[68ragtop]

Monday, I picked up my frame from the media blast company. It cleaned up very nice except for some noticable pits in the rear, behind the axle area. I used a primer wash, two coats of epoxy primer, & one coat of 60% gloss paint. I personally think it looked the best when the epoxy was dry. Probably a 20-30% gloss. Anyway, now that it is done, I am dissapointed. I think 60% gloss is too much. It shows every little flaw in the frame. Pits, etc. I am thinking about sanding it down to smooth it out, & maybe just one coat of epoxy. I really like the satan look, but I assume its not correct for5 my car.

What did you do with yours?

68ragtop

1968 GTO Convertible
1978 Gold Edition Trans am
1979 10th aniversary T/A
1980 Pace Car Trans am

[68ragtop]

Monday, I picked up my frame from the media blast company. It cleaned up very nice except for some noticable pits in the rear, behind the axle area. I used a primer wash, two coats of epoxy primer, & one coat of 60% gloss paint. I personally think it looked the best when the epoxy was dry. Probably a 20-30% gloss. Anyway, now that it is done, I am dissapointed. I think 60% gloss is too much. It shows every little flaw in the frame. Pits, etc. I am thinking about sanding it down to smooth it out, & maybe just one coat of epoxy. I really like the satan look, but I assume its not correct for5 my car.

What did you do with yours?

68ragtop

1968 GTO Convertible
1978 Gold Edition Trans am
1979 10th aniversary T/A
1980 Pace Car Trans am

[Dennis B]

I stripped to bare frame, then to bare metal, ground down all factory welds, filled or welded all imperfections, primed with polyester primer, shot with base coat clear coat. Turned out pretty nice. You can check it out here www.pontiacfever.freehomepage.com Hope you achieve what your looking for. For the factory look I like the satin finish. I sprayed Rustolium satin black on my Son's frame and it looked great. Depends on what your looking for. Good luck. Dennis

www.pontiacfever.freehomepage.com/images/67_tempest_fair_grounds.jpg

[Jerry H.]

As Dennis said, it all depends on what YOU want. If you are looking for a concours show car, it was not 60% from the factory. The frames were supplied from different vendors, as most came in a satin finish; or as you stated, about 20-30% gloss. Some had practically no gloss at all. But as you have figured out, 60% gloss is too glossy for a factory original car. That being said, If you are going for an ISCA or World of Wheels type of show car, then you want a glossy frame. Or just paint it to please yourself, afterall it is YOUR car.

[68ragtop]

Thanks guys! I think I am going to sand it back down, to smothen out the pits. I think I have enough epoxy & paint on it now to do that. Then I think I will either have the paint I have now brought to about a 20-30% gloss, or just one coat of epoxy primer. My paint sales guy says that PPG's epoxy primer is as good of a seal as paint. Anyone agree on that? Easy to paint now, pretty much impossible once its back together.

here are some pictures

painted frame

close up of frame

68ragtop

1968 GTO Convertible
1978 Gold Edition Trans am
1979 10th aniversary T/A
1980 Pace Car Trans am

[A1Judge]

PPG's Epoxy Primer is great stuff and you can get it in several colors. I used it on my entire body after taking it to bare metal.

For the frame, I blasted it down to bare metal, coated it with POR-15, then topcoated it with POR's Chassis Black. I believe it has just about the correct 20 - 30 % gloss...

Don



restored a 70 Judge at: http://home.rochester.rr.com/dchapman

[Stuart]

I used PPG epoxy primer on the frame of my F**d pickup when I restored it about 5 years ago, no top coats of paint or anything else, and it's held up great. Just the right amount of gloss.

[Pontimaniac]

Don, Do you have to use metal prep after sandblasting and before the POR15 or POR15 directly to the fresh metal? Also, did you brush or spray and how did it turn out?

[68ragtop]

Is anyone interested in posting some pictures of there frames, & describe what they used? My restoration book says my frame should be painted 60% gloss black. I am certain I am not going to do that, Even if it is correct.

68ragtop

1968 GTO Convertible
1978 Gold Edition Trans am
1979 10th aniversary T/A
1980 Pace Car Trans am

[Dennis B]

Obviously I was after a different look from the factory. I used polyester primer after stripping to metal and preping, and a base coat clear coat for the color. Don't have a pic of the full frame.


www.pontiacfever.freehomepage.com/images/67_tempest_fair_grounds.jpg

[A1Judge]

Maniac,

I blasted it thoroughly and used POR-15 directly. It came out so clean after blasting I saw no need for Metal Ready or cleaner.

I brushed the POR-15 on, and trust me, it smoothes out all by itself, no brush marks whatsoever. I used those cheap throw-away Chip brushes you can get at Home Depot, about $1.50 each. I bought a case of them when I did my resto and they came in handy for a whole bunch of stuff.

I then topcoated it with POR's Chasis Black using my spray gun.

Since it was not intended to be a concours resto, I wasn't to concerned about and small pits from the rust, and to some degree they were hidden by the POR anyway.



restored a 70 Judge at: http://home.rochester.rr.com/dchapman

[69GTODUDE3E]

Here is a pic of my firewall and frame after I painted it. Looks good enough for government work.

http://community.webshots.com/user/69gtodude3e

[Montero65]

I don't have pics of my frame but I am curious as to what is actually correct for the frame. I had mine blasted, then I epoxied it, layed on some polyester primer, sanded it smooth, then applied asphalt based black paint from quanta resto products. This is supposedly the OEM finish on the frame and it seems to be between semi-gloss and gloss.

65 Goat in a crapload of pieces

[68ragtop]

Well, I sanded down all the epoxy & paint I applied last week & smoothened it out. Then I coated it with two fresh coats of epoxy primer. I really like the look. I would guess its about a 20% gloss, but I am happy now. Thanks for everyones input, Now on to the rear end housing & control arms!

68ragtop



1968 GTO Convertible
1978 Gold Edition Trans am
1979 10th aniversary T/A
1980 Pace Car Trans am

[ponjohn]

Got a price from a place that is 90 miles away that will blast and 60% powder coat for 550.00........john

[Dennis B]

68, lookin good. I like it.

www.pontiacfever.freehomepage.com/images/67_tempest_fair_grounds.jpg

[61man]

You might want to think about having your A arms, springs, rear end housing and backing plates powder coated, Looks great for a very long time.


http://kurtspontiac.homestead.com/Pre1964Pontiacs.html

['ol Pinion head]

Love DP90 as beginning step.

Wish they'd put the lead back in it though. Still have 13 qts of the real stuff