VIN 4566 Restoration

[Rissy]

Looking good Dan!

It's an E-coating I have in mind for my chassis one day. After acid dipping. This is the company i had in mind for doing mine:

http://www.prostrip.co.uk/car-auto

I've talked to them on more than one occasion at the NEC closssic car shows. They used to do (at least) a marine certified e-coat after stripping and welding is complete. This looked satin black when finished, ready for painting on top. It's supposed to be the modern equivalent to the epoxy coating our chassis's are done in at manufacture, but it's a lot better because as Dan says, it doesn't flake away or allow creeping of any corrosion if it does get damaged in the future. It can also flex with the chassis. It's applied by dipping, so this also means that it completely gets inside the frame (although painting it the colour you want afterwards, obviously wouldn't get everywhere, so you'll be left with the unseen bits left satin black e-coat - for what it matters). Due to the nature of it though, it means you have to paint it rather than have it powder coated. Powder coating wont work with it.

I say "used to do a marine certified e-coating" because looking at their website now (it's been a few years since i looked at it last), i can't see any mention of this black e-coating now...?

[Chris Williams]

Ahh yes, I have read about that (often in Practical Classics) yes it does seem a good option. Be interesting to see the results. Perhaps you could write a little article (with pictures) for the club magazine when you get it done?
Chris

[Dan Willis]

Yes, of course. As you can see here, I'm asking them to take pics as they go for my records, so I'm happy to write up the work/experience and effort when it's home.

[Rissy]

(15 Jun 2017, 21:27)Chris Williams Wrote: Ahh yes, I have read about that (often in Practical Classics) yes it does seem a good option. Be interesting to see the results. Perhaps you could write a little article (with pictures) for the club magazine when you get it done?
Chris

I hope you're talking to Dan, Chris, as it could be decades before i get my chassis done! lol! I'm more inclined to throw mine in the bucket and buy a stainless one!

[Dan Willis]

A small update; things are still progressing, albeit slowly. Until the frame is back (hopefully this month), I've err'd on not spending money as there was, or is, little point.

However, I have been cleaning parts, cataloguing what I can use, and what must be replaced. Some things I thought were toast, were just really mucky - like the water piping. So, they can stay (and at over £300 a set, worth saving). The brake calipers are cleaned and painted, and various bits have been cleaned, sanded and painted too. I'll take some pictures soon, but isn't very exciting stuff.

Today, I made a big order. I've purchased:

Silicone hose kit (mainly for the water system)
Brake discs
TABS bolts
Suspension bushes
Re-conditioned steering rack and tie rod ends
Shocks
Ball joints
Sway bar bushes
Various clips

The frame, on its return, will be built up to a rolling stock - no engine or gearbox, just radiator, suspension, piping, brakes etc - so I can refit the body for the winter. The body won't bolted down, or the engine refitted (or indeed refurbished any futher for now) until next year at the earliest. The winter months will probably see me working on anything else chassis related, and begining to strip the electrics and interior out. But we'll see.

More over the next month as I know more on the frame.

[Dan Willis]

Quick update; whilst I work through the kit I have, need and avoid the rain, the frame came back!

I do need to add a coat of something; grey, obviously, to help protect it further. That siad, it looks mighty good in black. Not very "original" though. The life-blood of the car is now like new; and that's really the foundation on which I'm building.

E-Coated Frame by Dan Willis, on Flickr
E-Coated Frame by Dan Willis, on Flickr
E-Coated Frame by Dan Willis, on Flickr
E-Coated Frame by Dan Willis, on Flickr
E-Coated Frame by Dan Willis, on Flickr
E-Coated Frame by Dan Willis, on Flickr
E-Coated Frame by Dan Willis, on Flickr

Sorry the pictures aren't great; low light and my phone were all I had at the time. More later when I've started working out how to put it back together.

[Rissy]

That's precisely how i envisioned my frame to look after coming back from Pro-Strip. I quite like the black, and would be tempted to keep it black (all be it with a satin painted finish on top of the e-coat), but the truth is, it'd make it harder to keep a clear view on the chassis in the future (imo), so a lighter colour it has to be. I've toyed with the idea of making it silver. A nice satin silver I think would be pretty awesome. Of course, anything other than "stock" or as close to it, and you're immediately stoned and whipped to death by an angry mob. There's also the fear of harming the overall value of the car as a representation of the marque.

It looks really nice Dan. Like brand new! I only wish my frame had been caught in time before it got so bad that it needed butchering by a metal surgeon to fix it for road worthiness. Admittedly, even the experts have given it the thumbs up and said it's a good repair, but for me "it's just not stock" and never will be again now. That's why my thinking is "well, if it aint ever gonna be stock, then it might as well be stainless. So i'm continually toying with the two approaches. I have time, since the funds are just not there right now. Be interesting to see what the bottom line turns out to be, as a comparison to doing a straight swap over with a stainless one. Of course, the main problem in the UK is that it's near impossible to get a stainless chassis! Marvin is unresponsive to attempted communications and the US people refuse to ship to the UK.


Still watching with interest. Keep it up...

[SpudMurphy]

Wow now a stainless steel chassis over here in the UK would be awesome - common Ed Udding get cracking!

[Chris P]

Check and compare the weight of them before you decide......Ive a feeling they are a lot heavier.

[Rissy]

(22 Sep 2017, 12:40)Chris P Wrote: Check and compare the weight of them before you decide......Ive a feeling they are a lot heavier.

From reading about what is said about them on DF on FB, an unpainted stainless chassis is no more heavy than an original with the epoxy coating on it. Probably, a restored chassis like Dan's with a modern e-coat, will be the lightest admittedly.

[Dan Willis]

I know what you mean, but in reality, who really looks underneath that often? If you're intending to sell, I get it, otherwise, do what you want. Even then, if it's imaculate, then anyone "in the know" won't care (unless they want a concours car).

I'm looking for a grey top coat. Probably POR-15 as it's well rated.

[Stuart Rees]

Excellent work! I like the finish on that frame Dan, I haven't posted much on here recently but since a frame off is on the cards for 6237 I have to ask isn't the e coat enough of a protection? How durable is it to stone chips etc? 
To get it the original colour I would probably go down the powder coating route, which is probably old school by today's methods.  POR-15 would definitely keep the rust out. Lots of options I guess...

Thanks for posting your progress, inspiring stuff

Stu

[Dan Willis]

It may well be enough, but since most e-coated chassis are prepped and painted since they are, well, what you see daily, I've been advised to cover it in something. I doubt I can get somewhere big enough to powder coat locally, nor want the additional cost of yet more transport (and the potential pitfalls). I'll POR it by hand; it's doubling the protection, it'll be grey (near enough to stock) and I can do it in the garage

Yes, lots of options!

[Chris Williams]

Quote:and you're immediately stoned and whipped to death by an angry mob.

And rightly so Mr, but then you would probably enjoy that!
Good work Dan, looks really good. I was talking to an e-coating company who were next to our stand at the Manchester show last weekend asking if they had, had a DeLorean chassis through. Cant remember the name of them though!
Chris

[Rissy]

You can't powder coat an e-coat. You have to paint it.