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galvanized sills for Plus 2 Elan

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TomMull

TomMull

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I've just received new sills from Paul Matty. I had originally planned to have new ones made from scratch here in the US but my fabricator got busy making stainless bits for fancy houses and hammer forming new myself ones didn't seem practical. The new ones were on the shelf at Matty's and on my shelf a few days later. (They are the redesigned sills using a tube section rather than a box section as original which negates the need for a large press brake.)

They are plain steel hot galvanized after fabrication. The stainless ones were not available from the usual sources at least.
At any rate my question is, will there be any benefit to painting the galvanized sills? Aesthetics not considered as they will be hidden. I know that galvanized metal is a bit tricky to paint.
All replies appreciated.
Tom
 
You have to sand them pretty good to make paint stick to galvanized. I always had a problem, but sometimes I lucked out and double cleaned and prepped to paint. SS, just polish. I would like to see what someone else does.
 
LarryK said:
You have to sand them pretty good to make paint stick to galvanized. I always had a problem, but sometimes I lucked out and double cleaned and prepped to paint. SS, just polish. I would like to see what someone else does.
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Sound like sanding would be rowing upstream at best and if you sand off the zinc, you might make matters worse.
I think these sills or similar ones were developed by Spydercars to be done in stainless but for what ever reason no one seems to be doing the stainless ones anymore.Thanks for the reply.
Tom
 
From what I understand, left unpainted the galvanized layer will eventually wear away, leaving the untreated metal behind to rust. It just is going to take longer. Porsche galvanizes their cars but applies paint over the galvanized metal. This site gives some tips on painting over the galvanized coating: https://www.indmetalstrap.com/paint...=You may or may not,type of paint you choose. Also, be careful welding galvanized, it produces harmful fumes.
 
I don't sand to remove, just to scratch to get primer stuck, then paint.
 
Tom said:
They are plain steel hot galvanized after fabrication. The stainless ones were not available from the usual sources at least.
At any rate my question is, will there be any benefit to painting the galvanized sills? Aesthetics not considered as they will be hidden. I know that galvanized metal is a bit tricky to paint.
All replies appreciated.
Click to expand...


Can't imagine the "audience" to be large enough to justify the expense of fabricating stainless sills, even in England. Galvanized ones should last longer than fuel for internal combustion engines will, IMHO. Coating them with POR-15 may be a good solution though, if another outer barrier is what is desired. Personally, I'd consider the galvanizing to be sufficient.
 
DrEntropy said:
Can't imagine the "audience" to be large enough to justify the expense of fabricating stainless sills, even in England. Galvanized ones should last longer than fuel for internal combustion engines will, IMHO. Coating them with POR-15 may be a good solution though, if another outer barrier is what is desired. Personally, I'd consider the galvanizing to be sufficient.[/COLOR]
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While I'm not a particular fan of the POR 15, my thought is that it will offer some protection to the zinc coating.

I've recently discovered that SJSportscars in England is still making stainless sills or at least selling them. Of course I didn't have this information when I ordered my galvy ones. The stainless sills are only about 30% more expensive and the shipping quote on their website (which I think might be subject to revision) is less than $40 while I paid $150. https://www.sjsportscars.com/parts-and-accessories/SJ050B0002.htm
Live and learn, but the galvy sills will be sufficient. The car will spend most of it's remaining life in a comfortable garage and galvanized steel road guardrails last from 30 to 100 years exposed to the elements.
Tom
 
Doubt the galvanizing will be in any 'danger' of degrading any time soon. The POR would just add more weight... not really necessary or desirable!
 
DrEntropy said:
Doubt the galvanizing will be in any 'danger' of degrading any time soon. The POR would just add more weight... not really necessary or desirable!
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ACBC would certainly not approve of that.
Tom
 
:iagree: :lol:
 
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