Powder Coating

[James S.]

What are the thoughts on powder coated parts for judging?

[Domenic T.]

Re: Powder Coating

James,
I don't think many will want to give an opinion as I am SURE it is a deduct because it will out last all of us.
My car is not finished and has never been judged, but I powder coated my frame and every thing else that was black.
I think the only way to get away with it is to invent SPRAY RUST that can be removed after judging. You can spray it on the SS exhaust and every thing else that was supposed to eventually rust away if the car was driven.
I chose it (powder coating) because I wanted to preserve the car for years. The rattle can coatings look good for a year or so but the powder coating holds up to most any thing, brake fluid, chipping, you name it. It even gets inside the openings where spray equipment can't reach.

I hate to admit this part but not only is it durable but it is less expensive than some of the preferred (advertised) methods.
By the time you sand blast and buy the paint, you have spent WAY more TIME & money for a paint coating that will only protect the parts for a fraction of the time that powder coating will.

I'm off to the shop now

DOM

I'm sure this will rattle up a few rattle can experts.

I would take the points deduct and have it still look new 25 or so years from now.

[Chris E.]

Re: Powder Coating

Expect to take some small point hits in judging with powdercoating the chassis bits. I took 2 points for a powdercoated frame, and 1 point each for the driveshaft, half shafts, front springs, and front sway bar. That's a total of 6 points.

Depends on what you want to accomplish with flight judging. If you want a Top Flight, you can afford to lose 270 points and still make it. So if you powdercoat the frame, that is something that is REALLY hard to fix (you'd have to lift the body again). Diff, half shafts, and driveshaft aren't exactly a light afternoon's of work to fix either. So, if you want to powdercoat, the rest of the car will have to be that much better to make Top Flight. Paint and Ops is where I'd focus next. Ops needs to be perfect, and if you're paint is determined to be overrestored, then you lose all 85 points. It doesn't take many Ops failures (at 25 points each) plus a full deduct on paint (85 points) to add up to 270.

Food for thought.

I went ahead and did all that powdercoating because I'm only 37. I'm going to have this car for another 30 years and I didn't want to lift the body again (if I could help it). So I accepted the 6 point loss in those areas. I'm now going after making the rest of the car better. Once example is putting the original, restored fan clutch back on my car for 1 point.

Good luck.

[Terry M.]

Re: Powder Coating

James,
I don't think many will want to give an opinion as I am SURE it is a deduct because it will out last all of us. ....

I chose it (powder coating) because I wanted to preserve the car for years. The rattle can coatings look good for a year or so but the powder coating holds up to most any thing, brake fluid, chipping, you name it. It even gets inside the openings where spray equipment can't reach.

Dom,
The deduction is NOT because it will outlast us (It won't. See below), but because powder coat is not the original finish.

I had the sway bars and battery tray on my daily driver Caprice powder coated. Less than a decade later (and full disclosure 100K miles) the powder coat is flaking off the sway bars and the battery tray. Harder use than your Corvette will get? Sure I suppose so, but powder coat will last a long time in the kind of use most of our Corvettes get. A daily driver? Not so much.

Now you want forever get some stainless steel. The original stainless steel exhaust system on the Caprices are just now failing at 15 years and 220Kmiles. Not quite forever, but close enough for government work.

[Domenic T.]

Re: Powder Coating

Dom,
The deduction is NOT because it will outlast us (It won't. See below), but because powder coat is not the original finish.

I had the sway bars and battery tray on my daily driver Caprice powder coated. Less than a decade later (and full disclosure 100K miles) the powder coat is flaking off the sway bars and the battery tray. Harder use than your Corvette will get? Sure I suppose so, but powder coat will last a long time in the kind of use most of our Corvettes get. A daily driver? Not so much.

Now you want forever get some stainless steel. The original stainless steel exhaust system on the Caprices are just now failing at 15 years and 220Kmiles. Not quite forever, but close enough for government work.

Terry,
I agree, and what was not discussed was the material used in powder coating. Not all the same, there are quality differences in powder coating and Stainless steel.
The 409 stainless may make the mark. The other stainless that is slightly magnetic as you say, only 15 years.


DOM

[Terry M.]

Re: Powder Coating

Perhaps I didn't have a sufficient conversation with the powder coater. I was not aware there were differences in powder quality. I even brought him brand new battery trays.

Yes I know there are different grades of SS. Unfortunately the systems I have were made by Chevrolet and I am stuck with their choice of materials. The good news is that there are enough Caprice and Impala owners who put cat-back systems on their cars and then searched for what to do with their removed systems that I will have enough SS systems to last me my lifetime.

And to keep this Corvette related I have a R & S SS system for the 1970 in storage (not for sale). It had a lifetime guarantee from the manufacturer -- who has been out of business for over a decade. Great guarantee!

[Don H.]

Re: Powder Coating

I had a local guy sand blast & powder coat the trailer hitch on my truck - exposed to the worst conditions, I live in Iowa. After the first winter it had rust and I was NOT impressed. A buddy blasted & painted his and it looks as good or better than mine. I cannot speak to the quality of powder coating (my only experience) but I know he does a fair amount of commercial work. I doubt I ever use it again. Don H.