Painting Bare Chassis

Anyone have any experience or expertise on painting a bare aluminum chassis?

I have an RCR chassis I will be painting aluminum/silver and want to avoid sanding, priming, sanding, painting, etc. Is there a paint product that I can use that will go directly over bare aluminum?

The body is blocked, in spray polyester, blocked, primered, blocked and will get final paint. I'm just not that enthusiastic about the chassis. My plan is to sand (DA) the entire chassis and paint in single stage silver (high gloss).

So, any adhesion issues avoiding metal etch, hi-build primer, etc?

Thanks,
 
There are 2 different products to use on bare aluminium to help on stcking the final paint coat

One is a blu liquid ( seems to be like " blu water") used by paint shops when repairing new alumium chassis or bodypanel from Porsche or Aston
Sometime could be very very light yellow ( Restom stuff; Pho 4090)

Another one is the orange classic" Phosphate primer" used by all aeroplanes builders ( specially RV planes kit) ; stuff done specially for alumium wings or watver tub
You could have info On RV builders log or on the site ;
https://www.vansaircraft.com/

In the 70's Matra ( french Le mans cars prototypes) coated all their alu riveted tubs and most machined or welded subassemblies part on the car and they didn't paint over this nice orange coat

hope this helps:blank:
 
Last edited:

Terry Oxandale

Skinny Man
When I painted airplanes, I used a conversion coating that was wiped onto the surface of the bare aluminum which allowed paint to adhere to it very well. It had a brownish tint to it, protected the aluminum, and looked great as it was, even without paint. This was a couple of decades ago, so I'm pretty sure there are other improved products today
 
Terry, are you talking about Mil-C-5541, "Irridite" or "Alodine" or similar phosphate conversion coating? Don't know if still used today.
 
Etch prime, prime and at least 2 top coats. Get it all from one supplier in one system and prep, prep and more prep to ensure the surface is scuffed, clean and decreased. Follow the paint manufacturers instructions to the letter, if you are new to spray work research well and don't rush it then you'll be very pleased with the results.
 
OK, Thanks everyone for the inputs - much appreciated. Looks like the plan will be to use Spies Hecker Wash Primer 4075 followed by a single stage metallic topcoat and roll the die on adhesion issues. I may change my mind and use a build primer, but I just don't see myself putting that effort into the chassis (but stranger things have happened). Either way, I will post follow-up pics if I can ever get them to load.
 
you dont need a build primer thats for over repairs just use the spies wet on wet primer after the etch primer then colour
 
Geoff, do you happen to know the Spies product number/name for that primer? I'll search as well at SH.com. Wet-on-wet is doable. My intention was to save a step sanding, masking, degreasing, etc.
Thanks!
 
Yes, the SH 5340 would be great; unfortunately that specific product is not available in the US. It appears the similar product for us (US) is Priomat 4085 - but the tech info is slightly different;
DESCRIPTION
A zinc chromate-free one component product from our “PVB-system”. Priomat® 1K Primer Surfacer 4085 is recommended for cars requiring wet-on-wet finishes on small areas or finishes with intermediate sanding. Priomat® 1K Primer Surfacer 4085 is easy to use and apply and offers reliable adhesion and corrosion protection. Priomat® 1K Primer Surfacer 4085 may also be used as a weld-through primer

I will be contacting the SH tech-rep here (fortunately lives in the next neighborhood) and see what info he might share, or if the 5340 might be available here.

Thanks for the info!
 
Back
Top