Powder coating a bare nova shell

[rich a]

I had the idea put to me by the guy who's painting the car. As the car is a bare shell he suggested it as an alternative to priming it. The idea being that it is more hard wearing and will reach in to places where a spray gun won't eg chassis legs, front cross member

so let's hear your thoughts good or bad and opinions

Rich

[Iain]

The whole shell? Then what paint over the powdercoat?

I dislike the idea, although I'm sure Colin Smith was talking about powdercoating the underside of his track shell.

[meritlover]

if you can find a car sized oven that would go up to 230DegC then i guess it would be an alternative to spraying, but dont underestimate just how difficult it will be to get all the surfaces prep'd and cleaned well enough to give a uniform finish.

[rich a]

The guy painting it has a oven big enough so that's not a problem. I see what your saying about getting the surface prep right. The idea being once it's powder coated it would then be gone over in hi build to then dry sand

Iain might have a good point maybe to just do the underside, say up to the sills, up inside all the arches, front panel an up to the rear panel. Basically any where it won't be on show ?

[Andy]

What is the point in this?
As in why powder and not paint?
It will be just as hard to get into areas with a powder gun as it would a spraygun so it doesnt improve access.

[meritlover]

The guy painting it has a oven big enough so that's not a problem. I see what your saying about getting the surface prep right. The idea being once it's powder coated it would then be gone over in hi build to then dry sand

Iain might have a good point maybe to just do the underside, say up to the sills, up inside all the arches, front panel an up to the rear panel. Basically any where it won't be on show ?

he has a spraying oven that goes up to 230deg O_O

[rich a]

What is the point in this?
As in why powder and not paint?
It will be just as hard to get into areas with a powder gun as it would a spraygun so it doesnt improve access.

Andy i think certainly on the underside it's more hard wearing than paint.
Also I gave him my new front cross member to coat and the powder has got every bit of it inside an outside. So things like that an chassis legs will benefit from a protection it wouldn't have with paint.

As I said it's just question to see people's thoughts

[rich a]

he has a spraying oven that goes up to 230deg O_O

No he has a powder coat oven big enough for the shell

[Plug]

if he's got all the gear to do it why not? May as well if he's got all the gear to do it, just choose a colour you like and don't bother painting over it.

every last piece of seam sealer will need to be removed if powder coating thou, then reapplied

[Iain]

It's bare metal under the powdercoat isn't it? So if that flakes there's no protection at all?

Just because he's able doesn't mean it's a good idea, if it turns out to flake or not withstand stonechips or affect a painted finish you're in for a full bare shell rebuild again...

[rich a]

It's bare metal under the powdercoat isn't it? So if that flakes there's no protection at all?

Just because he's able doesn't mean it's a good idea, if it turns out to flake or not withstand stonechips or affect a painted finish you're in for a full bare shell rebuild again...

At the moment the shell is in etch primer to stop it rusting so it has got that underneath. As for flaking I think it unlikely but who knows.as for affecting the paint he powder coated my alloys an then 2k painted them the colour I wanted with no problems

[turbojolt]

Iirc the space frame on some tvrs is powder coated and it's common for it to flake off and rust to kick in

[Mike]

lol lol lol