TR4a Chassis Paint Coverage

[lord65]

I'm about to prime and paint my TR4a chassis. Does anyone know roughly what the area is and how much paint I will need?

 

I don't want to end up with gallons of unused expensive paint!

 

Many thanks

 

Simon Lord

[stuart]

I'm about to prime and paint my TR4a chassis. Does anyone know roughly what the area is and how much paint I will need?

 

I don't want to end up with gallons of unused expensive paint!

 

Many thanks

 

Simon Lord

Hi Simon

From memory i think about two litres of Smoothrite Hammerite will cover it, one on top and one underneath if sprayed with about twenty percent cellulose thinner. But it really depends on how good you are at spraying as a lot of material is wasted when spraying around brackets etc. Same applies for primer. I found Bondarust to be very good but it will need scotchbriting to provide a good key for topcoat. Hope this helps.

Regards

Stuart

[david ferry]

Simon,

 

Don't use smoothrite. It chips very easily.

 

I recently hand painted a TR4 chassis with some very good specialist chassis paint. Gave it a good covering. I used about 1.5 litres for the whole thing. Apparently 1.5 litres is supposed to cover 5 square metres

 

Regards

 

David

Edited April 27, 2006 by david ferry

[Tr4Tony]

Hi Simon

 

I go along with what David say in terms of brushing and paint - dont use a rigid paint (see under my rally car for evidence of longevity - all gone in under 2 years!);

 

Another tip ive picked up is to brush for volume / coverage and then thick spray on top for finish - not absolutely perfect mirror concours stuff byt very smooth and also gets inside a bit more.

 

Regards

 

Tony

 

PS - buy a very big plastic sheet!

[RobIsaacson]

Don't normally visit this forum but I saw the bit about paint.

Do not use Smoothrite, as previously noted it chips very, very easily.

 

I'm trying Bondaprimer from Bondaglass Voss with a topcoat of Jotamastic 87 from Jotun Paints. Apparently the Jotun paints set like concrete but I'll let you know on that in time.

 

That's my bit for what it's worth.

 

Regards

 

 

Rob

[TR 2100]

Do not use Smoothrite, as previously noted it chips very, very easily.

 

Topic within a topic - Hammerite Smoothrite. I used this on my last restoration, not on the chassis but all suspension parts, engine components etc. My experience was completely different - I found it gave an excellent hard glossy finish and I haven't noticed any problems with chipping. Some was hand painted, some sprayed (with Hammerite thinner). I was intending to use this on the chassis as well as suspension etc. for my next restoration.

 

Questions to you guys who found it chipped very easily - did you hand paint or spray? If you sprayed, did you thin with cellulose thinners? (NOT recommended by hammerite). When you say it chips easily, are you talking of road use or off-road use?

[duggan]

I too have used smooth Hammerite brushed on for bumper irons, steering box and tube, oil cap and other bits that live out of main view. I have not had any chipping or cracking anywhere over three years and a few thousand miles.

Good preparation, as with any paint, is important, although with Hammerite it is not nec. to get rid of hard surface rust.

It seems more robust and chip resistant than spray cans.

[BrianC]

If you sprayed, did you thin with cellulose thinners? (NOT recommended by hammerite).

I have brush-painted Hammerite with varying success for many years. I think the occasional failures, including chipping, have been as a result of cleaning the brushes with cheap cellulose thinners. If there is any trace when used in the next few days (possibly longer?) there seems to be a likelihood of affecting the Hammerite. I don't seem to have had a problem when using new brushes. I now intend using only the special Hammerite thinners (£££s) for cleaning any brushes likely to be used again with Hammerite.

Edited April 28, 2006 by BrianC

[RobIsaacson]

Hi all

I applied it by brush to areas of the chassis where the old underseal and paint looked tired. Cleaned the area up prior to application with a wire brush on an angle grinder, treated with a rust treatment and painted with Smoothrite.

This was whilst I had the diff and drive shafts out for overhaul.

I have recollections of starting to put stuff back and I knocked again the diff bridge with something and the paint chipped. Not a massive area, smaller than the nail on my little finger but it made me think about small stones flicked up from the road. I then started reading threads on this forum and others to obtain good / bad experiences.

Some think it better to use smoothrite and touch up the chips annually, which I can understand. Whereas others, myself included, would rather steer clear and use something far tougher.

I shall be leaving the diff bridge and the surrounding area of the chassis with the smoothrite as I really don't want to strip it all off and start again. It may give an indication of how good it really is if adjacent areas are painted with the Jotamastic i obtained.

The Jotamastic is certainly serveral times more expensive so it may be better to strip one half of the car and repaint it for a true test.

Keep us informedof what you do.

Regards

Rob

[rudi]

I used Hammerite on my chassis, not sprayed but brushed as a thick coat. No need to get the last spot of rust removed. Degrease the steel with cellulose thinner and brush. The paint will leave a very smooth finish. I used the same for all suspension components. After 3 years of rally use the paint is still ok. In case you still intend to spray, only use Hammerite thinners.

 

Regards, Rudi