I am just restoring a mg midget. I have finished all the welds and panel repair. What are the pro and cons of having he shell powdercoated. The doors, boots and rear panels would be painted. Just the inside of the car, underneath and engine bay to be powdercoated.

I know people say the panels might warp if shot blasted.

temperatures of 200 degrees on the surface are needed to cure the powdercoat. I doubt it would be worthwhile.

I dont understand why would you want to powdercoat the shell of a car instead of painting it?

I just thought it would provide a tougher finish for under the car and also the the inside as I would not be putting any carpets down

a 2k paint should provide a strong durable coat. If you want more protection for the underside, then get it painted with stonechip prevention paint first.

When you powdercoat an item the powerder sticks to the item due to the static charge you pass through it, but then you have to heat the item up so that the powder melts/fuses together to form the hardcoat finish.

Powder coat will also be a PITA to repair and touch u from stone chips and scratches.

Normal car paint is the way to go with stone chip protection/underseal on the underside for added protection.

ETA...

Make sure all the parts; doors, bonnet, boot lid etc. are painted together as well or the colour and finish will never match properly.

[Edited on 20/12/12 by nick205]

The shell of a Smart is powedercoated so it can be done. I had a stone chip touched up by chips away and the finish was perfect, but of course you have to have the right coloured paint. I imagine it would work quite well.

You want it dipped and e-coated - not cheap but brilliant. Can then paint over the top as needed.

Try these guys

Chris

The advice I was given when getting my XR2 done was to use a few coats of epoxy primer on the bare shell. It's the stuff they use on boat hulls so it should be up to the job.

Lots of advice in this thread: http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=172587

One of these days I'll get around to doing it!

Chris

Thanks for the suggestions gents

[Edited on 20/12/12 by femster87]

yep epoxy etch primer is what you want then 2k over the top, obviously stonbeship on the underneath. The dipping method is superb but not very locost at all

If you do go ahead with powder coating make sure it's done better than my Luego chassis was, that fell off in sheets

I would not even consider it. Unless its done perfectly it will eventually get rust underneath whch will run untill it bubbles off. Same will happen if it gets chipped. And a nightmare to touch up

Cheers

Fred W B

[Edited on 21/12/12 by Fred W B]

££££££££££££ It would have been cheaper to buy a a brand new Heritage shell to start with

Not sure how they would get into all the box sections - a bodyshell is a complicated piece for powder coating, all the water drains in the sills would block unless you opened them up, all the holes and openings would change doors which would also have to be powder coated might not fit and chip off the powder coat. It'll be near impossible to touch in stone chips and if they havent applied it propery then stripping it all back could prove a near impossible task.

True the smart bodyframe is powder coated but it was desgned from the outset to be powder coated and thought as to how and what effects were give due consideration at the design stage.

Surface processing as posted elsewhere can chemically strip back to the raw steel, all rust paint filler etc gone. then they acid etch and full immersion dip in the latest coatings as used in current manufacture. A good quality paint job over the top of that and you should be good for a fair few years.

BT, In hindsight I should have just bought a new shell. But you live and learn