I would really like to have opinions and suggestions back from anyone who has done a frame off resto or has seen one in person (pictures count). I'm having my frame and chassis components (engine mount towers, shock towers, coil towers, etc) sandblasted this week. The guy I've hired to sandblast is going to prime and paint as well. He suggested painting the frame with a gloss black but I'm not sure if that will look good. I've always thought I'd paint it a semi gloss black. Here's where your suggestions and opinions will help me.....

What have you seen that looks good on these trucks? If I go with a semi gloss black, what should I paint the steering and suspension components (coils, drag link, torsion bar, axles, etc.)? Should that stuff be painted semi gloss as well or does a flat black compliment the semi gloss frame?

I'm really interested on everyone's opinion and past experience or at least what you've seen that has impressed you.

 

I'm with you. I'd go semi-gloss.

 

Personally, the whole undercarriage, frame, suspension, axles.....everything looks best semi-gloss black. It is however your truck.....................do it how YOU want it!!!!!!!

 

If you have everything off the frame you might want to think about having it powder coated. You can pretty much get any color you want and its extremely durable so you won't have to ever bother with it again. They can also do a textured look with the powder coat that I've seen, but it was just the frame so I didn't see it as a whole truck. Here's a picture I found of what I'm talking about:




It the frame of a 1950 F1 from this site. They said it was $400 to get it done. Just another option to think about. Personally I'll probably just paint mine semi-gloss black because I'm not planning on doing a frame-off.

 

The above finish is called hammertone. Agreed that if it's all torn down, powdercoating is the way to go. Did it on my 72 Chevelle and havent regretted it. It's semi-gloss black though.................Powder coating can be done in most any color or texture............

 

semi gloss ftw. especially if the frame has pitting as the gloss will highlight those and it will look like a crappy paint job.

 

I sandblasted my '73's frame and painted it and the suspension components semi-gloss black and am pleased with the results.

 

damn mike, that looks awesome

 

Thanks, this is just the beginning of my project. I hope the rest of it comes out looking as good.

 

Thanks all for the advice and pics. I like that powder coat textured look for sure but think I'll go with the semi gloss.

Mike, I've been following your resto thread since I stumbled on it about 2 months ago. I've been anxious for you to get back to work on it. You're doing a terrific job. One question (for now)....are the plastic clips that hold the lines (brake and fuel) new? Where did you manage to find them if so?

 

The guy who did my frame did it in gloss black and while it looks ok, I now prefer the semi gloss or even a flat black. In another thread discussing roll on bed liners, Monstaliner's name came up. They have an interesting looking frame paint called chassis saver, looks worth looking into to me.

 

Those clips are the original clips. I tried to locate new ones but they are no longer available and I couldn't locate any dealers that had any. Green Sales had three but they are gone now. There are three or four different clips used.
Removing the clips is actually fairly easy. The clips have little "fingers" that push through holes in the frame, then a plastic pin is driven in to expand the fingers to lock the clip in place.
Take an 1/8" pin punch (it has to be a pin punch with a flat nose not a center punch with a point), from the back side of the clip, drive the pin back towards the front of the clip. Don't worry if the pin comes all the way out. Gently pry the clip out of the frame. You may have to lightly squeeze the fingers together to get them to go through the frame.
Installation is easy, push the clip's fingers through the hole in the frame then drive the pin back in to expand the fingers.
I was able to remove all of my clips without breaking any of them.
The clips on the crossmember under the engine were a little difficult to get to but not impossible.

 

Thanks for the compliment. I got back home yesterday and will be home for a couple of weeks. I'm working on getting the engine torn down and to the machine shop. I ordered a transmission from Broader Performance but it won't get here untill after I leave.
I'll post an update to my thread soon.

 

Welcome home Mike! Hope you're able to get a lot done over the next 2 weeks. I was able to remove all of my clips without breaking any, plus I have a donor truck in case some of the fingers on them are broke off. If I remember correctly, there may have been a couple like that.

I dropped off my frame and some of the chassis components like the shock towers, motor mount towers, coil spring towers, etc. at the guys house who is sandblasting/painting my frame. I thought I'd sandblast and paint it myself but I didn't want to invest in the equipment or time for right now. I should have the frame back by middle of the week. Then...I'll be working hard to catch up to you!! Talk at ya later.

 

UPDATE::: I got the frame back from the man I hired to sandblast and paint it. You'll recall in my original post that the sandblaster wanted me to go with a black gloss and I instructed him to go with a semi-gloss....well, turns out, instead of telling me that the line of paints he uses (Jones-Blair industrial) doesn't have a semi-gloss. Or maybe it's just that he didn't have it readily available...he went ahead and shot it with the gloss black and backed off at a distance on the last coat to give it a "not so gloss finish". I have to say, I'm not real happy with him doing this on his own. If he would have just called me up and told me he didn't have a semi-gloss product, I would have supplied him with some from a different line or maybe even just taken it back from him primed. That way I could have painted it myself or found someone to do it for me. It's frustrating but I think I'm gonna like the way it turns out if I just get over that fact that he didn't do what I asked him to do!!! Why do people do that? He was convinced it would look better with a gloss finish and I guess he just decided to do what he thought was best. I'm tempted to take it back to him and ask him to blast it again and just prime it. I don't know. I'll see if I can post some pics and get everyone's comments on the job done.