I've just replaced 2 tubes on my chassis, and currently they're sporting a nice couple of coats of red oxide primer.

Now I want to give them a top coat of something that will be a reasonably close match to the original powder coat, so I'm looking at satin or matt black paint (probably satin). Before anyone posts, I know I'll never get a good match, but gloss is a definite no no!

I've made some enquiries, and found that real chassis paint is not viable: if I get it locally, it's gloss and comes in huge tins; if I order it on t'internet it costs a fortune and comes in tins that are still a bit big (even 750ml is a bit much - I've only got to give a square foot a couple of coats).

Now I've been looking around and I see that I can get brushable satin black external metal paint from Rustins or International in sensible sized tins (250ml) for a fraction of the price, and from local stores (B&Q, Homebase).

Has anyone any experience of these makes of paint, and how durable are they?

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=173265

I saw that thread previously - I have done some searches! - but it only talks about gloss paint. I need a small tin of matt or satin black.

I just used £1 shop gloss black but didnt flat it back so it looks similar:

Hi
Blackfriars satin black
excellent outdoor paint for metalwork
Get it from Brewers or ? it comes in small tins.
good luck
René

I used a red oxide primer and some cheap matt black metal paint from Wilkinsons. Two years later it still looks good.

I have a small tin of hamarite satin that I use every year after wire brushing the rust of of my chassis.

All sorted - got a 250ml tin of International black satin paint, and have already applied the first coat...

Too late for David but Lidl's have got large tins of metal paint in various colours, including black, in gloss and satin for a fiver.
Edited to say; Oops, bum steer from sister-in-law. The satin finish is in Acrylic, not metal paint. sorry if anyone dashed out for some.

[Edited on 1/9/12 by Confused but excited.]

I've found one problem with this repair job... I'm getting ready to put it all back together, but I keep picking bits up and thinking "that would look better with a lick of paint"...

So apart from the 2 chassis tubes, I now have my lower wishbone, lower ball joint and steering shaft hanging up in the garage, each with a nice new coat of primer...
I've already decided to cure the engine's oil leak while it's out of the car, so that's another job to be done before I get back on the road.

In the software development world this is known as "feature creep", where new bright ideas push the delivery deadline further and further away... I keep thinking that the offside is going to look cleaner and nicer than the nearside when it all gets reassembled... NO, I must resist! (resistance is futile...)