paint, plate or powder coat?

[red vtec]

I'm gradually restoring the car, but am wondering what to do with some of the parts such as suspension arms exhaust hanger etc... not sure if they should be painted, plated or powder coated for protection?

[cweeden]

Hi Chris,

I'm knee deep in restoration too.

My current plan is to have the chassis and rear radius arms duplex coated (re-galvanise and powder coat), I was looking at powder coating for the other suspension arms (although the front lower wishbone may be best plated, I'm worried the ARB bush circlip groove may get bunged up with powder coating) to match the chassis finish.

The various odds and ends, nuts, bolts, mounting brackets, uprights etc all need plating, I'm just not sure what plating to choose and what finish for each one.

The other issue I have is I don't have a company in mind to carry out the plating work (I have a company lined up for the chassis work). If anyone in the South East can recommend anyone (or anywhere really if they are good value and reliable etc) I would be very grateful for suggestions.

cheers

-Chris 

[Barrykearley]

I’d not be powder coating on any suspension items that have bushes fitted into them. It simply causes issues with fitted bushes and adds unnecessary surface thickness

[cweeden]

I was all set on plating but was advised by @CHANGES against it.

I am ready to clean out where the bushes go as an acceptable overhead. Not something I am looking forward to but I'm going to have to do it on the chassis anyway.

[Steve V8]

The platers/coaters can mask off or plug any areas where a finish isn't required.

[red vtec]

I have used Flag rust convertor in the past on the Land Rover, that leaves a nice mat black finish was thinking of that? I'm going to see if there are any platers local to me (Essex)

[JonSE]

My thoughts are to blast them then paint matte black with a red primer coat first, so I can make localised repairs if they become stone chipped.

I’ve owned cars before where the powder coating gives way and the water then capillaries up under the coating out of view and becomes difficult to fix with removing the item.

I’ll probably use some form of POR15 as I’ve used it before and it still seems rock solid years later.

I’d like to avoid a heavy painted appearance but I’m more inclined to ensure the items are better protected than being concerned about how they look. So I’ll for for a mix of silver and matte black on everything under the car.

[Andyww]

On these cars its not such a worry about being original because the parts have changed anyway.

For example the original rear lower links and front top wishbones were satin black but if you buy them as genuine Lotus parts nowdays they are yellow zinc plated. This applies to many assorted parts on the car. I think Lotus parts dept must have a contract with a plater and they just bung everything their way regardless.

[CHANGES]

19 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

I’d not be powder coating on any suspension items that have bushes fitted into them. It simply causes issues with fitted bushes and adds unnecessary surface thickness

Never had a problem with any ,  plating is pretty but don't last, Powder coat is far more durable ..  i will go powder coat on mine next time round ,  plating looked great when done , but 18 months later on our roads started to age quick.. It now looks like i had not done it ..  i have recently seen a powder coated one i did 6 years ago , still looks good ,  that is the data ,   make your own choices they both do a job ..  

 

[cweeden]

So the bit that is driving me slowly mad, why doesn't the plating last better? I have a '93 Fireblade that's spent most of it's life outside and the bolts and fixings on that almost don't corrode at all. How is that done? 

[drdoom]

Fireblade"s a bike, right? Perhaps on our cars there is a blast effect from the chaotic airflow between car and road surface, driving wet particles at the exposed bits?

[Andyww]

3 hours ago, cweeden said:

So the bit that is driving me slowly mad, why doesn't the plating last better? I have a '93 Fireblade that's spent most of it's life outside and the bolts and fixings on that almost don't corrode at all. How is that done? 

That might be cadmium plating, banned by the EU.

[Barrykearley]

4 hours ago, CHANGES said:

Never had a problem with any ,  plating is pretty but don't last, Powder coat is far more durable ..  i will go powder coat on mine next time round ,  plating looked great when done , but 18 months later on our roads started to age quick.. It now looks like i had not done it ..  i have recently seen a powder coated one i did 6 years ago , still looks good ,  that is the data ,   make your own choices they both do a job ..  

I understand that chap - my experience with it was awful - maybe it needed masking up etc - but then that would allow corrosion to creep under the powder coat and that’s an even worse thing. 
 

probably best just to do it once and never drive it 🤪

[canamfan]

Not sure if this helps, but on my older 911 & 914 Porsches I had some of the exposed parts (that were in high wear areas & exposed to the elements) I not only had them yellow zinc cdmium coated, but clear (gloss) powder coated & not only did it turn out beautiful, but stayed that way for years. Mind you only on parts that were accepting of the extra layers. Other Porsche members have told ma about "Cerakote" & other ceramic coatings I have yet to look into on my current 911SC for example for the fan blade, where there is extreme wear (from it spinning all the time) but very little tolerance for "ANY" thicker" coatings.

[EXCEL V8]

For years I've been having parts zinc plated with a yellow passivate - 12 months later they look like they need doing again.  On my current resto (Elite) I'm going to get parts zinc plated but with an olive drab passivate - not pretty, but seems to have nearly twice the durability of the yellow version.  ISTR from having Japanese bikes in the past that a lot of those parts had an olive drab finish and were very durable.  I also don't like powder coating!

Pete

[Mightymetro]

I have had mine zinc nickel plated.  It’s what is used on JCB diggers I believe.  Looks like a Matt grey drab colour but seems to be lasting 👍🏻

[cweeden]

Maybe chrome is the way forward? 

[cweeden]

I was only half joking...

BLACK CHROME PLATING:

Black Chrome Plating combines the high gloss well known from Bright Chrome Plating with an elegant dark black colour. The deposits have a high degree of micro-porosity which produces better corrosion resistance than standard chrome plating. The same micro-porosity gives the coating the ability to absorb and retain oil and paint films which makes it useful for machine tools.

[Sparky]

It's a sad reflection of owner demographic that something like this becomes one of the most popular posts.

Can't we discuss colour instead?

Edited December 13, 2020 by Sparky

[RobinB5]

OK @Sparky, what colour is your exhaust hanger?

[Sparky]

Depends on my mood.  Today it's shocking pink.

[dclare]

1 hour ago, Sparky said:

Depends on my mood.  Today it's shocking pink.

Wow....what mood does that equate to?? Sounds like weekend high heels😂

[Sparky]

But, to be serious for once, I think these cars have done splendidly to last the way they have.  How many 80s cars do you see on the road?  So, when I come to do my suspension next year it will be a blast and maybe a coat of some protective paint here and there.  That will outlast my ability to drive it.  I see no value in making something pretty if I'm never going to see it in normal use.  Function over form.

My opinion!  Each to their own.

[Andyww]

On 11/12/2020 at 21:23, EXCEL V8 said:

  ISTR from having Japanese bikes in the past that a lot of those parts had an olive drab finish and were very durable. 

I am currently rebuilding a Suzuki engine from one of my AZ-1 s (yes I own two) and all the fasteners and brackets are olive drab passivated. I cant say they are in any better condition than any other finish, every fastener is going in the bin and brackets I am acid-stripping then smooth Hammerite. A few items which are on show I am YZP plating.
I would not plate suspension parts. Powder coating or I find satin black smooth Hammerite is pretty good. 

[cweeden]

2 hours ago, Sparky said:

But, to be serious for once, I think these cars have done splendidly to last the way they have.  How many 80s cars do you see on the road?  So, when I come to do my suspension next year it will be a blast and maybe a coat of some protective paint here and there.  That will outlast my ability to drive it.  I see no value in making something pretty if I'm never going to see it in normal use.  Function over form.

My opinion!  Each to their own.

I just find it frustrating why it's so difficult to find a coating that is both functional and good looking, like the car itself.