Powder coat or POR15???

[danw210]

I am about to start my 69 k20 resto and wanted some opinions on doing the frame. I have what I think is a great price of $500 to blast and powder coat the entire frame. I have also been told that POR15 is the way to go since it is virtually bullet proof. What should I do?

[terry b]

Will your truck work for a living? If it is just for fun i think i would do the powder coat.

[BuiltwithIvy]

Go with the POR15, if it ever cracks or chips, you can easily touch it up, with powdercoat you cannot do that. Really any paint with some time spent can look amazing

[stomper]

I had my frame and suspension blasted and powder coated. I can't compare as I have never done POR15 but I wasn't all that impressed with the durability. To most people it sounds impressive tho. It was however TOTALLY worth it to have it blasted and in any case finished.

[danw210]

Thanks guys!

[LakeAnna]

Originally Posted by BuiltwithIvy

Go with the POR15, if it ever cracks or chips, you can easily touch it up, with powdercoat you cannot do that. Really any paint with some time spent can look amazing

I used SEM rust shield on mine (2 or 3 coats sprayed) and the finish is great. It's been sitting for a few weeks now and the coating is rock hard. It's an option that's less expensive compared to the Por 15. Blasting it will give you a great start regardless of what you decide.

[special-K]

Powder coat is over rated. I'd only use it on a show truck frame. I've been having parts powder coated since the '80s and have a broad experience with it to base my opinion on. It's not the ultimate end to all coatings some may think it is. It's tough but not invincible. It's best used where you can see it because flaws occur and when they do it can be too late before you realize it. It will hold moisture like nothing else and remain while the metal beneath is eaten away.
The best coating for undercarriage from my experience to date is www.masterseriescoatings.com . Their products pick up on quality where Por-15 leaves off.

[Achevytruck]

Not trying to high jack this post but i was woundering about them myself

[67cheby]

just did some reading on the Master Series coating, WOW it sound like some unbelieavalbe stuff, might have to try that , thanks for the link

[leddzepp]

Been using por exclusively for 20 years, zero complaints.
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[67cheby]

i have por 15 on my frame now , but i have reworked 1/2 my frame so now i am going to redo it and i was always worried about the UV part on the POR 15

[danw210]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I will deffinately look into this stuff, sounds awesome

Originally Posted by special-K

Powder coat is over rated. I'd only use it on a show truck frame. I've been having parts powder coated since the '80s and have a broad experience with it to base my opinion on. It's not the ultimate end to all coatings some may think it is. It's tough but not invincible. It's best used where you can see it because flaws occur and when they do it can be too late before you realize it. It will hold moisture like nothing else and remain while the metal beneath is eaten away.
The best coating for undercarriage from my experience to date is www.masterseriescoatings.com . Their products pick up on quality where Por-15 leaves off.

[treveiger]

I'll be using zero rust paint. The people at autobodyspecialists swear by it.
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[danw210]

I didn't realize all the alternatives to POR15. I thought it was a revolutionary product. Now I have some research to do. Thank God for Google.

[fastwillie 696969]

for 500 bucks getting a blast and powdercoating ,i would be all over that deal
im looking into this product
http://www.xiom-corp.com/en/video-clips.html

[red71cheyenne]

I sandblasted the frame on the 71 when I did the frame off in 2000. Recoated it in all POR15. It is coming off in chunks and there is more rust than POR now. I'll be going with powdercoating next time.

[trkfrk]

Powder coating is very durable. Its just like any product. Its all in the prep work. If applied correctly you can take a sledge hammer to a piece of sample metal and distort the metal and the PC should not flake or peal. I would also suggest using a textured PC. I used "Hammer Gray". It hides the factory imperfections and the assembly scuffs unlike a smooth gloss finish.

[danw210]

Just asking Red71, did you etch the bare metal before applying POR15?

Originally Posted by red71cheyenne

I sandblasted the frame on the 71 when I did the frame off in 2000. Recoated it in all POR15. It is coming off in chunks and there is more rust than POR now. I'll be going with powdercoating next time.

[danw210]

trkfrk - That looks saweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

[Achevytruck]

Has any one ever used black engine paint on any thing for the truck

[brans72]

I would blast or dip then use a good paint meant for frames. I had a frame powdered coted before and it's over rated will do paint next time.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by special-K

Powder coat is over rated. I'd only use it on a show truck frame. I've been having parts powder coated since the '80s and have a broad experience with it to base my opinion on. It's not the ultimate end to all coatings some may think it is. It's tough but not invincible. It's best used where you can see it because flaws occur and when they do it can be too late before you realize it. It will hold moisture like nothing else and remain while the metal beneath is eaten away.
The best coating for undercarriage from my experience to date is www.masterseriescoatings.com . Their products pick up on quality where Por-15 leaves off.

Great info Thanks

[leddzepp]

POR will come right off if the surface is not prepped properly. I have parts that still look brand new after YEARS of use.

[special-K]

If you hit a piece of steel that is powder coated hard enough to bend the steel the powder coat will crack. It's a hard shell. It will wear off of edges and will chip. The companies I've used for 30 or more years are both top notch and do it as good as anyone.ISPA does Naval,NASA,as well as other military,government,and production contracts and have been in the industrial coating business since 1959. I get my tiny little jobs done as "back door" jobs. The other is Maryland Industrial Coaters/Metal Refinishing Systems who have been doing coatings since the early '80s. They also do major automotive production work as well as electric lighting,and you name it. They do it all,anodizing,iriditing,all sorts of platings and coatings and they do it right. Powder coat is great but for a vehicle frame I would draw the line at show vehicles or very low use. That's me. I've seen what happens to it with wear and tear and it's not the end-all. There are so many great alternatives that a person can apply themselves either to complete pieces or a little here and there or touch up after any work or damage occurs.

[danw210]

Thanks Special K! I think I'm going the "Mastercoatings" route. My truck will not be a trailer queen nor a hard working truck but something in between. One thing for sure is that I want it to last and look pretty nice too. Now it's off to the garage to actually DO something productive.