This might be a dumb question but what's the best way of restoring these tailgate hinges. I'm sure I could wire brush them and maybe paint them but will the paint just wear off?

I think maybe these were galvanized 35 years ago? No clue who might do that or what it would cost.

 

Re galvanizing is maybe an option or electroplating/powder coating? I am sure in TX there is some place that does that?

Or the ol oven baked paint trick....

 

I'd say re plate with galvanizing or cadmium. Clear cadmium would be closer to the original finish then new galvanizing. In Texas it should not be a problem to find a plater.

My oil pan here is clear cadmium.

 

Wow! That Oil pan looks fantastic! Thanks for the suggestion. I found a place here in Houston that offers that and sent them an RFQ with my photo.

I thought about coating with POR-15 but that might wear very well.

 

Thanks. Most of the parts and bolts are clear cad on my engine.



Just keep in mind with cad a light buff with grey fine scotch bright will make it shine.

 

That motor looks superb as do the rest of the cad plated parts. I got my quote back on the tailgate parts and it was $105.00. This company I called does mostly commercial stuff but said they would do it. JBG sells new ones for $33.00 each. Since I'm not really building a show truck, I think I'm going to go with plan C. Due to the humidity around here, the rust comes back pretty quickly.

 

No humidity here. Cad is about the most corrosion resistant plating you can do.