Aluminum panels

[Hottrodder427]

Can I paint the aluminum panels,will it hold up. And if I just wanted to leave them plain how do I preserve them

[russelljones48]

aluminum needs special prep. ur local auto paint supply should be able to get you data sheets and product. or use Shark Hide from Amazon. Rattle cans generally won't work. read posts on Shark Hide application.

[6t8dart]

Correct, aluminum requires special prep. You can use a special primer, or a pre-treatment. Powder coating is very tough, but expensive. If you clean, sand, and apply a good primer, most paint will stick to the primer and dont really care what is under the primer. Spray paint on aluminum wont stick very long and will peel. Rustoleum makes an aluminum primer I have not tried yet. http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/professional/aluminum-primer-spray

After deliberating many options, I ended up using Sharkhide. Realistically, very little of the under hood aluminum is visible with the body on.

[edwardb]

Like the probably 100+ decisions you have to make during your build, (1) depends, (2) how much do you want to spend? Single stage paint, e.g. spray cans, etc. isn't terribly durable, heat resistant, and underhood chemicals (oil, gas, etc.) are likely to damage it. A dual stage paint (like regular automotive paint) is much better, and many have done that. If you can do it yourself, probably a good choice. Paying to have it done? Powder coating might be cheaper than paint and arguably is more durable. It's been talked about a lot, but getting all the tins done plus some of the other misc pieces (hinges, brackets, etc.) for a complete build is in the $600 - 800 range for powder coating. Sharkhide Metal Protectant seems to be the product of choice for those who want the natural aluminum look but still want some protection. I've read of some others who have had the aluminum anodized, but I don't know anything about that or the cost. Left untreated, the aluminum will turn kind of a grey color and will be hard to keep clean.

[Jeff Kleiner]

If you wish to paint them they should have an etching primer applied first. Two that I've had good results with are U-POL Acid #8 and Dominion Sure Seal "one step self etch" #24009. You'll have to visit your paint jobber to find 'em.

Jeff

[Jacob McCrea]

I've achieved pretty good adhesion by sanding all of the oxide off of the aluminum, then treating it with POR-15's "AP 120" prep liquid, then applying primer & paint. I've also had great results using PPG's Alumiprep and Aldoline (a two-step chemical etching system for bare aluminum). There is an old thread in the 818 forum discussing this at length; I think I saw someone commenting on it within the last week. You can also find some good discussions of proper aluminum prep for paint on boat and airplane boards.

[edwardb]

Realistically, very little of the under hood aluminum is visible with the body on.

Varies depending on the engine and how its dressed. In all cases, the tops of the footboxes and the inner portion of the F panels are pretty visible. But it's not just about under the hood. Lots of sheet metal visible in the wheel wells and underside as well. For some (myself included) those areas are also important. There are no right or wrong answers. It just depends on what you're looking for.

[Hottrodder427]

Thanks guys, I think I'm going with two stage paint. I painted my stepside I think I can handle the panels

[edwardb]

Thanks guys, I think I'm going with two stage paint. I painted my stepside I think I can handle the panels

Cool. Just to be clear. Drill, mock-up, fit/adjust as needed (that's where the cleco's get used), then do your finish and reinstall with rivets. No fun doing the initial work with finished pieces. Couple more hints. Rivet the upper trunk floor before the rear cockpit wall. That's different than the assembly sequence in the manual. If you do the rear cockpit wall first, likely you will find some rivets in the trunk floor you can't reach. Also, as a minimum, leave the outer top and side driver's footbox pieces loose until final body installation. You really want that extra access to the footbox throughout the build. Also the transmission tunnel top as long as possible. Some leave more than that loose, but those are what work for me.

[Hottrodder427]

Thanks Edward b. Thanks a bunch. I'm going with gold I think, I haven't seen that yet