Morris Minor Owners Club

hi guys,

I'm going to strip down the rather tatty paint on my seat frames, steering wheel column, handbrake etc and repaint them. I'm assuming I should use chassis black - just thought I'd check if this is right (I'm aiming for durability)

advice and tips gratefully received, as ever

As chassis black as it comes out the tin is great because it never really dries hard (and so brittle), I'm not so sure about using it neat for interior bits. I started doing the inside floors in my latest "project" a couple of weeks ago, and the chassis black is still sort of soft to the touch (can't indent it, it just feels not hard if that makes sense?). However, last year when using it on some parts I ended up thinning it down quite a lot with white spirit - The bits that were done like that have come out really well IMO. No brush marks (very difficult to avoid with the normal gloopy consistency) and dried to what appears to be a quite hard wearing but also reasonably hard finish.

You might find baking the bits after painting could help with that, depends how oven proud you are I suppose ;) I'm thinking of heating the bits I want to get done this week (Midget seat runners) with a hot air gun, then paining, then keeping the heat on for a while after as when I did part of the bulkhead the paint finish was really quite good that way. I'm also contemplating using the Hammerite Garage Door paint I've got, but that's only because I bought 1l last year for well under half price and used it on the Triumphs engine and box, where it came out really quite well. Having said that, when I tried to quickly throw some on a rocker cover this year it took ages to dry and didn't really like sticking to the metal, but the latter could be my rushed (ie complete lack of) preperation..

I know a lot of people turn their noses up at hammerite, but if you use the smooth SPRAY you can get a great finish. Preparation is the key.

What's the problem with normal celly spray? Etch prime/prime as you wish. H'rite's fine too, but useless anywhere that might rust - it just does, under the paint.

celly gets a better finish if you are not used to sparaying hammerite

and yes that is my green van in my sig, an ex go van needs new valences

Hammerite also chips very easily. Can you tell that I don't like the stuff?

bigginger wrote:What's the problem with normal celly spray?

Nothing! as far as I know! Can you get it in spray cans? (i don't have a compressor or spray equipment) and is it nice and durable against knocks and bumps and scrapes?

Remember how little I know, BG

aupickup wrote:and yes that is my green van in my sig, an ex go van

thought so! looks mighty fine

yes celly is fine for internal use, and it comes in spray cans, halfords anywhere like that
get my van sat, or today when ever this is read

bigginger wrote:Hammerite also chips very easily. Can you tell that I don't like the stuff?

I can't stand it either. But when I saw a 1l tin of "special" (garage door) black gloss for about a fiver last year, and had an engine and box I wanted to paint black, I had to try it. I'm working on the theory garage doors are known to flex, so the paint shouldn't be as brittle as their usual offerings.

I wouldn't use Smmothrite or Hammerite though, and have yet to see if the garage door stuff is actually any good (went on well, but hasn't been tested as such otherwise).

I can see the allure of using chassis black for everything - If you've got a gallon can of it so little will be used actually where it's meant for that you start wondering just what else you can use it up on!

chassis black is not as good for internal stuff, and at least with a spray can you get a better finish

aupickup wrote:chassis black is not as good for internal stuff

ok - cheers for that (why isn't it as good, btw?)

with a spray can you get a better finish

*LAUGHS LIKE A DRAIN* you haven't seen my attempts, aupickup!!!! (i am gradually getting a bit better though )

it is designed for chassis and suspension parts and it will look brushed on
better in my opinion on your van to spray with cans,

If you really want to brush the stuff on, H'fords do coach enamel, with which you do just that

i don't really mind whether i brush it or spray it - i want it to be really durable, is all

presumably either cellulose or coach enamel need primer?

bearing in mind all the bits are out of the Beast atm - so I can really get at them nicely

Ideally, yup. Coach stuff is expensive - I'd go with spray cans.

both as durable unless you are thinking of having a disco in the cab

cheers guys

aupickup wrote:unless you are thinking of having a disco in the cab

dear lord the man's a mind reader!

I suppose you'll be hanging the glitter ball from the Rear view mirror.

What colour should the Gear stick be? Body colour or black?

Black on every one I've ever owned.