Frame restoration slowly begining in RI

[Brosky]

Over the summer I have been accumulating spare parts from eBay to get powder coated prior to stripping my frame down for painting and complete suspension rebuilding. In the past, I've replaced the shocks, springs and some bushings, but now I'm going to take it all down, clean the entire frame and pans and either POR 15 or Eastwood the entire bottom, after which all of these parts, which will be powder coated, will be installed along with a complete new brake system, including lines. I have new front stub axles and calipers, cylinders, master, booster, lines etc. I will be converting to silicone fluid at that time as well.

Yes, the fuel lines will happen them also.

I have both complete kits for the Eastwood and POR15, but haven't decided one way or another yet. I have a few months to decide on that.

Next week, I'll knock out all of the old bushings and go see my buddy Bob at Cape Cod Powder Coating to have everything sandblasted and then coated.

 

[tdskip]

Whoa (in a good way). Quite a project Paul.

 

[jdubois]

So you're going to replace all your current parts with the ones you bought off ebay? That's an interesting way to do it. What are you going to do with the parts you take off the car?

 

[Tinster]

Easy answer to that one.

Paul's going to ship all his used parts to Bayamon,
Puerto Rico to install in Amos.

ANYTHING coming out of Paul's car has got to better than anything DPO Pedro had in his bucket of junkyard bolts.

Paul- Can I help select the powder coating colors??

Nice project, Paul. I wish I could fly or I'd be up
there to help ya out. I enjoy powder coating stuff.

d

 

[Brosky]

Jay,

I decided to do it this way because I didn't want to wait to have all of my parts done while the car was apart in the shop, tying up a bay for the owner. I knew several sellers pretty well and they actually sent me very nice parts to start with. I will even have a few spares from this.

As far as my parts go, I'll just box them up and keep them. Who knows what the supply will be like in 10 years from now?

Having spares helped bail out Dale when he had a rear suspension issue and when his driveshaft went out. It won't cost me anything to have them sit in my garage until needed.

That's how this whole frame project started. First I decided to get these parts and powder coat them, then I saw that my brake fluid was getting a bit dark in color, so I just decided to get all new brake system parts and do it right once and for all. I got 33 years out of these parts, so they owe me nothing.

And Dale, as much as I would love to have you visit and take you all over NE in the TR6, my wife says that you are never allowed in our kitchen, anywhere near our oven, especially if you have a spare part in your hands.

 

[Brosky]

Dale, based on what I saw on yours, I've decided that my powder coat color scheme will be as follows:

Frame - chassis black (clever, huh?)

Suspension parts (arms, plates, etc.) - silver, except springs (black) and shocks blue front-red rear).

Brake components - backing & Mounting plates, calipers red. New aluminum drums are naturally silver

 

[DNK]

Paul- Just buy a Ratco frame. With what seems like an unending supply of money.why not?

 

[Brosky]

I don't really have an unending supply of money. I just saved for these projects over the last 20 years when I never spent a dime or time on the car. I knew that someday I'd have to invest again to keep it nice for as long as I want to want to own it, so now is the time.

The Ratco frame is really a nice way to go though. If my frame were bad, I'd probably consider that, but it's very solid, so this is the route that I'll take.

This will be the end of any major projects for a long time as far as I can see. I have some gauge cleaning and minor stuff to do, but that's all spare time in the summer work.

 

[Tinster]

Hey Paul,

The all metal colors for your powder coat scheme
will look nice. With your very original idea black
frame; give some thought to having your structural
parts A-Arms, steering arm, etc done in metallic copper.

It would blow most car buffs away to see copper structural
components. I would do the seven primary pieces in copper.

Think about it. Better yet, order some copper from Eastwood
and coat one of your spare parts see how you like it.
Maybe an upper wishbone arm so it doesn't mess up your
kitchen oven so bad.

d

 

[tomshobby]

Great project Paul! Is that when you plan on doing the bottom end of your engine too?

 

[Brosky]

No bottom end this year Tom. I'll drive it for a while with the new head on and see how it goes. The compression is pretty good, so I'll just let it alone after this and enjoy driving it for a while.

 

[jackag91]

Here is my two cents about the eastwood/por 15 decision.

I have a piece that was painted with po15. You can tell it is a great quality paint just from the feel of it. But it is pretty shiny.

I just did my gas tank with the eastwood rust encapsalator (matte black) brush on. Again, it looks like a great product, thick strong but it dries pretty quick and it did end up with a lot of brush strokes in the paint.

I did the rear suspension with eastwood's spray rust encapsalator and chassis paint. While it did not go on as think, it still looks like a good quality product and left a great finish, especially after the top coat of the chassis black.

 

[Tinster]

Nice looking rear suspension.

Stupid question- is that a pile of sand under your car?

d

 

[jackag91]

Kitty litter. To clean up the oil I spilled on the floor.

 

[Brosky]

Thanks for the pictures and details about your trials.

I was told that the Eastwood took a very long time to dry, which is why I bought the POR15, just in case, but you said the opposite. Actually, when I heard this and called Eastwood, they pretty much confirmed it. I don't doubt you, because you actually used it and took the time to reply, so I appreciate the feedback.

The people on the sales desk may have never actually used the stuff.

Go figure.....

 

[jackag91]

It was pretty warm today and I was talking more about touch dry not full cure. My comment was more directed at ease of coverage and the final appearance.

I am sure the full cure is going to take a bit longer. I remember the spray taking a while to fully cure. Like a few days.

 

[Brosky]

Thanks Jack, that is what they had told me. I may do a trial in advance, just to see how long it takes each to dry to a hard finish.

 

[Tinster]

Paul,

You know I just completed portions of my frame- front end.

I also can confirm the Eastwood Rust Encap. has a fast
set up time. It also thickens in the can if you do not
cover it. Pour what you need into a smaller container and
close the Eastwood as soon as you can.

It goes on thick and then dries much thinner as the gases
come off.

d

 

[Brosky]

Sorry Dale, I forgot that you did mention you were going to be using that as well.

What did you put on top of it? The guy who welded my exhaust swears by a new Rust-o-Leum product that drys as hard as a rock and is easy to work with. He had a 70 Chevelle in his shop the day he welded my sensor bung in and he was painting the stripped frame with small rollers and it looked great. He swears by it an doesn't use POR 15 for top coat anymore. He still ikes their Rust Encapsulator though.

I nearly forgot about that. I'll stop in there and ask him about it later in the week.

 

[71tr]

I did my frame in POR 15 and topped it with POR's chasis coat black. I'm very pleased with the results.