I learned how to powdercoat

Painting was progressing well on the suspension arms, but I realized that painting alone was not going to be right for everything.  Certain things were going to need to be plated like the threaded turnbuckles that adjust the ride height and some other fasteners.  But since I'm going to be leaving that job to the professionals, I needed something lower cost that I could use on things that needed more protection than just paint.  So I learned how to powdercoat!  I got the idea from my friend Jim who restored his old motorcycle and powdercoated a bunch of the parts at home.  I didn't want to have to buy all of my own equipment so instead I joined the local makers' space.  I had already taken a welding class at the makers' space and this seemed like the right time to become a member.  So I joined up and since then I've taken the powdercoating class and a 3-D CAD class.  For powdercoating, they provide the gun, a big oven for curing the parts and a sturdy rack for hanging parts during coating.  You just provide your own powders and away you go.

By far, the rear suspension lower mounting brackets were in the worst shape of any part on the car, really rusty.  So I removed them for sandblasting and you can see two before and two after.

I was really pleased with how well the brackets cleaned up, so then it was time to apply the powder.  Here are the brackets after powder application and waiting to go into the oven.

And here they are after curing.

 
I was shooting for a finish that looked like yellow cadmium plating.  The brackets didn't come out quite as shiny or as metallic as that, but I think they look great.  All of the rear suspension arms have been painted and the upper brackets are getting painted now.  The upper brackets have these deep recessed pockets that make them unsuitable for powdercoating.  So once I get the old fuel cell out and take some measurements off of the front and the rear of the bellhousing, then the rear suspension can go back together.