I was considering using POR 15 to paint my frame but after reading previous threads about the product I'm not sure how well it would work. My frame doesn't have much rust and I plan to lightly sand blast it before I paint so there will be a lot of smooth clean metal. There are a number of comments about problems on smooth metal as well as issues about exposure to brake fluid and sunlight.

As an alternative, does anyone have experience with Hirsch's "Miracle Paint"? It's less expensive and doesn't appear to need a topcoat to protect against UV exposure.

 

If you have a good clean surface then just paint it with a quality direct-to-metal primer and a good catalyzed topcoat. I use Kirker products, epoxy primer and urethane "hot rod black" satin black top coat...the frame looks like it just came out of the factory.

 

Your frame looks great. I assume that to apply the urethane satin black topcoat you need a suit with a fresh air supply. I was trying to avoid that expense since I don't see myself doing too many more projects that would require it. That's why I was looking at products that I could brush on. I guess the alternative would be to do the preparation myself and then have someone else spray the paint.

 

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I was wondering what IFS set up that is. Also what protection did you have from the urethane paint hazards?

 

I am going with plain ol rustoleum from home depot, black industrial oil based paint. Brushes on easy and doesn't leave brush marks that I have noticed. Cheap too and if you need to grind it off for some reason you don't feel so bad.



p.s. that is a volare clip.

 

The IFS is a Volare. As for the urethane paint, I painted it in my garage with no ventilation other than an open garage door and a small fan to help blow the overspray out. I use a dual stage respirator and no other suit, etc. Painting a small area such as a frame with an HVLP gun creates very little overspray so there is little to worry about in the way of fumes. If I was spraying a clearcoat with isocyanates then that would be another story.
As a follow-on...a few weeks after painting this frame I needed to "expose" the VIN stamping for the DMV verification. When I sanded the paint off I was pleasantly suprised at how durable the satin black was and how tenaciously the primer had adhered to the bare metal. Not all surprises are bad!
BTW - the power steering box in this photo was a rebuilt that I installed after the frame was painted...you can really tell the difference between the flat black that the rebuilders use and the satin "hot rod" black that is on the frame.

 

For about the same cost (or less) as traditionally painting the frame you can have it powder coated. Prices range from $500 to around $800 depending on the shop for a full frame, with media blasting usually included in the price. In the end, you'll have a frame with perfect paint coverage and a durability level much higher than epoxy paint. Powder coating has come a long way in recent years. If done properly (pre-heat and a double bake) there will be absolutely no orange peel and you won't have a thick finish usually associated with powder coating. In the event you chip the finish, the area can be filled with liquid powder, matching the rest of the finish.

I just had my 1960 frame coated in 20% gloss black (Ford OEM gloss level), and the finish is unreal. Every factory press mark, number stamping, rivet, etc. is perfectly visible, just as I requested. The shop I used achieved the OEM finish by pre-baking the frame, then double baking the powder once applied. The result is a finish that looks 100% OEM, but will vastly outlast the original Ford paint. Areas with very shallow number stampings (such as the VIN) were media blasted after the first coat, then re-powdered with a thinner coat and blended with the surrounding area.