Need some crinkle advice

[NorthernThrux]

When I took my seats apart to the bare frame, the recliner mechanisms were pretty grungy and rusty. So I disassembled everything, right down to the springs, media blasted and plated the bare metal parts as appropriate myself and then got the "arms" powdercoated. Always ensure your spouse is going to be gone for 5 straight hours before nickel plating ! If they walk in while you are stove top cooking, it really doesn't look good !

Now I know that the arms are supposed to have a crinkle finish, but I can't seem to find any high resolution pictures of that finish. Could somebody post up a well lit, high res photo I can use as a reference to finish these ? I'm very proud of this first major job I did on the car, including the uber cool tool I made to seat the springs. So I'd like to get the final details just right. I know how to do crinkle finishes. Just need a good reference from which to work.

Thanks
Ravi

Before


During


After

[sithot]

Powder coating comes in wrinkle finishes. Black is the most common you'll see. I've used it on a lot of parts over the years. Harley Davidson has been "wrinkling" the engines for a long time.
Here is a business I have no affiliation with but runs the gamut of what can be accomplished. http://powdercoatingit.com

Tom

[Kaleid]

How about using a can of Duplicolor truck bed coating paint? Comes in aerosol can format and gives that textured look- not sure how close it achieves an exact match but a cheap way to experiment for alternatives under $20.

[Stevie]

Always ensure your spouse is going to be gone for 5 straight hours before nickel plating ! If they walk in while you are stove top cooking, it really doesn't look good !

LOL, I've used this http://www.vhtpaint.com/products/wrinkleplus/ on a TR3A dash, but better make sure your spouse is gone or she'll catch you using the oven too!

[sithot]

The best way to achieve the wrinkle finish (its actually a texture finish) is to spray the hinges with a spray adhesive, when that dries, paint with satin black. You might also try spatter paint to achieve the texture and then coat with satin black. I know Tony uses the spray adhesive. Probably should practice first... ;-)

E

And there you go! Tony did some '73 Sport Seats for me and the hinges were perfect.

That sly rascal.

[buddeman]

Here are a few pics... I can send them to you via email if resolution isn't good enough via posting.

[John Z Goriup]

I strongly recommend having your pieces professionally powder-coated because it's a much tougher and longer lasting finish than anything that comes out of a rattlecan. Attached please find a couple of shots of parts I had powder coated while I was building my own 911.

There are however some caveats I'd like to pass on, some of which may not apply to your seat hinges. First of all, remember that powder coating involves heat - baking in an oven at between 350 to 375 degrees F for up to 20 -30 minutes. Aluminum & steel are perfectly safe.

It's a thick coating and can create problems if, for instance, the gasket surface of the valve cover had been coated. Good shops have heat-proof tape and various-sized plugs for threaded / precision holes to keep critical surfaces and /or holes clean & uncoated and prevent the powder-coating from causing problems.

Specifically the wrinkle finish is available in various textures - you can get fine, medium & coarse. Most good, professional shops will have small sample "paddles" available. The samples in the photo show the "fine" wrinkle finish I chose.

Wrinkle finish is a dust magnet and needs frequent cleaning with mild cleaner and a soft brush if you don't want the part to turn a dirty grey - conversely, when clean and pristine it's a beautifully brilliant and deep black.......Oh, and NEVER WAX wrinkle-paint.

Good Luck,

JZG

[smedley]

Hi John,

Eric got it right...and original. Recaro was amazingly cheap and their original "wrinkle" was a light splatter of trim glue covered by satin black enamel. So much for mystique!

Tony at autobahn does EXACTLTY the same. I chose to use the Wurth water based stone guard with my gun adjusted to give just the right dry splatter. The stuff is bullet proof, will not scratch or chip, and exactly as original. Practice with the gun to get the right splatter...I put it over VHT GM Satin black engine enamel to cover front and back then I heat cured in the oven before the Wurth on the outside.

[NorthernThrux]

Thanks for all the hints. The arms are already powder coated and I'm too lazy to take them all apart again to go that route. I do like the original approach a la Recaro and Tony, so I will try that approach. Buddeman, your pictures are just fine. SHould be able to match that up with some practice.

Remember, I have to impress Robert Gross or he might not let me do any more work on my car ! This is a guy who silkscreens the print onto the metal foil for the engine decals and makes "Press" button labels for the seat belts with mica covers on the label. Crazy this orignality business. But fun to learn the "old ways".

[Kris Clewell]

another thing that works well, but only on metal, is wrinkle finish spray paint. the key is to heat up the metal with a torch before you paint it so it flash dries. works wonders. but realistically professionally powdercoating something is the way to go on something nice .