What to powder coat in first batch

[JohnK]

I've FINALLY finished tweaking and cleaning up the frame, and test-fitting control arms etc. and I'm ready to send it off for powder coat. In addition, I've rounded up a bunch of parts that I'll be powder coating in this first batch along with the chassis. I want to make sure I'm not missing anything obvious that I could/should PC now. It's not the end of the world if I miss something, as I can send it out with the sheet metal batch, but it would be nice to get a good chunk of the stuff done now. Here's what I've rounded up so far:

- Metco driveshaft safety loop
- transmission brace (it's already PC'ed black, but I'm going to have it recoated to match the rest of the frame)
- sway bar mounts
- door hinges
- pedal box brackets
- trunk hinges
- front body/light brackets
- Breeze battery box
- Breeze lower radiator mount rod
- hood hinge parts
- Door latch doodads (I think that's the technical term)

I still need to go through and ease all the edges and deburr them. Is there anything else obvious that I should throw into this first batch of parts?

Thanks,
John



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[Sdonnel]

I sent the sheet metal out with the chassis. It made it easier on the shop as they only had to do one set up. I have a second batch of things to coat as well, but the list is significantly smaller the second time around. With all the panels back at the same time as the frame, I was able to start fitting things back together before the riveting started.

Scott

[michael everson]

I don't see the brackets that go from the trunk hinge to the lid. Also looks like you have the optional trunk lift support. You don't need to coat both sets of hinge arms. Take the ones in the top picture out.

Ebrake handle parts. 4 pieces I think.
Mike

[JohnK]

Thanks, Scott. I'm going to fit/drill/cleco all the sheet metal to the chassis after I get the chassis back from PC, and then coat all the sheet metal. So, I'm not quite ready to send all the panels out right now.

Mike - good catches! The trunk brackets are probably still attached to the trunk lid. Need to go retrieve those. Thanks for saving me from PC'ing the other set of trunk hinge arms I don't need. No e-brake for me. I'm planning to use an E-Stopp electric e-brake so I've already cut the e-brake bracket off the chassis (no going back now!)

[Driver_WT]

I bought the powder coat kit from Eastwood and put an old electric range in to "cook" the powder coated parts. I used this for all of the small parts (whatever would fit in the oven of a 30" range). Saved lots of trips to the Powder Coater and saved some money too.

[Joecobr]

I sandblasted my chassis. I assume you are doing the same. Be sure to block off the chassis number near the steering wheel before sandblasting.

[michael everson]

And tape off the roll bar stumps.
Mike

[JohnK]

Thanks. Yes, the shop will be sandblasting everything to bare metal, then zinc priming and powder coating everything. Is blue painters tape OK for taping off the chassis number and the roll bar stumps or do I need something heavier like gorilla tape?

[michael everson]

Have the coater tape them off. He will know what to use. Make sure they don't blast the serial number area.
mike

[JohnK]

Thanks again Mike. I just dropped it off this morning. I taped everything off with blue painters tape, mostly to show them what I don't want blasted and coated. They understood and will do whatever they need to do from there. Everyone in the shop, including the owner, were pretty excited to be working on it. It's a bit of a change of pace for them from the usual industrial stuff they normally work on, so everyone in the shop was pretty curious about it. They said they'd take pictures throughout the process for me and send them over.

[Mark Reynolds]

No need to powder-coat the Breeze battery tray or hold downs since they are 304 stainless steel.

[rich grsc]

I would've had all the panels fitted and drilled before powder coat, that way no risk of messing up the PC. Guess too late now.

[JohnK]

I went back and forth on drilling sheet metal before or after PC, and even posted a question about that on a separate thread here. There were definitely good opinions and pro's/con's for doing it both ways. In the end I decided to drill the sheetmetal after PC'ing the chassis, as I would have had to clean out PC from all the drilled holes in the chassis. Messing up the PC is definitely a concern (especially with my son in the mix) but I'll mask things off as much as possible and centerpunch all the holes before drilling (and hope for the best).

[Driver_WT]

No need to powder-coat the Breeze battery tray or hold downs since they are 304 stainless steel.

I powder coated mine just to make everything black. :)

[JohnK]

I powder coated mine just to make everything black. :)

Same - I want the battery tray to match the rest of the powder coat on the chassis. it does look like very nice stainless steel though, so I could see leaving it bare.

[SSNK4US]

Thanks. Yes, the shop will be sandblasting everything to bare metal, then zinc priming and powder coating everything. Is blue painters tape OK for taping off the chassis number and the roll bar stumps or do I need something heavier like gorilla tape?

Just FYI. There is special high temp masking tape for powder coating. Also silicone plugs to protect threads in holes etc. Blue painters tape would be ok to show what you want masked, but they would (hopefully) peel off and replace with the proper high temp tape. Regular masking tape can’t withstand the 400* needed to cure the powder in an oven.

Kurt

[SSNK4US]

No need to powder-coat the Breeze battery tray or hold downs since they are 304 stainless steel.


Thinking about polishing ours when we get it Mark. Any feedback on that?

Kurt