I have a 1970 F-100 that I picked up in North Dakota.
The truck is rust free and I am doing a restoration. I am not going all original but also not veering to far away from original.

I have an opportunity to get my frame powder coated black for $50.

Would it be worth it as opposed to just throwing a couple coats of spray paint on it?

I can not afford anything else so it is either sand down and give a couple coats with a rattle can or powder coat.

I will be posting a build thread soon!!!

 

Yes-----that is very cheap...you would spend that on paint, hardner and grinding discs!

 

That is ridiculously cheap.....I would go for it. Why not?

 

For $50 I would do it but make sure it's done right.
Powder needs to go on bare metal.
If done correctly you sould be able to take a hammer to the frame and not mar the finish.

For example a few years back I got quoted $1000 to powdercoat my frame plus the guess of about $300 to sandblast it first. Prices have gone up sence than.

I have been toying with the idea to see how much it would be to powder the entire truck and pass on the body shop's paint booth.

 

I am going to sand blast it myself at my brother in laws work. its about 1 mile from where it will be powder coated(at my work). I have been doing some favors for the powder coat supervisor and he said that the powder will be free cause they don't use that certain one anymore! Its just going to be $50 to pay him for his time to do it.

So I am planning on sandblasting it then bringing right to get washed then powder coated.

It should turn out pretty good, I hope!!

I should have it ready to be powder coated in about 2 weeks. all I have left to do is get the box bolts out, pull the box off, pull the cab off, pull motor and tranny, unbolt front and rear end, and fix the dented front cross member!

 

Can't beat that price for powder coating.

I just did this a couple of months back. I paid about $400 to have the entire frame (and a few miscellaneous suspension parts) blasted and powder coated. I went with a gloss "hammercoat" look. If I were to do it again I would go with more of a flat or semi-gloss. The gloss black looks "tacky" on the frame.

North Dakota salts their roads heavily in the wintertime (10 months of the year) so don't be surprised if you find some hidden surprises in the sheet metal.

Two weeks is mighty ambitious - unless you don't have a day job right now. Have you heard how fun it can be to remove the front spring bushings from the frame? Since the powder coating gets cooked on at somewhere around 300degF you've got to remove all of the rubber.

I guess you could let them burn up in the booth and remove the outer sleeve afterwards.

Anyway, yes, powder coating definitely the way to go.

Cheers.

 

This truck has not been driven on the road since the early 80's plus there is no such thing as road salt where it came from(from what the original owner said).
As far as unbolting everything in two weeks.........I have a oxy/acetaline wrench
I am not scared to torch what I have to, So far I have not had to torch anything, body bolts came out nice, I even got the rear leaf bolts loose, but not removed yet.
I can't believe how clean this truck is, I have lived in Wisconsin my whole life, I thought they were all as bad as our vehicles.
I do have a day job but I have been working on the truck after work for a few hours and all weekend from about 6 am to 8 pm.
I have been working on it for a week now. I should have the motor and tranny out tomorrow.

 

bigern26,

You are lucky to have found that old of a rust free vehicle from ND.

Lived there for 26 years. They salt the roads heavily.

http://www.dot.nd.gov/divisions/main...icingfacts.pdf

Anywho, it's good to know someone else is having fun with an old truck.

I might have spoke too soon on the bushings. I just noticed that your truck is not a 4x4 so the bushings may not be in the frame - wait a minute - an F100 has coils in the front. Doh! Oops disregard the bushing burning!

Lot's of work, but it will be worth it in the end.

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

i didnt know you could do that.

 

When I was there last he showed me a pare of fenders he had just powdered for a Kia or somthing similar. He told me if I can bring a car there in pieced (to fit into his over) he could powder an entire car.

I figured if the cab and bed fit in the oven I'd be good to go. I think he has a 12' oven. Not sure how big the doors are. I did not ask recently but I do plan to have the frame powder coated and if that fits in the rest should.

With primer and custom paint a fancy powder might be the same or close to the same price as paint. And a lot more durable.

I have not researched the price yet.

 

I don't think it would be a good idea to powder coat sheet metal unless it is perfectly straight as any bondo wouldn't be able to stand up to the heat?

 

i think that could turn out really cool if you decide to do that!