paint or powdercoat carbs

[cormac]

any opinions on painting or powder coating weber carb body...they are completely disassembled

would be done for purely cosmetic reasons, no intention to sell the car

[narfire]

Try and get hold of Denise. She had her Webbers gold plated....

[azruss]

powdercoat will be more durable

[cormac]

Try and get hold of Denise. She had her Webbers gold plated....

yeah, I remember...pretty impressive, my son (it will be his car) wants to go a bright yellow, to match upgraded yellow shocks

sort of wanted to know if anyone that has done this had any problems, or concerns or advice on getting it done right

[So Cal Mark]

oh, I see lots of problems ahead. Powder coating is usually about .003 thick

[cormac]

oh, I see lots of problems ahead. Powder coating is usually about .003 thick

Mark - thanks for the response, though I wish I could understand your answer a little better but I am a novice and need some help.

I guess I should have stated I will only powder coat the exterior of the carb body and most exterior fasteners/covers have gaskets so I think I should be OK with them, do I need to powder coat with any fasteners/screws in place so as to not affect proper seating of screw?

I have seen some builds of carbs that have all exterior screws, bolts, etc chrome plated...would that cause a problem as well.

I guess the best question I should have asked was and is - what mechanical operation of carb will be affected by the extra material of paint or powder coat?

Thanks a bunch

[Auspider]

if its just for aesthetic reasons, why not just dip the carbs and get it looking super clean? In sure there are heaps of ways of doing it. Doctor Google can help with that

[toplessexpat]

I'm in agreement with others here - get the rest of the engine clean as anything (plenty of fun time ahead with carb cleaner and a toothbrush), and use the cam covers to express your artistic side... with most air cleaners in place you can't really see much of the carb anyway.

A

[cormac]

I have no problem getting the carbs disassembled, cleaned and put back together...and yes there are plenty of guides, video, and hints and tips found on google...funny thing is you can hardly find anything that details any problems "beautifying" carbs in this way

I tend to agree with leaving them au naturale but that is where google comes back into the picture, my son (19) has seen some pictures of Inglese's handiwork with carbs and wants to put his own personal stamp on "his" car (and his money, but maybe a little more of my sweat while he is away at college) and if it is harmless than don't want to disappoint him

and really why should I give him any practical arguments, or stamp your personal touch this way or that way as most of this affection for Fiats is not practical...and I tend to like the idea he is putting together his own Spider 22 years after I retired mine...actually I am having to constantly refrain from too much advice or do it this way, or go with this color, etc, after all I want it to be his, not a reincarnation of my long gone "ragazza"

and DCOE's show a little more skin

[toplessexpat]

That's a very good point(s). If this is part of what warms him to the car... why stop it. That said - I'm not sure what paint you'd use that would take well to the carb casting. I'd be reluctant to use a spray as I wouldn't want to get anything into the essential moving parts. So you're likely left with a brush based application - and a very steady hand! Wouldn't he be happy with custom trumpets?

[cormac]

as with anything, either paint and clear coat or powder coat it is in the prep work...and a lot of masking off...I have tried the trumpet suggestion...he has in his mind the color of the carbs (yellow) sandwiched between the two like colors of intake manifold and trumpets (chrome and grey/chrome...intake will be fabricated)

hey thanks for the conversation...much appreciated

again, the internet has given him some of his custom ideas...he is going to go with a white car with blue (something like "grabber blue") for bonnet and boot, and continue the white and blue theme for interior

and dark grey or black, with yellow and blue accents under the car...with a matching blue engine bay...he wants the engine bay and underside of the car to look like some of the Alfaholics finished projects...oh if we only had that much $$$

[toplessexpat]

Why not buy him a compressor and spray lessons... could be cheaper

[cormac]

Why not buy him a compressor and spray lessons... could be cheaper

good idea...he is away at Colgate, and will be home for the summer, and working so I want to get some stuff done ahead of time so maybe he will be able to get the car running by the end of the summer...it is a shell right now

[garion]

Colgate? I went to school not far from there, SUNY Morrisville. Originally from Syracuse.

[cormac]

Colgate? I went to school not far from there, SUNY Morrisville. Originally from Syracuse.

his only criteria for school was away from home , it came down to scholarships at Wake Forest, Swarthmore, Grinnell, and Colgate...he loved Colgate when he visited, has one of the prettiest campuses around so off he went and he loves it