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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I know this is the Chevelle forum but my question is about general frame restoration.

I am looking for information on restoring a frame for a 1966 Impala 2 door hardtop.

What are the pros/cons and one's experience of the three ways of restoring:
1. acid dipping and e-coating
2. sandblasting and painting
3. sandblasting and powder coating

The frame is a solid southern/dry frame.
The frame is going to be put under my Dad's '66 Impala that he bought new and I will be inheriting in the future.

So I would appreciate any tips or information on a direction.



Thank you.
 

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Jeff,
Welcome to the site. If you have a pit free frame powder coating works well. I Had my sand blasted and then powder coated. I was really happy with the results. I also powder coated my cross member, A arms and rear end and it came out better then new. If the frame has pits powder coating is not the way to go. Here's a link to my frame. http://www.leverfamilysite.com/Ray_Griffins_New_Car_Frame.htm
Ray
 

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I usually have them sandblasted, then fill the pits in, knock off any big hunks of weld slag, then prime and paint them with an activated black urethane single stage paint with flattener in it.
 

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Hi Jeff, I did sandblasting and painted it with POR-15. Cheaper than powdercoating and very durable. You can see pics on the frame section of my website.
 

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I had mine sandblasted and powdercoated. It has pitting in it, and the powdercoating is holding on very nicely. If I were to do it again, I would grind it smooth in pitted areas, get rid of slag and powdercoat. My powdercoater recommended a zinc primer, he says if it were to chip and begin rusting it will effectively hold the rust to only exposed areas (it shouldn't grow underneath)

If I had a facility local, I would have it dipped and e-coated since you are sure to get EVERY part, seam, crevasse with a coating.
 

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Heres this.
Keep your floor, walls, airlines etc. clean and dust free.

Don't have any WD-40 silicone, carwax, carwax rags, or bug spray even in the building.

Don't start up any car, bikes, lawnmowers, or weedeaters in the building.

If you even think something is greasy or doesn't look clean, then use a little
acryliclean but don't soak it just clean it lightly.

I'm not talking wax and grease remover its ppg acryliclean.

Sandblast
36 grit on pock marks and gouges
body filler
re-sand 180 grit on pock mark and gouge area
two good coats of z-chrome sprayable body filler over everything
sand with 180 grit
re-sand with red scotchbrite, works better in tight areas
two coats of epoxy primer
Anyway, that's the way you do it.

Now get a spray gun with a big nozzle, wet the floor down and spray it
with z-chrome sprayable body filler with hardener.
Get a product sheet with it and any thing else you use on the frame, make sure
you do what the product sheet says.

Z-chrome is a sealer and rust-inhibitor part #20215

Let it get good and dry then sand it, use your good judgment on the grade of
sandpaper, but remember the last sanding step will be with red scotchbrite so
when your done you don't want any scratches deeper then the scotchbrite will take
out.

After you sand a while, you will see some bare metal, and when you get done most
of the z-chrome will be on the floor but still quite a bit on the frame.

Now clean up the area and blow the frame off quite a few times, reclean the floor
and walls blow the frame off a couple more times.

You will need a siphonfeed gun to spray it because the hi-vol cup will get in your way.

Now you need to hang the frame up so its about 4' high, that way you can reach
the top and get on your knees to do the under side.

I made special hangers to support it inside the body mount holes so nothing touches
the frame, these jigs are on the website.

You're going to need a really good respirator or supplied air when you spray it
because you'll be in there a long time to get all those side rails and frame pockets.

Get a good strong light you can hold in the other hand so you can see inside
the rails and pockets.

Make sure you take all the safety precautions the paint manuf. says and rent a
professional paint booth or have some body like some of these guys that are on
this site paint it for you.

Okay everything is super clean, wipe that air hose and make sure the painter has a
dust free suit on, wet the floor down again.

I use a binks #7 with a bigger nozzle but whatever works for you.

Spray it with epoxy non sanding primer part# dp90lf-dp402lf from ppg.

After it's dry, like weeks or months down the road if you want to clean it just wipe
it off with a california duster it will even make it shine a little








Rob


 

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I just had my frame dipped over the last couple of days. My frame is boxed so it got everything out of the inside. They washed it in a phosphate bath afterwards and let it dry in the hot sun for 2 days. Then they sandblasted it. The frame is not pitted very much and it came out really nice. It is currently getting powder coated using a 30% gloss black. The strippers did not use an acid bath, just chemical cleaning. I had also removed most of the welding slag before taking it to the powder coaters. The powder coaters are giving it a heat cycle before the first primer coat. Then two coats of black. There was another frame there they just got done with. It looked like Rob Rubadub's frame. :beers: Now the good part....................All I had to do was deliver it. :hurray:
 
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