Aluminum panels

[Ponymedic]

Hello all. Trying to get a clear vision of how to finish the aluminum panels in particular those in the engine bay. What have others done? Anyone willing the share pictures/ advice would be terrific

Thanks
Nick

[Papa]

Nick,

I'm sure you'll get lots of responses with what others have done and what they like. I'll tell you what I did, and what I'd do if I were doing it again. I wanted a durable finish that would be low maintenance. I also wanted to do it myself to save some money. I ended up prepping my panels and spraying a Rustoleum bed liner on them. I was pretty pleased with the look, but here are the problems with this choice. First, the finish chips/scratches much easier than I would have expected it to. It is nowhere near as durable as a professionally sprayed bed liner like Line-X. Second, the textured finish makes it difficult to remove dirt from. There is just enough texture that any cloth or paper towels leave lint behind.

So, if I had it to do over, I would have just left the aluminum raw and used Shark Hide to prevent it from oxidizing or corroding. If I really wanted color on the panels, I would have paid the money to have them powder coated.

I hope this helps give you some info to help you decide what to do with yours.

Dave

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Did bed liner. With the Coyote very little of the alloy actually shows, not worth the effort to me to polish it. Bed liner mends easy with a quick spray. Footboxes & Firewall are ThermoTec



Over the course of the build use xylene, toluene, acetone & alcohol to clean the panels. All did a good job all were used outside. Then went with a aluminum etching rattle can primer finally the bedliner. Panels including the underside of the car are all in good shape with 10K+ miles.

[Arvin]

I put a clear matt powdercoat on.Engine.jpg

[Mark Eaton]

Nick, I used POR15 rattle can with the full degreaser and metal prep. That was before I saw the "powder coating light". Over all its OK but not nearly as durable as powder coat. Half way into my build I'm not going to go back and redo but if I had to do over definitely would powder coat.

Mark

[BB767]

Finished 10.jpgIMG_0275.jpg

Goals; bare aluminum (no coatings), hide scratches, low maintenance, inexpensive, dress it up a little.
Finish; "swirled" aircraft aluminum, automotive paste wax.
Result; 1 year in and still looks like the day I installed it. Cleans easily, inevitable scratches are hard to spot and can be "erased" with some careful spot buffing.

[Blue Viking]

I put a clear matt powdercoat on.Engine.jpg

Thank you very much for that info. Another pre build decision made, thats the second one today... Did you do anything other than clean with solvent prior to powder coating? Also, thinking it might be smart to powder coat even before drilling, to protect from scratches from an early stage?? Thoughts?

[Papa]

Thank you very much for that info. Another pre build decision made, thats the second one today... Did you do anything other than clean with solvent prior to powder coating? Also, thinking it might be smart to powder coat even before drilling, to protect from scratches from an early stage?? Thoughts?

Great choice! If you plan to powder coat them, your coater will prep them. You should fit and drill everything before getting them coated.

Dave

[Arvin]

Yes, drill prior to powder coating. You will have to "chase" some of the holes after powder coating however. I cleaned the aluminum with a solvent, sanded with 120 gritt paper and then all the way to 400 gritt, and then I but a slight finish in the aluminum with a fine scotch brite in one direction.

[Blue Viking]

I guess i'll experiment a bit with sanding/ scotch brite to see how it looks like. I powder coat myself, so that won't be a problem, except maybe the larger panels. Still a long way from building, but it is nice to get those questions that suddenly pop into my head answered.

[Tex2131]

IMG_1070.JPG I used a silver powder coat and it turned out great.

[Paul2STL]

If you powder coat yourself I think that would be your answer. I powder coated most of the panels myself, the only ones I didn't do was the firewall and driver foot box. And that was only because they wouldn't fit in my home oven and could of modified it to fit if I really wanted. You really don't need to powder coat all the aluminum panels. The ones that faced the bottom of the car or faced the outside I used Raptor liner. The kit is $99 and you can do all the panels with the kit. On the interior panels and trunk panels I sprayed Lizard skin. Most of the panels that will be seen can be powder coated by you. I did get good powder I think that makes a difference, the Eastwood and Harbor Freight powders are not that great in my opinion. I bought Prismatic powders that are two part base and clear coat. The clear makes it really durable. I think they have really good powders and a large selection. Powder coat and you will never say I wish I would of done anything else. All these panels in the pic I did myself and the rivets also.


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[GFX2043mtu]

Powder coat defiantly, super durable and if you shop around can be done for a reasonable price. Gloss colors especially black don’t hide scratches well so my vote is on a mat or semi gloss is lighter colors like silver or white. Although black can be done just be careful on the handling not to mar the finish to badly that you can see the flaw. I did gloss black and if I did it again I may do a semi gloss silver.