Por 15

[lance leblanc]

Im about to paint my chassis, subbody, splash pans, brake rods, drive line and sub running boards and the more I prepare for paint the more I wonder "Should I paint this to?" I know manufacture claims of not being UV friendly and exposed parts need to be top coated. But I have never used the product before and for the price of this stuff I don't want to waste it in the can or on my car. Any advice?

[James Rogers]

I used it on my seat frame 10 years ago and just recently took the seat bottom out and the POR15 still looked great. I did notice it will set up in the can no matter how tight you put the lid on. It does go on really thick but it encapsulates the rust.

[Jim/GA]

Originally Posted by lance leblanc

Im about to paint my chassis, subbody, splash pans, brake rods, drive line and sub running boards and the more I prepare for paint the more I wonder "Should I paint this to?" I know manufacture claims of not being UV friendly and exposed parts need to be top coated. But I have never used the product before and for the price of this stuff I don't want to waste it in the can or on my car. Any advice?

This paint is amazing. I use it all over the place. The UV warning only applies to things left out in the sun all day, every day (like my mailbox). Everything on a car that I have used it on has done fine.

Make sure the metal is roughened up to give the paint something to get a grip on. Rust is a good thing for this. On new or very well cleaned metal, roughen with medium coarse sandpaper, etc.

As far as sealing the can, don't open the lid. Punch a hole in the lid and one on the side up near the top (above the liquid level). Pour out what you need from the side hole into a disposable container. (I use cheap aluminum miniature loaf pans and small cheap disposable foam paint brushes.) Put sheet metal screws in the holes after you pour out what you need, then invert the can for a few seconds to have some of the paint weep out through the threads to seal it.

This paint cures by absorbing moisture out of the air, so you want to minimize the time the can is open. Try not to paint during very humid times because the paint gets thick while you work with it.

Do not shake the can or you trap air in the paint. Swirl the can to stir.

Wear gloves. Any paint on your skin has to wear off.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Lance,

Humble Opinion:

Twenty 20 or so years ago I called POR whereby the gentleman informed me how POR products were developed in chemical labs to successfully paint oil rigs in the salt waters of the North Sea in Europe.

A few vintage car owners recently reported to POR that their POR painted vehicles survived "Hurricane Katrina" after being submerged in salt water for weeks -- their non-POR painted vehicles were afterwards a ball of rust & with pitted metal.

The POR gentleman mentioned that over 90% of all POR failures occured with know-it-all professional painters who incorrectly applied POR products on improperly prepared surfaces rather than "strictly" following POR unique "step by step" instructions for preparing surfaces & applying POR first & final coats.

One simple example: The first POR step is to remove dirt & grease from metal with recommended water based POR Marine Clean, which emulsifies & "removes" grease; however, the painter uses paint thinner which thins the grease & allows it to soak in the porous metal like seasoning a black iron skillet; hence, he knows oil based primers stick to greasy metal, but finds out that POR 15 does not & peels off like Saran Wrap so for him, POR is terrible.

Remember in successfully applying any coating on oily, rusty vintage vehicles, 95% of one's time & dirty hard work is spent on surface preparation & only about 5% of one's time is spent on applying the final coatings -- why not spend a little more money to do the 5% once, follow directions, & be finished for future generations to come -- I did so 20 years ago on a Model A frame, & also less than a year ago on an entire Model A undercarrage, included but not limited to brake rods, shock links, axles, etc. etc.

Also top coated everything with extremely tough POR Chassis material so highway rocks will not chip the final finish.

I will only use the small POR 6-pack containers, pour out what I need, cover can with Saran Wrap prior to installing cover, & store prior opened cans upside down to seal out air -- use $1.00 Wal-Mart 1" brushes once & throw away; when dry, it takes a sharp hack saw to cut through the hardened POR in the paint brush -- always use rubber gloves; if POR is not immediately wiped of with POR Thinner & dries on you skin it will not come off easily.

Also thoroughly prepared, primed, & painted a Model A boat trailer axle with Rustleom 52 years ago. With outside storage & limited highway use, accompanied with only a few salt water fishing trips, this paint product in a humid environment lasted a full year before rust reoccured.

Just one opinion for anyone living in humid climates.

[Jim Brierley]

After opening the can, I pour the remainder in glass jars with lids that seal tightly and store in the fridge (use your garage fridge, the wife complains when I use hers) Be sure and remove ALL of the paint where the lid and the glass come together or you will never get the lid off. I have kept it for over a year like this, and still can use a little at a time without it hardening.

[lance leblanc]

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Quote:
"This paint cures by absorbing moisture out of the air, so you want to minimize the time the can is open. Try not to paint during very humid times because the paint gets thick while you work with it."

Damn So I can't use it in South Louisiana!

[H. L. Chauvin]

Might add:

1. Call their POR 1-800 number often when specific technical questions or doubts arise -- over the past 20 years, their technicians have been most courteous, carefully trained, & fully familiar with all of their products when discussing vintage vehicles.

