What to Powder Coat, Plate or Paint

[kurtwwalters]

I have a pile of parts I'm ready to get pretty. These parts will go on a 73 240 that is in no way original anymore - I bought it that way. I mean this car has gills for heavens sake. So I have no guilt pangs about blinging it up a bit.

I will soon be making a trip to the powder coater and plating shops and I'm not sure which way to go on a few parts. I know some of it is personal preference, but for other items there may be functional reasons to go one way or another that you guys with more experience out there would know better than I. I threw together a list of parts - I know I forgot some stuff, but it's a start. Here is my list:

Powder Coat:

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Control arms, crossmembers, sway bars, struts, tension links, moustache bar, misc other suspension parts other than bolts, metal part of steering column in the engine bay

Plate:

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All fasteners, washers, tow hook, striker plates, door hardware, hood latch, door latch, hatch latche and dovetails, hood prop rod, hood hinges and rods, misc brackets from inside the engine compartment, washer nozzles

Paint:

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Differential - I don't want to take it apart just to powder coat it

Motor and tranny mounts - rubber so I can only paint

????:

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Drive line & yokes - balancing issues?

Steering Rack - some parts one way some another?

Transmission - what have some of you guys done?

I'd be curious to hear what other members have done. Thanks in advance...

[cunniwj]

What about your air filter cover, I've seen that done.

[Zs-ondabrain]

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Drive line & yokes - balancing issues?

Steering Rack - some parts one way some another?

Transmission - what have some of you guys done?

I'd be curious to hear what other members have done. Thanks in advance...

On the tranni, I washed it down first using a degreaser, then I used a 6" wire wheel on my buffer (hand held) and rand it all over the tranni to give it that shiny "Cast" look. Turned out pretty decent. No painting, polishing, plating and or dissasembly needed. You can barely see the tranni in the pic but it looked great when it was first done.

I also did the same thing on the master cylinder. 6" on the 1/2 horse bench top.

Dave.

[kurtwwalters]

Has anybody out there powder coated their driveline? Half Shafts? Are there balancing issues with powder coating the drive line? Thanks in advance guys...

[240znz]

I got my gearbox and bell housing bead blasted. Came up looking new. Only problem is that they will soon be covered in road grime, so I guess a clear powdercoat would help the cleaning process but hardly worth it unless the intent is to show the car, IMO.

I have used a spray can to paint the half shafts. Haven't changed the universals in the driveshaft yet but probably paint the assembly the same as the half shafts. Then I'll get it balanced just to be sure (and because I didn't mark the spline before pulling it apart..DOH. Your 70 has a split driveshaft)

[hls30.com]

After cleaning aluminum, be sure to clear coat, wax or paint it-corrosion starts fast and makes it look furry fast.

Will