Frame Restoration - Powder Coat or Paint

[Spf79]

Personal experience, and I dont have a lot... I like powder coat for the show queen/ice cream getter/weekend toy. It just has a different look to it that makes it look like high end finish work. I'm not a big fan of cutting and buffing a frame that had been painted. I always end up with over spray.

If I am driving it and using it as the vehicle was intended... I like paint, you will get chips and it is easier to touch up to prevent rust. Although I did notice that rustoleum satin black does match the semi gloss black powder coat pretty well. The powder coat will crack around the crossmember rivets from frame flex... and it will scratch really good if you drop the motor/tranny on it, by accident of course. The cherry picker jack was a bit more touchy than I remembered.

Once you do the proper prep, chemical/sand blast, and then spend the time painting it correctly... I think you might be the same dollar wise. Depends what your time is worth, you may have more money into a painted frame.