Chassis hardware coating

[walter kandetzki]

Hi folks I am restoring my 68s chassis and I need to redo all of my hardware.i know I can buy all new hardware but I kind of want to use the original stuff plus I’m not a fan of stainless or super shiny hardware.ive heard of hot or cold bluing and black oxide coating but I’m not sure what to go with.car won’t see snow,salt etc but we do have moisture and humidity here in Virginia.thanks folks

[viiking]

Depends on whether you want a show car or a car that can survive driving?

In my case I wanted the 68 to look as true to the original so I did some DIY black oxide finish. You can google the method. It's not hard. For the heating container I just used an old "crock pot" with a stoneware internal.

Now black oxide is one step better than bare steel and one step inferior to zinc plating. It only provides minimal protection, but I guess that is what VW used.

I also have done some DIY zinc plating without a brightener. The zinc is not shiny when it first comes out of the plating bath. Only if you polish it, will it come up somewhat shiny. Nowhere as shiny as the zinc plated bolts you see in the hardware store.

The most important thing is that you use the correct bolt grade. The grade was chosen for a reason and you cannot just use any old bolts, especially SS which tends to be weaker than mild steel bolts.

It's amazing how good 50+ year old bolts look after a good clean on a wire wheel on a bench grinder. Of course any that are rusted need to be thrown out. It's labour intensive but that's what I did to maintain originality.
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[bsairhead]

Still got most of the original?

[walter kandetzki]

Car will be at shows but it’ll be just a decent driver..im leaving the body of the car “patina”but I’m restoring the chassis completely so it’ll be good for years to come

[hulbyw]

"Of course any that are rusted need to be thrown out."

Maybe a good soak in vinegar will likely clean off the rust?.

[baldessariclan]

I’ve become a fan of using POR 15’s “High Temp Heat-Resistant Paint” for a lot of hardware corrosion protection applications. I mostly use the “aluminum” colored one, but it also comes in gray and black. I have used it on all sorts of bolts, nuts, screws, and clips, in addition to exhaust parts, intake manifold, generator stand, etc., etc.

https://por15.com/collections/engine-and-exhaust-paint/products/high-temp

After proper surface prep (i.e. remove rust and degrease), you brush or spray on 2-3 thin coats, and then bake it at 300° F for about 30 min. If you do it right, it ends up coming out almost more like a coat of plating, rather than paint. E.g. think of the aluminized coating on steel mufflers and exhaust pipes — it’s a bit of like that.

Somewhat labor and time intensive to use correctly (e.g. requires 24 hours drying time between paint coats before you bake it, and etc.), but ends up being much more resistant to rust and corrosion than black oxide or similar coatings, in my experience.
_________________
1971 Standard Beetle — fairly stock / driver

baldessariclan -- often in error, never in doubt...