How to finish my frame

[jimmyfloyd]

I am looking to finish my frame. There is a bunch of scaling on it and I want to clean it up before it gets too bad.

What is the best way to go about this? O can lift the body off the frame, which is probably preferred, but what should U use to remove hte rust and then seal it back up again?

Thanks

[poncho1961]

You have choices from little labor lots of money to lots of labor, little money. Have it blasted or dipped, wire brushes by hand or on a grinder, lots of scraping and sanding. Hower you choose to remove it, once done, the finishing part will depend on what your looking to accomplish and how or where you plan to drive it. Primes and painted will work for a summertime cruiser on the street, winter or off roading you may want to look at the POR product line to really seal it up.

[jimmyfloyd]

Labor is not an issue. Money is more on an issue, as is space.

I got a quote from a place locally that said they could sand blast it for $200. Not sure if that's a good price or not. Would involve me removing the running gear, which I might have to do anyways to clean it up.

Also considering getting a sand blazer of my own to use to do the frame, and also the underside of the body.

The truck will mostly be a summer driver, with some occasional offroad time, although nothing crazy. I would like to keep the option of driving it in the winter if my main car should go down, but would prefer not to.

Looking around, POR 15 or Zero Rust seem to be the recommended finishing materials.

[71' Formula 461]

$200 sounds about rite for blasting. As for topcoating, if I did it over again I would use POR-15 rather than powdercoat, even with my Car Capsule storage system I got some surface rust on my frame after one winter storage.

[cj112674]

If you are looking into doing it yourself (sandblasting) make sure you have a strong enough air compressor to keep up with the balster or it will be a waiste of money.

[The Chief]

Here is my 1955 frame painted with POR 15

Before

Midway and blasted


Finished with POR15

[71' Formula 461]

Nice frame, did you use UV topcaot or just the basic 15? Your garage floor looks just like mine, I used the Rustoleum junk, I am going to try U-Coat-It later this year.

[The Chief]

Nope thats just the standard POR15, that picture was taken at a spare industrial unit we have at work

[Chuck]

Does look sweet!

[mrpontiac65]

I like how you paint POR15 with a brush and it smooths out with-out brush strokes, never tried spraying it.

[The Chief]

Mine was sprayed

[mrpontiac65]

I did the inner fenders of my '77 LTDII when I had the front end body work done

[ytwoktt]

hmm the guy that is doing my body work, and plans to get my frame done for me told me one guy quoted 3000.00 to blast and paint the frame, frame on. i think he was trying to feel me out to see what i would say. i have never restored a car before so i dont know what is reasonable. reading the posts here, i am beginning to think the final estimate he gave me was pretty ridiculous. he said that he told the 3000.00 guy it was too much so he would try another guy but the other guy would only be sandblasting the frame, and he doesnt paint it. he said that he figured the guy would charge me 1500.00. now i know that sounds ridiculous. to paint the frame make it look like new and to sandblast it and to be reasonable about it all frame on, not removing the frame what would be reasonable? 500.00??? im kinda pissed at my body guy now, for giving me a ridiculous estimate.

[Mr. HARDCORE]

LOL! well, let's just say, A guy's gotta get paid. Let's just hope it's not by you.

[ytwoktt]

that doesnt answer my question, what amount is reasonable?

[The Chief]

With the frame on its gonna be a lot higher as its a lot more work. I would take the damn frame off myself, it wil only be away a week tops

[hrtbt_1]

I have been told that the is a place down here that will blast a bare frame for around $200. I have never had it done though.

[jimmyfloyd]

Yeah, I was quoted $200 to blast my frame if it was bare. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Some of the extra cost of the other person posting could come from having the body on the frame. You then have to work around a lot of obstacles.

I still think that is high, and probablt shouldn't be more than a grand to do.

I was quoted $1200 to blast the body of my truck just cause they had to switch mediums in thier unit to do it.

[Mr. HARDCORE]

Originally Posted by ytwoktt

that doesnt answer my question, what amount is reasonable?

Your question was answered before you posted. If you pay over $200 for sandblasting a frame, you're paying too much. Now if you want them to take it off the car, paint it and all that shit, expect to pay a lot more. Labor ain't cheap, man! Nor, should it be.

[poncho1961]

Originally Posted by A.X.

LOL! well, let's just say, A guy's gotta get paid. Let's just hope it's not by you.

Originally Posted by ytwoktt

that doesnt answer my question, what amount is reasonable?

Looks like it was answer. That price is not reasonable.

I've never had a frame blasted. I HAVE had very large pump housings that required forklifts to move blasted. Tubes that measure 18" to 24" in diameter and anywhere from 5' to 16' long. These normally cost us around 250.00 or so to blast. 1500.00 seems very unreasonable. I also don't see the point in blasting a frame, with body on. How good of job is it gonna do? The visible parts may be clean, but the same areas where road salt hides on top and corrodes the frame will not be touched by the blaster. The corrosion will spread from those points.

Keep shopping. I'm sure if you contacted a blasting company direct instead of allowing the body guy to do it, you would get a better more realistic price.