avoided to, maybe I should just avoid anything in a rattle can and stick to brush, or spray applicated paints, or coatings?

Is the POR-15 truly as tough as everyone claims? It's quite expensive, for all my trouble and that kind of money, I could almost go powder-coated if it is far superior. I know it is UV sensitive, and that there are several different brands that make such a product, all look to be cheaper than the POR-15, some look to even have better properties, but cheaper is not something to always go with, but neither is the most expensive. I'm truly just looking for something that will at least take the average road abuse under the car, and not flake off from accidentally touching the frame rails while trying to re-install it.

Any more enlightenment is appreciated!

 

I've used POR-15 and while it was better than average paint, I wasn't overly impressed. I recently tried Rust Bullet and liked that a lot better. It's easier to work with and holds up better. The only thing is it's silver, but you can top coat it with any color paint you want, or use their Black Top coat. I followed the instructions, and was very impressed. I used it on the fuel filter bracket which was rusted quite a bit. I cleaned it up as best I could and then painted over it. Let it dry over night and the next day it was an extremely hard and durable coating. Top coated it with regular Rustoleum black.

 

Well, I now have a few choices it seems. I will have to strip this miserable paint off of most of the parts, and a primer off of all of them. I'm going to do it right this time. I can either paint these myself with POR-15, Rust Encapsulator, Rust Bullet, "Insert rust-inhibiting tough paint here"..etc. Then top coat most likely as well. Or, I can go out of my way to powder coat what I can through a good shop that is a little out of the way.

How superior will the powder coating be as far as it's toughness and resistance to chipping, age, and general road hazards, compared to one of these other paints, when properly applied? The original coating has held up well, and that is really what I want, these parts are originally powder coated correct?

Also, I was sure that the original GM powder coating on our springs, 36mm sway bars, and some K-member braces was a semi-gloss black, but others are convinced that it is satin black, can anyone confirm or deny that?

Thank you in advance.

 

Bumped back for another round.

 

I painted the complete underside of my car with POR-15. I followed all the directions for bare metal and surface rusted metal and it looks great. The car hasn't seen any road time yet, but i've dropped and laid things on it and it nothing happens to it. Its been on there for about a year and half now and it still shines like the day i put it on there. I also used it on my rear with no problems:

 

wow do you have any plans to build the rotissere that you could e-mail me Camaro0605 ?

 

I don't have any plans for it, but i just PM'd you some more pictures.