Going Backward to Powder Coat Panels

[jbow03]

Call me crazy, but I'm considering removing the panels in place to strip the Rustoleum and getting them powder coated. When I was starting I thought the finish I was getting from the can was "good enough" but now that I'm assembling things the paint is chipping like crazy and it's going to drive me nuts.

Problem- about half the panels have been painted with the rattle-can Rustoleum Hammered Black and I need to get it off. Any thoughts or recommendations? Stripper? Sand? Find someone to blast?

(don't mind the rust on the Houston rotors)

200593

[phileas_fogg]

If those panels are siliconed in place, I suspect you'll ruin them getting them off. The bad news is you'll need new panels. The good news is you don't have to bother stripping paint!

And I get why you'd want to go through the trouble. You're building your dream car, and don't want to settle. If your heart is set on powder coat, or you just can't stand the qualify of finish you're getting from paint, now is the time to make the change.

One other thought: Is the paint chipping due to an incomplete preparation process? I used PreKote from Aircraft Spruce (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/prekotesurface.php?clickkey=7243) before painting my panels with Rustoleum Hammer Tone Silver. I roughed up the surfaces to be painted with 80 grit sandpaper, then wiped them down with acetone. Next, I scrubbed the to be painted surfaces with PreKote according to the application instructions, rinsed the panels thoroughly with water from the hose, and let them air dry. Then I sprayed them with two coats of the Rustoleum. Ten years later, the paint would look great if I cleaned it!


John

[jbow03]

I was hoping to be able to separate the panels carefully with a putty knife or similar to spare them... we'll see!

I followed a similar sanding & wipe down with solvent. Never heard of the PreKote product but it definitely looks like the route to go based on the website info!

[Tooth]

If you want to do it, then do it. When I've re-done parts of my build I just think of it as another project, and I like projects. I've changed, or re-done ALLOT. Starting to not like projects. :cool:

[cv2065]

If you are having someone powder coat them, don't worry about stripping the coating. They will do that for you. Many have large vats that the pieces get dipped and the coating literally falls off. There really is no substitute for PC durability.

[Jeff Kleiner]

I've had to tear apart cars that had the panels siliconed. If you can get the blade of a snap blade knife in the crack and pull it through they come off without damage. As was said the paint removal can be handled by the coater (you'll pay for it but be happy that you don't have to do it!).

Jeff

[jbow03]

Good points Tooth, CV and Jeff.

Heaven only knows how many times I've put together the front and rears suspension on this thing! Why not get the panels the way I want them!?

[dbo_texas]

I went through something similar on my build. Previous builder coated a bunch of the engine bay panels in POR-15, and they were chipping/flaking like crazy most likely due to oils/residue prior to painting, and had huge runs on them....overall not what I wanted. Only a few of mine had been silicone/riveted and I was able to get them off without damage - I used a blade like Jeff describe above. I did strip a couple of the panels using aircraft paint stripper. It worked like a charm but was quite a bit of work. In the end, my powder coater told me he preferred to strip them because he had to prep them for powder coating anyways. He was able to remove the POR-15 and the leftover silicone, then powdercoat everything. I'm so happy I did it - that POR-15 coating was giving me nightmares. So all this to say, it can be done.

[ggunter]

I have removed siliconed panels with a fine guitar string. ( just a few bucks on amazon) Push it through on one end of the panel where it starts, wrap the string around a short piece of wood dowel for handles and pull it through the silicone. Works like a hot knife through butter. Of course, remove the rivets first.

[Mike.Bray]

My company once bought a company that had a division that made cheese cutting machines. They used wires to do the cutting (see how I didn't say cut the cheese?) I could see where a fine wire would cut through the silicone with ease, good idea!

[CaptB]

What he said!