por-15

[charlies]

i finished the front of my engine bay a couple days ago with por-15 products. I used all their products from start to finish and followed the directions exactly.

i know alot of people use this stuff or think about using it, so here are my results.

-the stuff dries hard as a rock, the finish seems bulletproof.
-the topcoat does show brush marks. the actual rust inhibitor (what we all refer to as por-15) does not, but if it's going to be exposed to light, you may want to put a top coat finish on it. i used theirs, it shows brush marks.
-the end result is going to be no better than the prep you put into it. if the metal is pitted, has chips, etc, the finish will show it. no magic here.
-drying time between coats varies due to a number of conditions, however, one thing is for sure, if you dont put the next coat on at the right time, your screwed. keep a close eye on it.

 

[Platonic Solid]

A couple points worth noting:

“the topcoat shows brush marks” - The only way to achieve a smooth finish without brush marks is to spray your topcoat of choice on. You do not need to use Por-15’s topcoat as this surface is purely decorative. The advantage to using Por-15’s topcoat is that you do not need to do any surface preparation of fully cured Por-15 rust preventative coating. I called the company to verify this as I found their directions somewhat contradictory when comparing the catalog statements to the instruction sheets provided with the paint. The disadvantage to using their topcoat for spraying is that it is highly toxic and must be used with proper respiration equipment.

If you want to use an alternative spray-on topcoat, the easiest way is to spay a light dusting coat of primer over the tacky Por-15 rust preventative finish. Do not completely cover it with primer as Por-15 requires air to cure. A spatter coat is all that is required.

If you don’t spray the primer on tacky Por-15 (3-4 hrs after applied), and you are planning to use an alternative spray-on topcoat, you will need to scuff the surface with 600 grit sandpaper. Again, neither the primer nor the scuffing is required if using Por-15’s Topcoat.

“if the metal is pitted, has chips, etc, the finish will show it.” - As the instructions state, “Silver contains metal filler and should be used in badly rusted, pitted areas. It will fill in holes better than black or clear.”

Also, to fill holes and pits, you can use their fiberglass cloth and epoxy filler as I did here.

“if you don’t put the next coat on at the right time, your screwed” - Their instructions could be better in this area. Their intent is to make sure you don’t put the next coat on too soon. You can, however, put the next coat on much later than stated without any negative consequences (again, I called the company and asked them.) They recommend a minimum of 2 coats of Por-15 rust preventative coating. You can do one coat this weekend and the second coat next weekend without any surface preparation of the first cured coat.

I feel I need to put a disclaimer here stating that I am in no way affiliated with, nor have any financial interest, in “Por-15”. Just figured I’d share.

 

[66HertzClone]

I used this product as well on the interior floors of my 66. I applied it over several weekends, one coat one week, one coat the next week. This stuff is as tough as nails. You might consider using their Tie Coat primer, this will ensure a good adhesion of your next coat. Sand the surface smooth to remove the brush strokes, then apply a spray top coat. Many use and praise Krylon 1613 (I think thats the number) for underhood use. Easy to find, easy to use, easy to touch up, and cheap.

 

[charlies]

i wasn't really complaining.

i just wanted to put my .02 in, help others with what to look out for when using the product.

mainly that it's not magically easy. you don't just thow it on. but that would be nice, wouldn't it?

i like it.

my radiator support looks great. i will finish the engine compartment with it.

btw: i have no experience with this, but a guy on another forum who put it on his floorpans also said he called the company because he was having problems getting the 2nd coat to stick. they told him that if the 1st coat is not tacky, the 2nd won't stick. you have to rough it up, which he claims ain't easy. doesn't really matter to me. as i said, i follow the directions exactly, and put the coats on when the directions say to. although the directions do claim you can put the topcoat on at anytime, the fine print says 'with preparation'.