Painting roll cage in a finished car-need "how to" suggestions
 

I'm ready to paint the cage in my Firebird and thought I was going to mask off the rest of the interior and shoot it with a jamb gun. I tried climbing into the rear seat area to start masking it off with plastic but realized that it just isn't going to work that way unless there's a trick to it. After 1/2 hour I didn't even have one piece in place!

It's just too cramped back there and the cage is so tight to the headliner etc that the plastic would be getting into the paint. Even though I'm a small flexible guy, I don't know if I could manuver a hose and gun once I got in there even if I could mask it off. The cage, fire bottle supports, and seat bracket framework make it very difficult to work in the car now.

Anyone ever brush a cage or part of one? Brush recommendations? I know it wouldn't be as nice as sprayed. I try to make things as nice as I can but this is not a show car. Sections will have to have cage padding and it will get scuffed/scratched etc. at the tracks and during regular use. Maybe brush the tubing in the rear seat area then mask off and spray the rest? It would be a lot easier for me to do that because i could do it in sections and avoid climbing on/over freshly painted tubing to add coats.

Any suggestions welcomed!

Paint I am planning on using (already bought) is PPG Deltron 2000 DBC with DX57 using DT 885 and no clear coat.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...nterior348.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...nterior351.jpg

I didn't like it on the bigger flatter parts of the frame (someone else may know a trick to applying it better) but POR15 can be put on with a brush and levelled nicely on the round bars. Follow the directions carefully and do all the prep. It may be the solution to your problem. :cheers:

Wow John! The cage turned out really nice! That should do a fantastic job of protecting you in case of a spill. But the last thing I want is a testamonial from you on that. NO CAGE TESTING ALLOWED !:D

It looks like you have your work cut out for yourself. I wonder if the idea I mentioned in the PM might work if you start at the back and gently work yourself back out of the car? You could minimize the really tight masking by brushing the areas that are up next to interior panels and headliner. Then do a broad "blanket mask" behind the areas already brushed and spray whats left exposed. This way it would look like it was all sprayed to the casual observer and still have every surface sealed up really good.
Just a thought, good luck.:thumbsup:

I used por-15 hardnose and a foam brush on the cage on my jeep cage and did flow out nice.

POR15 is the best for this. It will level out nice.

I decided I didn't want black and already bought the PPG paint I'd like to use. Anyone brushed regular basecoat paint?

buy some car cover plastic sheet, put tape on the back side to hold it to head liner, cover up rest of interior with paper/plastic etc. spray away.

well its not easy. the best thing i can tell you is to break all the laws of painting. i had to make a pretty much round pattern and barely pull the trigger to get my cages to look good. this car is a candy orange and it was the biggest PITA ever! i just turned each bar into 5 flat surfaces and did it one bar at a time. i had to crawl in and out and around. i used coat hangers screwed to the ceiling to keep my hose off the bars use very slow reducer obn the base. by the time you get to the clear you will have the hang of it. remember that its just paint and you can always try again.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...09-04_2122.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...09-04_2120.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...09-04_2047.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...09-04_2045.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...20-04_0104.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...09-04_2123.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...h_scooba13.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...h_scooba12.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...h_scooba10.jpg

I know your cage is already painted - but another option is to have it electrostaticly painted. I've seen it done at the local fab shop and it works great.

Not sure what look you are going for but this comes up a lot on the racing related forums. Many times people use the Rustoleum hammertone that comes in a can for brushing. They say it lays down really well and looks very much like the power coated hammertone.

POR15 is mentioned a lot too.

John