Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I know the OP was looking for a spray paint for the cam cover but I'd like to recommend
powder coating, in the wrinkle finish. I've had several done this way and it is much more
consistent looking than painting (my paint job, anyway

Andy,

I don’t get on well with paint. I used Redditch Shot-blasting, who are a powder coating company in Redditch, not too far from Abingdon.

Richard Hawkins

RichardHawkins wrote:Andy,

I don’t get on well with paint. I used Redditch Shot-blasting, who are a powder coating company in Redditch, not too far from Abingdon.

Richard Hawkins

Do you recall how much they charged Richard?

I recently had my Cosworth BD cam cover powder coated and it cost me $80, which included installing a small number of plugs for designated holes. Quite a bit more expensive than paint, but very durable. The company I used did not have wrinkle powder coat in any colors, only textured.

Andy,

I paid £54 to Redditch Shot-blasting in September 2016.

Richard Hawkins

Giz,
At the risk of once again copying your magnificent Sprint (“Imitation is the sincerest, etc.”), where do you go for your powder coating, and what paint/color/finish do you request? I’ve never had anything powder coated before, so I don’t even know how to ask for a particular color or finish.
Thanks as always,
-John

John, I used two places: Miller's Powder Coating in Norcross, GA and Performance coatings in Mcdonough,
GA

https://www.headercoatings.com/

http://www.millerpowdercoating.com/Mill ... me_To.html

Performance did a better job at the wrinkle finish, but it was something else I needed in black. I don't
know what their red selection is.

Miller's was ok, but don't bother polishing anything until he's done. He blasts the item first, the powder
coats. Up to you then to polish what you'd like, like fins or letters.

Got it. Thanks.

I have a friend here in Columbia who is rebuilding a BMW 2002 with an E30 M3 engine (another subject entirely, but an intriguing project). Anyway, he's found a local powder coating resource whose doing a good job, so I'll probably talk to them first. But, how do I ask for a particular paint color or finish? I assume they don't use normal paint to powder coat, but, to be honest, I know very little about it!

-John

Powdercoating is an electrostatic process where a dry powder usually a thermoplastic is applied to an object via spray and then immediately baked to melt and cure to the surface of the object. There is a large color palette and multiple textures available from gloss, satin, flat, wrinkle, and multicolored mottle effect.

It's actually possible to buy a kit and materials and do it yourself. Like any coating, the surface prep is the key.

I use VHT, I preheat the cam cover in a timber box that I have a hairdryer or hot paint tripping gun blowing air into, I then remove the cover apply as directed light coat initially, then place cam cover back in the box to wriggle up and harden for an hour, then leave it...

No issue with her in doors and I'm able to control the wrinkle, if an area is less wrinkled, bringing the hot air closer to it briefly fixes it.

I've a selection range of cam covers on my mezzanine railing, I'll post a picture of my cam covers later today.

Cheers

V

Revealing my ignorance here so apologies in advance. I have a Big Valve engine with the ribbed cam cover. When you repaint the cover with wrinkle paint, or powder coating, what is the procedure to keep the paint off the high points which typically look polished? Is it a matter of very careful masking, machining the high points clear of paint after drying, or ??? My '73 is a European model with Dellortos and the existing cover is black. It appears that the proper color should be red.

When I painted mine, I already had the high points polished so I put a thin layer of Vasoline on the
polished parts and wiped it off when paint was dry. I told the powder coating guy to please wipe
the powder off the ribs and words. I know other methods like scraping or sanding work, too.

When I painted mine I sanded the paint off the LOTUS after the paint was dry.

I paint the whole cover, then with new razor blade remove the high points then sand and polish to finish.

I did the same as Greg Z - vaseline, then wipe off. Grease works as well.