I'd like to see what finishes you guys are using on hot rod suspension parts: paint, plating, polish, powdercoat, or anything else, whether it starts with a 'p' or not. Let's see some pics.
Here is the torsion bar suspension in my minor POR15 all the black Paint the silver - just some basic 1k paint, but seems to work really well Then the brass trunnion and the alloy lever arm are brushed (never really liked the polished look) Cheap, easy and gives a simple clean look
I am a real low life, I just get out the rattle can and go at it. Actually I have a tendency tp paint things and when I am not trying to get 'er done in a real all fired hurry I use 2 part epoxy. I used to use laquer or enamel depending on what I had at my disposal before you could get 2 part epoxy. I painted the entire undercarriage of an A coupe with emron enamel once, then used chrome nuts and bolts etc. it looked real good util it got a chip in the paint then the emron peeled like an orange. i'll never do that again.
I shot all me contral arms and 4 link bars with wrinkle finish and used a metallic grey spray can for the rear diff. After etch primer and a layer of primer it should stick pretty good I hope
I sprayed my last batch with Valspar primer and enamel from Tractor supply. It's nice enough to call production or driver quality, but not anything to slide mirrors under the car for. I did use some POR15 this week, for the first time. I was amazed at how FAST it dried, how HARD it was and how SHINY! I mean really, really fast, hard and shiny! I know, weird way to say it. It really did surprise me, though, and I have sprayed and brushed many, many gallons of paint in my life.
My Morris had suspension bits that looked like that a few years ago! My trunnions are painted, though: I had no idea they were brass. I'd like to see some photos of different finishes on early Ford hot rod suspensions, though. I can see my '31 A project's suspension in my head, but if I ask myself what colour and finish it is, I can't tell myself. Give me some examples!
I think it will depend on what your budget or your scope of the project is, I use rattle can satin finish over rattle can primer, it hold ok and it is easy to touchup. I'm thinking that my nextr project I'll try Eastwood's cheap powder coating and see how it holds. I won't use rattle can for a show car though.
If International Harvester Tractors had a somewhat shiny black in a spray can that was as good as their late model red in a spray can I'd use that. I painted the nose of a leased tractor with the red when it got damaged on the dairy I worked on and cow shit and daily pressure washing by less than careful farm workers didn't seem to faze it.
Miracle Paint - Goes on easy with no primer needed, flows flat and is tough as nails. I use Xylene from the local paint store to clean up. If the part is exposed to sunlight, I top coat with Eastwood Chassis Black within 12 hours. http://www.hirschauto.com/products.asp?dept=3
The frame is a rattle can paint called cast iron coat, the bars and axle are the same only different color. Been on there 2 years, looks good. Just prepped it and used good primer.
Rustoleum hammertone. Buy it at walmart, tough, nice looking and comes in lots of colors. I like the silver then run a red stripe on it. Another excuse to pinstripe.
No pics yet ,I bodyworked the rear already and torque tubes ,Sprayed them with rustoleum semi gloss,I didnt want to waste my good paint ,Came out great ,Sprayed it,Im on the backing plates right now.I ll tell you this ,It isnt fun,,,,,