Hi All

Has anyone had any experience of metallic powder coats and how they perform?

My much modified fury chassis is going off to be recoated soon, and I was going to go yellow for the chassis and blue for anything that attaches to it. The yellow looks a good contrast to the RAL5005 blue of the car body but then I saw bentley blue metallic powder coat and I got to thinking.

So: Some questions:
1) has anyone had any metallic coating done before - were you happy - did it wear well?
2) If I go for blue for the chassis - any suggestions for a contrasting colour for the bolt-on parts?
3) Any other ideas?

I'm going to have the chassis blasted, cleaned and zinc primered as well, so I shouldn't be suffering any more of the rust that plagued these models.

Let me know what you think

[Edited on 27/1/16 by FuryRebuild]

AFAIK metallics require a 2 stage coating. a base colour then a clear coat with the metallic flake in. So would no doubt cost a little more.
Whether you get an extra protection cuz its 2 layers also?

Not sure - I'll ask the experts who do it I expect. The zinc primer layer will also give a strong defence.

ages ago I tried some 'chrome' powder coat at home, finish was fine like normal powder coat, but just not chrome!
however, for a test part, I used mixed leftovers of this and black, and gave a really rather nice effect.

My new wheels are gunmetal, so I may go for that for all parts bolted onto the chassis.

I've used candy powdercoat with a DIY setup, wasn't a 2 stage process & no harder than ordinary powdercoat to use, but no idea if that differs to a professional setup. The "candy" came out more like just a plain metallic, but still more interesting than plain colour

I did a 2 stage electric blue powdercoat on a roll bar in my Miata in 2000. It still looks almost perfect.

About 8 months ago I did a 3 stage process of the rims of my S2000 - chrome (which was a lot better than the chromes of just a few years ago), a metallic flake and then a top coat of clear.

Other than where I scraped a curb in a turn it looks absolutely perfect and gives a fabulous look. People are always complementing me on the rims.

I would have no qualms about any of the metallics.

May I suggest something with a tad less bling?

At some stage you may wish to repair/modify/inspect parts of the chassis. Any of those processes are a damn sight easier to perform (and touch up afterwards) if the chassis is a solid black.

Nope - bling all the way.

The chassis has had a very serious amount of mods, and most of the other bits that would be changed are now structural carbon fibre, so there's little to do there. I won't be doing any more for a season or two.

Also, I prefer lighter colours - you can see if oil is leaking much easier than black on black.

I like that

Shame you won't see more of it on the car

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Originally posted by FuryRebuild

Also, I prefer lighter colours - you can see if oil is leaking much easier than black on black.

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Originally posted by gremlin1234
ages ago I tried some 'chrome' powder coat at home, finish was fine like normal powder coat, but just not chrome!
however, for a test part, I used mixed leftovers of this and black, and gave a really rather nice effect.

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By coincidence I'm looking to have a steel MTB frame stripped of powder coat and recoated in a different colour. The best information and pricing I've found was from coaters themselves who do it day in day out and know what to do. I'd say speak to a local coater and get advice on the finish you want.

Did you see the metallic/pearlescent green powder coated frame that Exo Sports Cars had on their stand at the Autosports show?:





I had a brief chat with them about costs etc.; I can't remember much of the detail, but their frame was definitely done with a two-coat process and they had flyers on the stand for the company that did it. They were suggesting that because it was two-coat, cost is basically double that of 'normal' powder coat, or thereabouts. Might be worth giving them a ring, or dropping them an e-mail, for further info?

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Originally posted by Sam_68 They were suggesting that because it was two-coat, cost is basically double that of 'normal' powder coat, or thereabouts. Might be worth giving them a ring, or dropping them an e-mail, for further info?

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