Finally some progress again on the tub buggy. Finished the rear cage and mounts for the pedals, dry sump tank, computer etc... Its headed out today to be blasted and powder coated. Maybe I can finally start assembling this thing for the final time! Body is finally finished as well, This started life a a berrian nostalgia body and chassis. Modified it for longer travel rear suspension, cage, lowered the rear seats, moved the starter and set it up for my 5 rib bus and 66x102 type 4. should be a riot someday when its finished.
I powder coated an entire rail chassis back in the mid 80s, still looks great. Repair is an issue if you damage it but most things are. I have two customers that do powdercoat work and they made me a pretty good deal on it. just need to decide on the color and if I want to go with the textured (Hammered) look or not. Hope to have it to them next week.
Hot Wheels wrote:I powder coated an entire rail chassis back in the mid 80s, still looks great. Repair is an issue if you damage it but most things are. I have two customers that do powdercoat work and they made me a pretty good deal on it. just need to decide on the color and if I want to go with the textured (Hammered) look or not. Hope to have it to them next week.
Having a connection is a good key for this.
If you're looking for votes.. hammer tone is "busier" for damage.
I've found that powder coating lends itself to repair with ordinary spray equipment and conventional paint.
The content of powder is basically the same as paint: polyurethane, acrylic, epoxy, polyester, epoxy/polyester hybrid, and so on. The only thing that distinguishes powder coating from conventional paint is the application method. Whereas wet paint polymerizes by a chemical reaction, powder polymerizes when heated.
When you have anything powder coated, ask the coater what the material content of the powder is so you can buy paint that will work properly with it should you need to repair it. If you need to repair a damaged area, you can treat cured powder as any other painted surface.
There are finishes that don't lend themselves to repair, but it's an aesthetic thing more than function. The really crazy flakes, pearls, and marble finishes are difficult--if not impossible--to replicate with conventional paint. The repairs will be functional, but they probably won't look the same.
I had to have a frame spotted in for a former employer. Without even doing so much as removing anything from the chassis, we had the $399 production paint shop next door to our offices repair the damaged powder coated section. Even though it was an older coating job, you couldn't even spot the repair once they color sanded everything.
I say go powder just for the simple fact that shooting tubing is one step short of torture. Let them deal with it--good money spent.
I worked on the paint line back in High school, used to run complete buggy frames, bumpers fenders etc. through on second shift. We also had touch up paint in cans right on the line for mistakes, missed spots and the like. You could do touch up with that and never see the problems. sometimes a little sanding but not a big deal.
Cost? who knows. I believe im going to get this done for $250 up to maybe a top of $500. I do a lot of work with these guys and they usually let me off pretty cheap. Guess Ill know more next week.
Im also sending out a 56 ford cab and chassis to be dipped in e-coat in the next week or so. It will be interesting to compare the two finishes in cost and looks. e-coat is definatly better for sheet metal.
That thing looks like it's going to be a blast! I've always wanted a short wheel based buggy like that. The T4 should really move that thing too. Hopefully you can keep the front tires on the ground every once in a while. Looks like fun!
I wish I had a shop like that to play in. And a connection for some coating work too. I'll be paying some local powdercoater a small fortune pretty soon for all the work I need done.
Good luck with your "final assemble", some day I'll have one of those too.
I had this engine and trans in an old heavy berrian rail chassis years ago. It was pretty impressice then. I made some improvements to the drivetrain and with the lighter/shorter chassis i figure steering will be every time i push the clutch. Been moving the battery, fuel oil cooler all to the front to help the balance but its still right about the torsion housing. planting my 200# ahead of that will help some but I may need passenger balast to race on the dunes.
It looks like you've already got some pretty stout trailing arms on the rear, but if you stretch those back a bit further it would shift your CG forward enough for body weight to have more of an affect on overall CG? Maybe, I think. Plus all the other advantages of longer/wider trailing arms like a better ride when your still able to pull the front tires and drive/steer with just the rear end
I really shouldn't talk though since I didn't have the balls to stray from stock trailing arms and shock mounts ( sort of ) in my Baja. It would be a shame if you can't really get on that thing w/o stairing at the sky. That might be pretty fun though, I wouldn't know.
Is that a Cobra front end on some kind of wood dolly back there? Sweet!
I picked up sway away axles and 930 joint setup for stock length, made the decision to stay with that setup or I would have gone longer.
Yes thats an FFR cobra project Im working on as well. Using an 04 cobra donor car.
Im not happy unless im buried in projects. doing a smallhouse remodel this winter as well... its no wonder this buggy project has ben in the works 7 years huh?
Unfortunately I totally feel your pain. It's hard to say no to a new project, especially when its not the same one you've been working on for the last few years.
Very nice work. Looks like your already familiar with the kind of power/weight ratio you'll be experiencing in that buggy.
Leather, David58bug, the part about repairing powder coat should go into a sticky or "the stickey." It also should be cross-posted as I have seen this same question asked on other STF sites several times. This is the first answer to fixing powder coat that I have seen and explained.
Lee
My opinion is worth slightly less than what you paid for it.
Leather, David58bug, the part about repairing powder coat should go into a sticky or "the stickey." It also should be cross-posted as I have seen this same question asked on other STF sites several times. This is the first answer to fixing powder coat that I have seen and explained.
Hot, humid air is less dense than cooler, drier air. This can allow a golf ball to fly through the air with greater ease, as there won't be as much resistance on the ball.
Hot, humid air is less dense than cooler, drier air. This can allow a golf ball to fly through the air with greater ease, as there won't be as much resistance on the ball.
