Mike Goebel

So I'm not going to send out individual parts to get them zinc chromate plated at a min charge of $100-$200 and I don;t think I'm going to purchase a DIY kit. I'm also not going to take everything out of the engine bay just to be able to get all of it plated either. So first what do you guys like to use instead and does painting the parts really devalue the car?

1988 Turbo S

Thanks
Mike G.

Perry 951

I powdercoated much of my hardware and parts 20 years ago when I did my pseudo-resto. 70K miles later with a ton of washes and wrenches and it's held up very well. This time around I'll bead blast the bolt heads for better adhesion as some have chipped off, but overall, it's been a good choice. I used a $100 Eastwood kit, and old oven, and a toaster oven to do all of it.

Mike Goebel

Dang man did you polish the brake booster heat shield?? Looks nice for sure.

Thanks
Mike G.

Perry 951

Thanks for the compliment. I didn't polish it, just cleaned it (and the lift hook and several other items) with 040 steel wool and put on a high temp clear coat. It added a little lightness to the dark coating.

Coating is quite a bit of work because all the parts must be completely clean and oil free. Doing a 2 color (like the cam tower) is a whole other challenge on it's own. For me, it was fun learning how to do it and showing everyone on the forum as I went.

Tom M'Guinn

I do powder coating and zinc plating. The one real issue with yellow zinc, if you are going for that new car "look" is that it doesn't last that long. After a couple of seasons, it will lose it's new car look. You can clear coat it, but then it looks a little different anyway. Powder coating looks great years later (like Perry's great looking engine bay). But if you have an all-original 88 turbo s, powder coating probably does detract from value if your car is a candidate for the higher end collector set...

Humboldtgrin

You can powder coat your items zinc in color.

rlm328

Personally I like the looks of a bare metal engine that is clean.

Humboldtgrin

Something to consider is heat disipation(transfer) and heat soak(retaining) values of certain coatings. Yellow zinc has high heat dissipation and powder coating I don’t believe is as high due to how thick it is. The best heat dissipation is stock bare porous metal. The more coatings or thinkness of coatings and type of coatings the metal gets the more it retains heat, even polished metal isn’t as good at heat disipation than bare porous metal, infact polished metal isn’t very good at dispersing heat. And 951’s can generate some heat. A lot of heat!

You could always use a US currency 1 cent piece(penny)after 1981 because they are zinc, turn it into a washer for maybe a sensor and it will act as a sacrificial anode. Especially if you have stainless hardwhere on an aluminum engine and drive on roads that get salted during the snowy season. That’s what the coast guard does to prevent their ships from corroding. They use zinc plates. The zinc is the first thing to corrode for some reason due to electrolysis from the difference in the metals used. Plus it only costs a penny. And knowing it cost 1.5 cents to make a 1 cent piece your already saving money. Plus that will be for sure the cheapest item on your car!

Mike Goebel

I was only referring to parts that came yellow zinc coated from the factory. What I’m doing now is cheeping out and using VHT ceramic header paint in silver for all my parts. Sandblast them and then I paint them but what I didn’t realize is this a very specific bake out schedule for that paint. I shot this one piece and hit it with a heat gun for 10 minutes while drinking a beer that’s about all I can tolerate. I guess I need to get myself I toaster oven they can get to 600° F

Voith

I did what they do on new hi priced cars. Forgot whats the name, I think its hexavalent something but the company that did these for me also does hardware for porsche, ferrari, lamborghini etc.

Mike Goebel

Yeah that’s the shizzle my brizzle!

I just don’t have the car at that level of disassembly. And if I did I’d never Remember where all the **** goes back!

Thanks
mike G.

Voith

I wouldn't either thats why I photographed the **** out of everything

gruhsy

The word you are looking for should be hexavalent chromate

Chapman951

Anything wrong with applying WD40 to all the nuts, bolts, washers, latches, hinges every 6 months?

MAGK944

If you can put up with the smell every time it heats up then go for it.

I would imagine plating is done for two main reasons, to avoid the constant re-applying of rust prevention fluids and for aesthetics, it just looks good. Same reason folk paint their cars instead of just applying oils to bare steel every few months.