Hi, i am goin to have my frame sandblasted, and i got an estimate at a shop for $125. and they would paint it for another $125. i was wondering if i should just let them paint it, or if i should do it myself with POR? or which paint would be better? also, at what point should i replace all the bushings? i heard i should replace them before its painted, but i havent done anything like this so i dont know. Thank you.
Brian

Hey man-
POR 15 would be great on that frame- Just make sure you clean it after it's blasted, and maybe use POR's prep stuff. It would be very durable, and you can brush (or foam pad) the stuff on- It'll save you the money of having them paint it. It looks pretty darn good, too. There's some other stuff called MasterSeries. It's pretty much the same deal as POR15. It may be a few bucks cheaper. That's what I'm gonna use on my frame & suspension.

Either way- paint or POR, it'll look great. I just think the POR will be more durable, and a bit cheaper.

As far as the bushings go... I would think that you should paint the frame, then install your bushings. You probably wouldn't want bare metal under your bushings- You are talking about body mount bushings, right?

If all you are taking to the shop is a frame, then there are no bushings. If it is a rolling frame, I would do the bushings after the blasting, but before the paint. The control arms are going to get banged up removing the old bushings.
Gary

It's a rolling frame. the place im getting it sandblasted is 40 miles from here, and theres a lot of snow up here in MN, do i need to worry about the frame rusting if i take it home in bare metal? or should i see if they would put spray some primer, take it home, change the bushings (control arm,ball joints, etc) , then paint it with POR? how long/much POR would it take to paint the frame and suspension parts? Thanks for the replys.
Brian

chevmall,
i would bust the frame down completely.
a bare frame only weighs 120 lbs.
easy enough for two people to handle.
i would be concerned about the blaster getting blasting media into any and all joints, seals, etc.
when you get it home it is very easy to flip it over on sawhorses to get at all sections of the frame.
JMHO

david

plus, they won't be able to blast under the control arms, inside the spring perches and other close areas.
david

I'm not a big fan of POR(Paint Over Rust)15, although it is very durable. Sandblasting should remove the rust. Eastwoods Chassis Black Extreme is very durable. A quart is enough to do just the frame. Buy 2, then you will have enough for the control arms.
I just did mine also. Remove everything, and take only the frame. Bang out the bushings from the control arms, and have them blast those also. Having them prime everything is not a bad idea. Then paint everything, install the bushings, and reassemble.
Gary

hello, so do you guys think i should have them prime it? and then POR over the primer? or should i just have them blast it, and wipe off the bare metal when i get it home? and you think i should bring the frame up in pieces rather then just bring the rolling frame up there? Thanks a lot.
Brian

Brian
Email me direct garysal@yahoo.com

I'd completely strip the frame of all it's parts and press the bushings out before sandblasting them. Since you are going this far, I'd recommend researching the correct finishes/colors for all the parts. It will take a little more time to paint all the parts, but the extra detail will really stand out when people look at your car. Most steering linkages (as well as the steering box)were bare cast iron from the factory, so they will rust. Get some cast iron paint to do them so they look bare cast, but stay looking good for time to come. Caliper brackets are gold dichromate, and the backing plates are silver dichromate. They make paint to duplicate these colors, but getting them re-plated is possible, too. I'd clear coat them after getting them re-plated if you go that route, because these finishes will rust after time if you drive the car in inclimate weather. Good luck!

you've got mail gary

where do i get this paint, and how much is it?