VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 Prep of Frame, Control Arms, etc.

I'm new to VCCA and restoration...I'm restoring back to original (frame up) the exact same '54 Bel Air w/PG trans car I learned to drive (when I started driving, as well as the car I drove in High School). You could say it's been in the family for many many years.
Well, my questions are about preping the frame for painting and painting processes, as well as processes for the control arms, steering components, torque tube housing, differential, and brake assemblies. All components have been disassembled and are ready for some type of cleaning action.
Removal of the rust vs. chemically painting with a rust inhibitor (such as rustoleum or POR-15). Really don't want to chemically dip anything, 'cause I've heard too many negative things about that type of process. What's my best way to go? I'm not sure if blast cleaning would be the best for all parts or just certain ones? Is one media (blasting) superior to another? Blasting is probably quicker vs. rotating brush and probably safer too. Does all components need to be blast cleaned (even if very little rust exists)?
I've talked with a Napa Salesman about painting and he told me I should clean the surface followed by etching, followed by a sealer epoxy, and then sanding primer and final paint...Is this the process that should be used for all components?
Since I want the car back to original, what colors should the frame, contol arms, cross-member, bushings(control arms), tie-rods/ends, brake housings, emergency brake cable(painted or unpainted)and brake drums be painted?
Is it true that the bolting was generally not painted? So will it be acceptable to leave the bolting either blast-cleaned or wire brushed clean or how shiny should these be?
Thanks for the help and advice from all that have been there done that!!!!

I will weigh in on the matter of "blasting" only.

Caustic chemical dips will remove all paint and dirt, but they do also remove some material from the items dipped.

There are many types of media used for blasting, and bead blasting is by far one of the least destructive media on iron or steel, BUT it leaves traces of the media imbedded into the surface of the items blasted. Which means you still have to blast it again with an abrasive, either silicon dioxide (SIO2) or Soda.

SIO2 is fast, and great for removing rust and paint, and you can distort sheetmetal if you are not careful, it does remove base material that you do not want to remove too.

Soda is slow, but easy to clean (water soluble, so a rag soaked in metal prep, or spray bottle removes the last traces), less prone to distorting thin sections, and is controllable so you do not remove base metal at an appreciable rate.

This is not even evaluating costs of materials. If you have someone else do the blasting, the rates will reflect the cost materials, and the time differences, and if your time is high value, this might be the best way to go.

If you are going to do the blasting yourself, look into the pricing of materials per 100 pounds in your area. Plastic gets expensive, but it and SIO2 are have some reuse life. Soda really does not have nearly as much.

In the end, the least forgiving material to work with is plastic bead, as you may miss some areas with the abrasive blast, or blast inadequately, and you will not see it until you apply the paint- Those areas blasted with bead "Fisheye" really badly unless the bead residue is removed throughly. Ditzler DX-33 has zero effect on the plastic.

Also be aware that if you blast in your garage, you will have dust infiltrating the house (if attached) in a real big way. If detached, less so, but downwind you may cause some problems for people with athsma. But regardless, anything within about 150 feet is going to see a tremendous amount of increased dust and dirt. :arrow:

It has been my experiance, useing a small pressure sand blaster outside in the sun and wind which I consider mandatory useing an air supplied respirator and welding gloves, a good blasting hood, one with a hardhat built in. That immediately after blasting and blowing down well with dry compressed air YOU MUST immediately coat the parts with one coat of a good sealer primer because the metal will start rusting before you get the blaster unhooked and the spray gun hooked up.Etching primer is OK but I have only needed to use a good sealing primer so far.

Mr. Mack,
Is there one sealing primer better than another? What have you used in the past? Should the entire car and associated components be one brand or is one manufacturer better for certain parts than others?
Is the frame and other components like the control arms, cross-member, steering arm and tie rod ends painted semi gloss black?
I guess I'm curious because I'll gladly bow down to any assistance...I want to do the job right......"if it is worth doing, it's worth doing right!" I heard this many times when I was growing up...might just be a saying from this part of the country.
Again, thanks to 'you' and 'odd parts' for responding so soon!!!!

Epoxy primer is often recommended. Learn all you want in the discussion section of this site - http://www.autobodystore.com/.

Jim

Thanks Jim...I'm headed there now!

A partial answer to part two of your question-what is painted black.The bare frame was completely black.This would include all brackets and hangers that are riveted on.This was done by the
manufacturer of the frame.Usually more than one company made them for Chevrolet.Sub-assemblies that were bolted on to the frame were painted seperately.The attaching bolts that secured them to the frame were not painted.The torque tube and differential housing was painted as a unit.Things like the spring U bolts and nuts were not painted.The front sway bar and its links are not painted.The bolts that fasten the rear springs to the car and bolts thru shackles are not painted.Any of the many bolts that hold the various sheet metal pans and inner fenders are not.The brake drums are black as are the backing plates.Hand brake cables not painted -also the brake and fuel lines and gas tank.Tie rods are as the were part of the front cross member and front suspension sub assembly.This is only a few of the items that come to mind-I guess that you will have to name the rest as you go along.

Chevgene,
You are the man, with the plan!
That's some good info that I need!!!!
My frame has a couple of stencils on it, kinda 'looks like' a keystone with a 'P' in the middle. Wonder if you or anybody knows where that rascal was manufactured? Pennsylvannia is my guess but maybe somebody can help?
Oh, that black paint is that semi-gloss or gloss?
Do you know if glass beading the bolts will clean 'em up like new or would something else be recommended?
Hey! Thanks again for the reply and help!!!!

Byron

The P would stand for Parish (may be spelled wrong) they were one of the companys.The other was A.O.Smith which was here in Milwaukee.The black paint was somewhat glossy but as it was put over the raw unsanded-unprimed steel it was not real glossy.It was just a low quality chassis paint.I don't know what to say about the bolts.Have a friend that has tried to save the old bolts.He cleaned them up and tried various things to preserve them including clear coat with no sucess.They have "rerusted" and the vehicle isn't even on the road as yet.

Theres a book called "Chevrolet 1947-1954" or something like that. It's a hard cover and has a red dust jacket. Anyway, there is a really good (albeit black and white) photo in there of the underside of I think a 52. Try to check it out.

Jason