To paint or not to paint... my Corky Breast plate!?!

Anonymous · August 18, 2004, 10:14

Well folks I thought I might as well order a breastplate, even though I don't have a Roadster yet! At least I can fit it when I get one, plus Corky just made a batch of them up and I just couldn't resist buying one! s:roll: :roll: s:roll: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

I received it last week and am very impressed by the craftsmanship. However, as it is in a bare metal finish I was concerned that it may corrode - given all the salt they chuck onto the roads when it gets icy.

So have the peeps that got them painted them, or not bothered?

For those that haven't; how have they held up - have they corroded at all?

To those that have painted them; what did you use? Hammerite? Sprayed or brushed on?

Thanks

Adrian s:)

s:)

Tem · August 18, 2004, 10:53

Isn't that aluminum? It doesn't rust...

Mine's been on for...uhm...3 years I think and it still looks like new. I don't have the corky-version though.

Anonymous · August 18, 2004, 11:07

It is aluminium, but it still corrodes - my old aluminium jet ski trailer (and bits oif the jet ski for that matter!) were a little worse for wear for being dunked in and out of the sea! So I thought is there a similar problem with the breastplate from all the salt they chuck on the roads.

However, if there's no corrosion issues with the breastplate, then I won't bother painting it...

Any one else had a look at theirs???

Tem · August 18, 2004, 11:39

Oops...I meant to say anodized aluminum s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

If it's bare aluminum, I'd paint it.

Anonymous · August 18, 2004, 12:15

Ahh, that makes sense - I wondered why you said that! s:)

s:)

No, it's not anodised, just a bare metal finish.

So what have people with the corky breastplate painted it with... any recommendations?

Liz · August 18, 2004, 14:26

Best person to ask really would be Corky, I am sure that if they were meant to be painted then he would of recommended that it be done?

aaronjb · August 18, 2004, 14:46

A quick search on Spyderchat reveals that only his initial run of plates were Anodized, latter ones were plain ally...

(search for 'corky *plate* anod*' there if you want to find the exact thread)

Anonymous · August 18, 2004, 14:46

I did ask Corky and he said that he hadn't bothered painting his - but then he said that they don't salt the roads in his part of the states!

Which is why I was wondering what people in this country with them had done...

anyone? s:roll: :roll: s:roll: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

aaronjb · August 18, 2004, 14:49

I don't think anyone in this country has done anything other than fitted theirs - if they have, they haven't posted about it..

Personally I was just going to fit it, but if you wanted to pain it - I'd go for a paint designed for the underbody of a car like a stone guard paint, otherwise all the chips from stones will quickly take the paint straight off...

Or perhaps waxoyl it? (Or is that waxoil.. never can remember s:)

s:) )

Anonymous · August 18, 2004, 14:56

Quote from: "aaronjb"I don't think anyone in this country has done anything other than fitted theirs - if they have, they haven't posted about it..

Personally I was just going to fit it, but if you wanted to pain it - I'd go for a paint designed for the underbody of a car like a stone guard paint, otherwise all the chips from stones will quickly take the paint straight off...

Or perhaps waxoyl it? (Or is that waxoil.. never can remember s:) s:) )

Hmm... good thinking Batman! I suppose hammerite would just chip off! Although I'm still not sure if i'll bother painting it s:crazyeyes: :crazyeyes: s:crazyeyes: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · August 18, 2004, 20:30

Before painting bare alluminium, it must be etch-primed, otherwise any paint will come off faster than a tarts knickers. s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Tem · August 19, 2004, 07:18

Quote from: "Mr 2"I did ask Corky and he said that he hadn't bothered painting his - but then he said that they don't salt the roads in his part of the states!

Salt isn't your friend. I really have no idea what kind of salt you use in UK, but if it's anything like ours, bare aluminum will rust. Not as fast as bare iron and it might take 10 years for it to actually break...but since we're talking about a plate that's supposed to stiffen the car, I wouldn't want to make it weaker. If it sees salt, paint it, it's not a big job s;)

s;)

As for paint...I'd use a paint meant for aluminum wheels. I've used it before on some undercar parts and it seems to hold on pretty well. Just about any other paint will be chipped off over time by the dirt flying under there...

kanujunkie · August 19, 2004, 09:03

Quote from: "Les"Before painting bare alluminium, it must be etch-primed, otherwise any paint will come off faster than a tarts knickers. s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

nicely put..... s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

as Tem put as well you must etch Ally before painting it as there is enough moisture in the atmosphere to begin corrosion (which is like a white powder, sometimes flakey). straight painting it will seal in some of that moisture and just speed up the process of corrosion. At work we use a chemical called Aluchrome which i don't know is available on the open market but there will always be something similar available.
Any car bodywork paint is designed for painting this application, the other important bit is to prime the metal with a good ally primer

Anonymous · August 19, 2004, 09:39

Thanks Les, Tem, Kanujunkie;

I'll get painting then!

There's a car paint shop in town so i'll pop there after work to get some ali etch primer and see if they do any underbody paint.

I'll let you all know how I get on...

s8)

s8)

kanujunkie · August 19, 2004, 10:57

i wouldn't worry about underbody painting as it would have been sealed in the factory, just use a jointing compound on the bolts and the parts of the plate that touch the car

Anonymous · August 19, 2004, 12:16

Quote from: "kanujunkie"i wouldn't worry about underbody painting as it would have been sealed in the factory, just use a jointing compound on the bolts and the parts of the plate that touch the car

I meant under body paint for the breastplate! I think I've seen somewhere that you can buy the stuff - it's thick and rubbery and resists stone chips really well.

What jointing compound would you recommend, btw?

kanujunkie · August 19, 2004, 14:13

Doh!!

Anonymous · August 19, 2004, 14:14

Paint it red, it'll make the car go faster.

kanujunkie · August 19, 2004, 14:34

don't start the colour/speed thing again.........!!!!!!!!! s:? :? s:?

Anonymous · August 20, 2004, 15:34

Well after much thought and talking to "people in the know", I've decided to waxoyl (or as Aaron said - is it waxoil!) it when it's attached to the car.

So just need a car to attach it to now! s:lol: :lol: s:lol: