63 frame e-coat

[Michael G.]

I'm replacing the rusty frame on my black 63. I purchased a brand new one, now I'm looking to have it painted. I want to get complete paint coverage on the interior surfaces because these things rust from the inside out. Powder-coating is nice on the outside but does not cover the inside, so it's out. I am also not going to try to paint the inside of this thing myself, because I know I'll miss some areas with the spray-wand. I don't think anything but an electro dip is going to do an adequate job on the interior surfaces.

So, I've settled on e-coating, but I'm having trouble finding anyone who has a tank to do something this big who works on one-off type jobs. If anyone knows of a source for e-coat please let me know here or in a PM

Thanks,

[Jimmy G.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

Try the guys who do rust proofing (ZEBART) and ask them to use paint instead of their solution. They have all kinds of flexible wands that can cover the inside quite adequately

In reality you probably dont need to go to this level

[Steve G.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

It probably is overkill, but if you are wanting to do an immersed coating you might want to approach it from a different prospective. Who has a tank big enough and what do they have in it? Pretty much any kind of primer or paint is going to be more than adequate. Paint the visible side with a compatible paint with the sheen that you want.

The Redi-Strip operations offer an immersion painting. They have several locations in Canada and the US.

When I was in Winnipeg the nearest Redi-strip was in Minneapolis. I found a place in Wpg that galvanized street lamp standards. They had tanks large enough for the body (no, not a corvette) and had a multi dip process of caustic soda, acid dip and hot dip galvanize. I opted only for the caustic bath and acid dip, but I could have had the body galvanized. Galvanize then paint the visible would prep your frame to outlast the rest of the car. And it's cheap.
Steve

[Jake D.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

I think Eastwood has a inside the frame zinc coating in spray cans with a tip that sprays in a circle. The hose they give you will reach all the spots inside your frame. I've used it on our boat trailer. That trailer is going on 15 years, and not a speck of rust---inside or out.

[Michael G.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

While it may seem that I'm going overboard here, today you don't have to accept corrosion as an inevitability (well, not within our lifetimes). You really can completely eliminate long-term corrosion on most items if you coat them with today's best available finishes. And, you can get them to look like they are supposed to for judging (although this car will never be judged). I'm just trying to get my frame to last as long as the fasteners and small brackets and things that will have latest and greatest corrosion-proof finishes.

In regard to the frame, its probably just as important to clean the inside surfaces before paint, as to paint them correctly. A good cleaning really can't be done thoroughly without a caustic bath. From their web site, it seems that Redi-Strip can do the cleaning, but they don't mention painting. I'll give them a call regarding painting the inside.

Painting it myself with a wand is the least desirable corrosion-wise and certainly most messy method, so I hope I find another way.

[Terry M.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

FWIW: I had the frame of my 1967 Chevelle hot dip galvanized and I am confident it will last longer than me and the next owner. Unfortunately the end finish is in no way TFP. Care must be taken to use proper finishes over the zinc, and to some extent that limits the appearance of the end result. I am not aware of any way to "fool" a chassis judge with the hot dip galvanized coat under the finish. I made up my mind that Chevelle would never be judged in any venue that expected TFP and I moved on from there. There are many other reasons it is not TFP, so the frame was just another brick in the wall.
The place where mine was dipped also dips electrical transmission towers, so my frame was a minimum job for them. I think they could have dipped a dozen frames all at once.

[Timothy B.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

I'm replacing the rusty frame on my black 63. I purchased a brand new one, now I'm looking to have it painted. I want to get complete paint coverage on the interior surfaces because these things rust from the inside out. Powder-coating is nice on the outside but does not cover the inside, so it's out. I am also not going to try to paint the inside of this thing myself, because I know I'll miss some areas with the spray-wand. I don't think anything but an electro dip is going to do an adequate job on the interior surfaces.

So, I've settled on e-coating, but I'm having trouble finding anyone who has a tank to do something this big who works on one-off type jobs. If anyone knows of a source for e-coat please let me know here or in a PM

Thanks,

Michael, Did you use Vette Products of Michigan for the frame.

[Michael G.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

Tim, yes I did get the frame from Vette Products. I haven't done any assembly or dimensional checking yet, but it looks good so far. They have a bit of a backlog, though: I ordered it in November and just got it. Not a big delay, if you plan for it.

Terry, I have a local guy for hot-dip galvanized and am considering that route, as the car will not be judged...They have huge, huge tank (electrical towers would not be out of the question).. The guy there tells me I just need to make sure they know its going to be painted later and they will eliminate the "quenching" step, so the paint will stick. Whatever "quenching' means in this context, I don't have a clue...in any case, its nice to know you've had good results.

Thanks,

[Steven S.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

Not sure where you are located, but you can try a company called Metokote located in Lima Ohio. They have several locations and do contract e-coating and powder coating.

[Michael G.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

Lima's not that far, I'll get with them. Thanks

[John H.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

Mike -

There was an outfit in Romulus, Michigan that did E-Coating of bodies and frames; they did both of my 57's frames and my Grand Sport tube frame back in the early 90's; don't recall their name or if they're still in business.

[Tom B.]

Re: 63 frame e-coat

Terry....I would be interested in talking to you about the 67 Chevelle frame. Thx Tom