Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi, I have been trying to paint my car chassis rails with black hammerite but it is a sad version of the old paint. both paint on and can are not thick like they used to be and are more like heavily thinned paint with poor coverage. I used it over bondapromer which used to be a great combination but all I get now after three coats is a paint surface where the bondaprimer shows on all corners and seams. Any one else found this.

Looks like I will have to use something else with good coverage.

Chris

Hello Oldmod,

I'm convinced that Hammerite is not what it was. It is no longer made by the original makers and the instruction to re coat within a specific time period has gone leading me to believe it's a changed paint? Living on it's past name?

Alec

Hi

The propellent now used in the tins is more environmentally friendly than it used to be but the result is that the spray smootherite is useless except when sprayed on a very warm day.

I think the stuff in tins is still ok?

Taupe

Yes I just used some smoothrite and got the same feeling, like there isn't enough pigment. It used to be really sticky and a bit of a pain, but covered and dried beautifully. The question is whether it's better through modern technology ( ) or just weakened through health and safety/environmental care issues I think I will use POR 15 when I really need protection!

health and safety/environmental care issues

That's what killed gavafreud off. And that seemed to be great stuff. Found a tin at the back of a shelf recently. Opened, but still very much a liquid!

Just painted the floor of the Moggie with smoothrite, had to give it two coats, same with the other parts I've painted. Never had this problem in the past, it used to cover in one coat.

def not as good need three coats now to give a good covering like everything else cost cutting and the consumer ends up paying .

Smoothrite is quite expensive, has changed formula, and I find it runs away from corners/edges.
Keep an eye out for the metal paints in Aldi - choice of green, white, black, covers well & goes off hard, best of all was only £5 a litre IIRC (and cleans off with turps sub).

Phil.

Well, I have just bought some "no nonsense " metal paint from scewfix and it smells like Hammerite used to! Will try this week and keep you posted.

I agree that "Smoothrite" is not what it used to be.I am seriously considering using "Rust Bullet" on the inside of a floor pan which I am currently cleaning up prior to re-carpeting.
Has anyone had experience of this product? Any information good/bad would be greatly appreciated.Thanks.

Hammerite black gloss, is now very poor, I believe they claim it is for spray gun use, but who sprays Hammerite.. As someone mentioned earlier Aldi black paint for metal is excellent. I use it on my trailers which stand outside in all weathers.
Plus you can clean the brushes in white spirit, and not the expensive acetone thinners for Hammerite.

I stopped using hammerite years ago. It never really used to stop rust like it claimed on the tin, that claim was just rubbish. I use chassis black paint for the underside and floor pans of my cars, now that does cover in one coat!

Hi, Well the paint from screwfix was rubbish as well, in fact very similar to Hammerite. A technical help desk suggested using eggshell as it wasfull of pigment but again that spec has now changed and a paint supplier said it was rubbish.

I have now used Rustoleum ehich did cover ok and is cleaned in turps.

So, thanks to the EEC again..... Just wish those numpties would spend time on real issues like corruption and their operational cost. Moan over!

Hello all,

just Googling Hammerite and Finnegans (The original manufacturer) They were taken over by Dulux(ICI) who you'd think know better than to sell rubbish?

Alec

I have been using black chassis paint for several years now (Frost sell @ £14 per litre), its really good stuff. Tried Hammerite in red recently, 3 coats and still looked patchy.
Frost order line = www.frost.co.uk

Use black 2 pack instead (wear protective mask) - easily brushed on, durable and very good finish too.

Pete