Attempting to save a dodge...
#91
Registered User
Me, I'm on the Way Back Machine listening to the Talking Heads and grilling some kabobs with home grown beef and veggies and wondering what the normal folks are doing...
#92
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Posts: 6,770
Received 1,637 Likes
on
1,112 Posts
Hard to believe it's been 8 years.
Time for an update.
I have been working with a company here that does all my powder coating for me for my biz and personal. They're the ones who did the powder coating of my custom rear bumper I made a billion years ago, and we've been working together since.
The company started doing frame coatings for new trucks, and ventured off to do old trucks too. I had them blast my bumper and entire truck frame on my box truck and coat that with the specialty frame coating stuff they do on the new trucks. THey also sprayed my rear bumper of my new box with the same stuff. Well, I decided to have the do the brick, and here are some of the photos from it.
Started off with just removing everything that was physically able to be removed, including the fuel tank, exhaust, shocks, brake lines were pulled off the frame and hung, outboard boat fuel tank was mounted in the bed, and hoses run up to it to be able to drive it around. I must have drove it for 2 weeks or so with no fuel tank in the truck, no shocks, no exhaust. It was really bumpy, and LOUD.
Here's where I started.
Boat fuel tank under there
Yuk.
Yuck too.
Driving around with no stuff underneath
Time for an update.
I have been working with a company here that does all my powder coating for me for my biz and personal. They're the ones who did the powder coating of my custom rear bumper I made a billion years ago, and we've been working together since.
The company started doing frame coatings for new trucks, and ventured off to do old trucks too. I had them blast my bumper and entire truck frame on my box truck and coat that with the specialty frame coating stuff they do on the new trucks. THey also sprayed my rear bumper of my new box with the same stuff. Well, I decided to have the do the brick, and here are some of the photos from it.
Started off with just removing everything that was physically able to be removed, including the fuel tank, exhaust, shocks, brake lines were pulled off the frame and hung, outboard boat fuel tank was mounted in the bed, and hoses run up to it to be able to drive it around. I must have drove it for 2 weeks or so with no fuel tank in the truck, no shocks, no exhaust. It was really bumpy, and LOUD.
Here's where I started.
Boat fuel tank under there
Yuk.
Yuck too.
Driving around with no stuff underneath
#93
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Posts: 6,770
Received 1,637 Likes
on
1,112 Posts
Next was the blasting, which was contracted out to a blasting dude that loves to breath in dust. Man that stuff got everywhere, and it took forever to get it all out, but I think most of it is gone now.
Few pics from the "blased brick".
Few pics from the "blased brick".
#94
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Posts: 6,770
Received 1,637 Likes
on
1,112 Posts
Next step was the process of rust proofing.
FIrst they spray some sort of rust converter on everything.
They spray some sort of waxy stuff on there after that.
Then they spray some sort of black undercoating on the entire underbody.
Took about 5 days sitting in their shop. I was restoring the exhaust, welding sections together so "no more clamps", and painting the exhaust with an engine paint from Eastwood. Good Stuff !
In their shop
Restored Dimond eye
FIrst they spray some sort of rust converter on everything.
They spray some sort of waxy stuff on there after that.
Then they spray some sort of black undercoating on the entire underbody.
Took about 5 days sitting in their shop. I was restoring the exhaust, welding sections together so "no more clamps", and painting the exhaust with an engine paint from Eastwood. Good Stuff !
In their shop
Restored Dimond eye
The following users liked this post:
thrashingcows (11-04-2022)
#96
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Posts: 6,770
Received 1,637 Likes
on
1,112 Posts
Well
They finished up the undercoating and I took the truck back. Takes a couple weeks for the stuff to fully cure, but I didn't go anywhere anyway with it being in that condition. I had all the parts I took off the truck powder coated (most of them), including skid plates, sway bar brackets, frame spring slappers, E brake brackets, shock brackets, and just about anything I could, I had them blast and powder coat. I didn't want to have to ever go through this again, so here she is.
I haven't fully replaced everything back under there, but it's 90% at this point.
What it looked like when I got it back.
3 days of grinding rust with a dremmel and rust converting the oil pan
They finished up the undercoating and I took the truck back. Takes a couple weeks for the stuff to fully cure, but I didn't go anywhere anyway with it being in that condition. I had all the parts I took off the truck powder coated (most of them), including skid plates, sway bar brackets, frame spring slappers, E brake brackets, shock brackets, and just about anything I could, I had them blast and powder coat. I didn't want to have to ever go through this again, so here she is.
I haven't fully replaced everything back under there, but it's 90% at this point.
What it looked like when I got it back.
3 days of grinding rust with a dremmel and rust converting the oil pan
The following 3 users liked this post by NJTman:
#97
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Posts: 6,770
Received 1,637 Likes
on
1,112 Posts
#98
Registered User
Looks great!! I really hope the coating lasts, that was a lot of work! What is their guarantee, or best prediction of longevity?
I'm going the have to take patches off the road within the next year or two to do a complete tear down and redo...the wear tear from the winter driving is really starting to take it's toll. Gonna try and get Sno-Ball done so I can use that while Patches is down for the redo.
I'm going the have to take patches off the road within the next year or two to do a complete tear down and redo...the wear tear from the winter driving is really starting to take it's toll. Gonna try and get Sno-Ball done so I can use that while Patches is down for the redo.
#103
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Posts: 6,770
Received 1,637 Likes
on
1,112 Posts
Looks great!! I really hope the coating lasts, that was a lot of work! What is their guarantee, or best prediction of longevity?
I'm going the have to take patches off the road within the next year or two to do a complete tear down and redo...the wear tear from the winter driving is really starting to take it's toll. Gonna try and get Sno-Ball done so I can use that while Patches is down for the redo.
I'm going the have to take patches off the road within the next year or two to do a complete tear down and redo...the wear tear from the winter driving is really starting to take it's toll. Gonna try and get Sno-Ball done so I can use that while Patches is down for the redo.
I don't know the warranty, as I haven't heard back from the manufacturer as of yet. Once I do, I'll let you know.
These photos were taken today. Been several weeks, and I'm mostly happy with the product. It is failing on the leaf springs, but I can't be mad about that because what survives being applied to our leaf springs ? Not much.
LEaf springs failing
Valugard flier
Valugard flier
Valugard flier
Frame today
#104
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Posts: 6,770
Received 1,637 Likes
on
1,112 Posts
Website : Home | ValuGard: Rust Inhibitor Spray
#105
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Posts: 6,770
Received 1,637 Likes
on
1,112 Posts
The blasting, fogging and coating of the frame cost me $3800.00.
The powder coating of all the stuff I took off was another $800.00.
Figure $5000 was about right, and I did all the labor except for the coating process.
To me, it's a business expense, and worth every penny. It was this or go out and buy another truck. I got off cheap if you ask me.