Dip Painting ?s

[bigchevydaddy]

Yup, Hung on a wire and dripped. No primer, either, just bare metal dipped in black.

On many parts, it looks like whatever oil or other coating the bare metal gets was not real condusive to the dip coat sticking, and that's why on lots of parts, just the runs are still there after nearly 40 years.

Since I want my newly restored parts to last, I epoxy or etch prime and then spray. Not the way the General did it, but looks very close (actually better) and lasts a long time. I've tried powder coat, but down here it's incredibly expensive, and not much more durable than hardened paint.

Good luck! BCD.

[Mr70]

This isn't a real good shot,but in reality it shows the uneveness of dip painting.
You can notice the thin areas right away,as well as the areas it collected in too.
The drips are real prevelant as well.

[Woj]

I have an unrestored 69 SS Chevelle and the dip painted items are noticeable (due to runs) upon close inspection (air cleaner, horns, license bracket). Personally, I think the effort to duplicate that painting method it is hardly worth it. I have numerous (but not always obvious) runs in the dipped items. If you want to duplicate the runs, that is easy. I'd personally do a nice prep with black primer (in case the paint chips) and then use your desired paint. Add the runs if you want. No one is looking for them.

Just my $.02 worth. Hope your project goes well.

Phil Woj.

PS. Runs aren't limited to the dipped items, the General had runs in numerous places on my cars. Especially the dash. I even have trunk spatter paint on my glove box door (69 Camaro 11k miles).

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Some of us duplicate the runs, even if it means a point deduction with the judges. Restore 'em as we found 'em, no better - no worse!

[ORIGLS6]

Why dip the parts? I can get runs with rattle cans!

[Steve Shauger]

Nothin like virgin runs . Runs and all, nothing like a well preserved survivor car.

[SS427]

Dipping also gives many parts a whole different appearence then those that are sprayed as it gives the part a shadow or halo appearence that cannot be acheived from spraying.

[Keith Tedford]

When I transferred to the Oshawa truck plant in 1983, they still had a parts paint line. The parts did go through a cleaning tank before being painted. The trick can some times be figuring out which hole the part was hung from when going down the paint line. Wouldn't want the runs going the wrong direction. Just lately, a guy was telling me that the paint tanks actually had a couple of inches of paint floating on water. If this were true, the part would be coated with paint before it hit the water. The only reason for the water would be to cut down the amount of paint sitting in the tank. Anyone else ever heard this story. It came from a Corvette guy, and you know how they can be about restorations?