Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

**Irby G.** · January 9, 2009, 02:55 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

BTTT for another try.

**Rob M.** · January 9, 2009, 03:06 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

Originally posted by Irby Gauthier (36953)

I'm FINALLY beginning to restore my vette.
I have a gallon of frame paint (semi gloss I believe). Never have done this before. Could someone tell me...
1.Will my hvlp paint gun be sufficient to do this job?
2. What primer should I use on the frame parts? rattle can?
3.What pressure do I set my compressor to?
4.Do I thin the paint at all and, if so, what with?
5.Is there a paint tip that sprays 360 deg. with an attached hose that I could paint the inside of my frame?
6. I understand that everything on a '63 is painted black. What are the things that I should mask to leave unpainted.
Thanks very much in advance.
Irby

I'll give it a try:
1) I don't know (I've used rattle cans Satin Black Rust-Oleum #2176 Hard Hat (5 cans))
2) I've used rattle can of Rust-Oleum - Hard Hat primer #2182 Hard Hat
3) I don't know, see 1
4) see 1
5) I never seen such a tip, I'll be spraying some sort of wax on the inside using a spray can with flex hose
6) casted iron parts, steering house, and differential should be unpainted or be sprayed in casting color. Axles (drive shaft and half axes) should be unpainted. clutch linkage bracket is zinc color.

greetings,
Rob

**Paul D.** · January 9, 2009, 03:28 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

I would search the archives some on this. Do you have the frame completely disassembled now? I think 63 frames and suspension were almost completely blacked out before body drop. I seem to remember seeing factory photos showing this. If that is the case, to be correct you would restore frame and suspension in correct finishes and then spray the completed chassis with blackout. Please wait for responses from others more knowlegeable on 63s before acting or search the archives.

**Michael L.** · January 9, 2009, 04:39 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

Irby,

I just recently completed the painting of my 69 frame, so I'll try to help.

1) Your HVLP gun will likely be able to do the job, so long as it is a reasonably good unit. More importantly, your compressor needs to be up to the task, and you have to have a filter/water/oil seperator on it to ensure the air is clean enough to use. I used a simple average filter/water trap from sears (aprrox. $60) and a desicator cartridge I got from Loews (approx. $20) These guns use different size nozzles, I would use the larger (usually 1.7 or so) to spray primer and the smaller (usually 1.4 or so) to spray paint.

2) I would suggest spraying the frame with your HVLP gun for both the primer and the paint. I would choose a black primer, either black self etching or a two stage (catalyzed) primer. I used the Transtar 2k epoxy primer for mine. I learned the importance of using a black primer from experience. My frame had been restored once before by someone who painted it with a grey primer. When chips in the paint developed (as is inevitable) the grey primer contrasts with the black paint and is very obvious.

3) Your gun will usually list a suggested setting, but usually around 20psi is good for these guns. You can also go to your local auto body supply shop (not your local Autozone or other parts store) to ask them for some guidance.

4) The label on the paint should say if it needs to be thinned. If you are attempting to do an NCRS style resto, then I suggest you look into getting the proper paint from somebody like Quanta, a company that specializes in restoration products for corvettes. They will likely be able to tell you what is appropriate for your year and you can confirm it with guys here on the web site. Since the parts for these cars were all manufactured in different areas and then assembled together, the chassis components all tend to have slightly different styles of black. For my 69 I used the Quanta medium black for the frame and Quanta semi-gloss for the A-arms. BTW, the medium black did not need to be thinned.

5) I do not now of a paint tip that sprays 360 degrees. I do, however, know that Eastwood makes a kit for spraing undercoating into your frame rails that should do exactly what your are trying to do. I have not decided what to do with that myself, but I'm leaning on not spraying anything in there. Since it is not visible, there is no real issue for judging, unless it is done sloppily.

6) I don't have any specific info on a 63, but would direct you to the archives. When you post, you will notice the web site pulls five articles from the archives that match your topic and lists them at the bottom of the page. I glanced at one of them, which seems like a tour de force of how to restore a 63 frame/chassis.

One final note: My own personal bias is that you lift the body off of the chassis in order to do this. I have my chassis on a rotisserie and the body on a seperate rotisserie. This has made the job much easier. While a rotisserie may not be essential, I can't imagine doing this on my back with the car on jacks.

Hope this helps,
Mike

**Chuck G.** · January 9, 2009, 04:47 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

To echo an item Mike Leonard mentioned, instead of trying to spray paint the inside of the frame, I've used rust proofing.

A friend of mine has the entire rustproofing system with all the wands, etc. and he's done all my cars for me.

Having the entire system with the flexible wands, etc. makes it easy to shoot inside the frame rails, etc. I would guess that any rustproofing biz could provide this service.

And now, I'll throw you a "curve ball".

Have you considered having everything powdercoated? I know it's not 100% NCRS "correct", but powder coating provides an excellent durable finish, and it's available in any shade/flat-ness of black.

Chuck

**Paul J.** · January 9, 2009, 05:32 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

Irby:

Mike's answer is excellent. With respect to Item 6, look in the archives for the "Black Goo" discussion.

Paul

**Irby G.** · January 9, 2009, 07:44 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

Many thanks to all of you. These are the answers I was looking for. BTW, I'd never noticed that it pulls up and lists similar threads at the bottom of the page. Isn't technology great!!!

**Timothy B.** · January 10, 2009, 06:17 AM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

Irby, Pictures show factory procedure for 63-64 cars. You don't have to be particular to dupiclate this if it's what you after.

Attached Files

**Joe R.** · January 10, 2009, 11:32 AM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

Those two shots are very interesting. There are runs on the front sway bar and runs on the half shafts.

And this frame has NOT been to blackout YET!

Looks like the supplier of these parts did one sorry job painting them or too lazy to roll them over.

Comments on this anyone?

JR

**Sam K.** · January 10, 2009, 12:36 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

I'm with Chuck, I'd recommend powercoating the Frame... must be sandblasted & clean first. It's a nice finish in any colour you like.

**Michael H.** · January 10, 2009, 12:41 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

Originally posted by Joe Ray (1011)

Those two shots are very interesting. There are runs on the front sway bar and runs on the half shafts.

And this frame has NOT been to blackout YET!

Looks like the supplier of these parts did one sorry job painting them or too lazy to roll them over.

Comments on this anyone?

JR

Yup, the rear drive was painted in the basement way before it was hauled up to the main floor. That included the near complete differential half shafts, control arms, backing plates, drums and most other misc attached parts.
It didn't include the rear spring or the crossmember.

The entire front knuckle/brake assembly arrived on the assembly line already painted also.

These pictures are actually pilot line shots so some things may have been slightly different than in actual production but they give you a good idea of what they looked like when new.

**Irby G.** · January 11, 2009, 03:04 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

Were the brake/ fule lines painted black also? The rear spring looks black in the picture. Was it grey?

**Timothy B.** · January 11, 2009, 03:31 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

Looks black to me also, it would make sence to assemble everything then paint. I am courious if the four spring bolts were torqued after the car had weight to compress the spring to ride height.

How did the factory do this without damaging the rear cover?

**Jeff A.** · January 11, 2009, 05:09 PM

Re: Painting '63 Frame and Frame Parts...

Depending on what services are available in your area, you may want to consider having the frame acid dipped prior to painting or powder coating. That'll get rid of most of the crusty stuff inside the frame rails. After having mine acid dipped, sandblasted and powder coated, I treated the inside of the rails with an Eastwood rust preventive product, applied with their wand. If a rust problem develops, it'll likely be my kids' problem.

Good luck!
Jeff