Powdercoating

dennis d

dennis d

120cc
My daughters hood on her car is in bad shape,paint wise.I don't want to paint it and thought about having it p/c.What do you guys think ? I'm thinking PC would be pretty cheap and should look decent.This is no Cadillac, just her mode of transportation while in school.I think it's a 2000 Chevy Cavalier.
Any opinions appreciated.

Dennis
 
greenmachine

greenmachine

Member
this process is cheap
Roller Method - Car Painting

read this on powder coating its from motor city mini's site
Powder coating is one of the toughest finishes available. When properly applied, it offers a nearly chemical-proof, permanent finish. This system has it's own limitations. That very permanence becomes a liability should it ever become damaged or you change your mind. Powder coat is very dificult to remove and on some items cannot be removed, since it must be sanded or burned off. Burning will warp sheetmetal. On a CT70 frame it's a liability as it can never be removed. A dent or a chip will be permanent. Powder coated surfaces can look great on smaller items but, it's not as smooth as paint and cannot be color sanded & buffed. Bodywork is extremely limited as most fillers, including lead, cannot withstand the 400F curing temperature. Headlight shells are plastic and will melt, thus these cannot be powder coated. Any of the smaller, removeable, easily replaceable parts (seat pan, fenders, wheels, hubs, footpegs, tank bracket, kickstart arm, shift lever) are good candidates for powder coat. Wheel hubs must be carefully masked prior to spraying the powder. On larger pieces such as CT70 frames, fenders, or conventional motorcyle tanks, Neither paint nor powdercoat will achieve complete flow-out. The resulting finish will have orange peel and most examples we've seen have been on the dull side. We've seen collector bikes ruined when powdercoat was used to replace the original painted finish on major body parts. Paint can be colorsanded & buffed to perfection, powdercoat cannot. Place two large items, one painted, the powdercoated and there's no comparison. Powdercoat is quick, less expensive and durable, yet no serious bike or car builder or restorer uses it to replqce paint except on small, usually mechanical, parts. No OEMs do either. The reason is simple, it's impractical for sheetmetal parts and the look isn't up-to-snuff. We strongly advise against powder coating any of the painted frame-related pieces including the frame itself, swingarm, chainguard, shock covers and fork parts
 
6

69ST

Well-Known Member
You're being overly harsh with yourself, Dennis. It was a logical question. The OEMs would probably do it if practical; instead, they're moving toward water-borne paints.

If you're just looking to make a car hood more presentable, I'd reckon that $30 worth of Duplicolor rattlecans and some elbow grease should do the job. The "secret" is in the prep. Get the base surface properly sanded & completely cleaned and the paint should adhere. Don't be stingy with the clearcoat and a week later the new surface can be colorsanded and polished. Heck, your repainted hood may make the rest of the car look shabby by comparison.
 
dennis d

dennis d

120cc
racerx said:
You're being overly harsh with yourself, Dennis. It was a logical question. The OEMs would probably do it if practical; instead, they're moving toward water-borne paints.

If you're just looking to make a car hood more presentable, I'd reckon that $30 worth of Duplicolor rattlecans and some elbow grease should do the job. The "secret" is in the prep. Get the base surface properly sanded & completely cleaned and the paint should adhere. Don't be stingy with the clearcoat and a week later the new surface can be colorsanded and polished. Heck, your repainted hood may make the rest of the car look shabby by comparison.
Click to expand...

Yep,rattlecan was my next option.I think it would definetly be an improvement to what she has now.The rest of the car is decent,it's just the sun baked hood.
Thanks guys !
 
barry3308

barry3308

Member
You should be able to find a shade-tree / back yard body guy that would paint and clear a hood pretty cheap. Business is slow most places - everything is negotiable. Maybe even your local tech school - let the students practice on it!
 
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