2. POR 15 is also great on partially exposed Model A chassis wood, like under Townsedans -- makes it hard like steel.

[Purdy Swoft]

Most older paints are porous. Rust can go from the metal, right through and cover the old paint.. When rust penetrates and covers the old finish, the old paint remains under the rust. sanding the surface rust will reveal the old paint. In such cases, the surface rust and the old finish under the rust must be removed. POR 15 needs to be applied over the base metal. POR 15 works good on clean rusty metal, not surface rust with old paint underneath. This is important.

[Russ/40]

Originally Posted by Jim Brierley

After opening the can, I pour the remainder in glass jars with lids that seal tightly and store in the fridge (use your garage fridge, the wife complains when I use hers) Be sure and remove ALL of the paint where the lid and the glass come together or you will never get the lid off. I have kept it for over a year like this, and still can use a little at a time without it hardening.

Exactly what I do. Shelf life has been unaffected. Adding, I always pour out what I intend to use immediately, to minimize exposure of the remaining.

[lance leblanc]

How about masking differental plugs, grease fittings and such? A little common sense needs to be used I understand, but is there something I have not considered ea., linkage, tie rods, misc bolts and hardware.

[Jim/GA]

The chemistry of this paint is the same as Super Glue. Anything that you paint that you want to remove later (like a drain plug) will be glued in place. I think you will be able to break the drain plug loose, so that's not a real problem, but you do need to think about this before you paint assemblies. Some of them will be hard to take apart later. Residual grease and oil around grease fittings, etc., will probably protect them.

Regarding painting with humidity, I wait until mid-day in Houston and the relative humidity is low enough to work with this paint.

[H. L. Chauvin]

More on POR:

POR 15 dries rapidly in humid climates with warm weather -- 1-1/2 hours at 90 degrees & 90% humidity vs. 4-5 hours at 50 degrees & 30% humidity

Not a bad idea to add 10% POR thinner to POR 15 & POR chassis top coats for brush applications in warm humid climates to eliminate immediate thickening.

Small parts like brake rods, shock links, nuts, bolts, washers, etc. work better with 15% POR thinner.

Place nuts & washers spaced on wood dowels prior to applying POR 15.

For bolt heads, get a 48" square sheet perforated hardboard at Home Depot with holes 1" apart & enlarge separate rows of holes to 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2" etc. Insert bolts in enlarged holes to hold same in place.

For threaded brake clevises: Drill flat side of a 2x4 with several holes, place sharpened wood dowels in holes pointing upwards, & screw brake clevises on dowels to hold in place.

All inventions come from between the ears -- just imagine what to do next.

Other parts, make hangers with wire from coat hangers.

[PetesPonies]

PLEASE do some research. If nothing else google me and Master Series. I have posted a lot of information about this product, I believe here and certainly elsewhere on the web. There is a much better material to use than POR.
Here I did the search for you:
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&tbo=d&o...w=1280&bih=937

[lance leblanc]

Originally Posted by PetesPonies

PLEASE do some research. If nothing else google me and Master Series. I have posted a lot of information about this product, I believe here and certainly elsewhere on the web. There is a much better material to use than POR.
Here I did the search for you:
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&tbo=d&o...w=1280&bih=937

Well Peterponies;

I dont so much as buy a gallon of milk with out first checking the date.
That being said Thanks for the advise but I did plenty of homework and found dozens of different opions as to what product was best compairing application, price and quality. And they are as many options out there as there are threads started on the subject.
I already have the POR 15 and God willing it will be on my frame come Sunday night.
Thanks again.

[Tom Wesenberg]

When I first heard about POR 15 years ago I was very impressed when the guy had a piece of metal that he bent back and forth and the stuff never cracked. However the more I looked into it and saw some parts painted with it, the less I was impressed. My friend painted his carb with it, and it never looked right.

The ultimate goal is to have a chassis and parts that look like Marco's Roadster, and you can't get that with POR 15. I'll keep using PPG paints.

[PetesPonies]

Well you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink can you?? I have 30 plus years of restoration work behind my decisions and suggestions.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Tom,

You have the right idea -- Model A location counts, & if you live on the Sahara Desert, no need to consider buying rubber boots.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Vince,

I even remember your trash can comment about 20 years ago when I was painting my Model A chassis.

Those were the days -- never hear from those guys anymore.

Anyway, the chassis is still doing fine & still looks great -- hope bottoms of your garbage cans are holding up too.

[ursus]

I've been POR-15 to paint carburetors because it resists gas. However, the finish sheen varies and is usually too glossy for my taste. Does anybody know what can be added to flatten the sheen?

[Chris in WNC]

Originally Posted by James Rogers

I did notice it will set up in the can no matter how tight you put the lid on.

put a piece of saran wrap between the lid & the can. then store it in you beer fridge upside down. it will keep ok then.

that said, I quit using it years ago and will likely not use it again...... expensive, and a pain to use/store + really difficult to clean off your hands.
I used Ospho and rattle-can satin Rustoleum to stabilize and paint the surface rust on the underside of our Coupe. 7 years later it has held up great....