I sent my hood springs out for powder coating. I need a way to spread the springs apart to get a good coating. Seems to have worked well!!

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Very nice and clever.

Been planning on doing mine - great idea.

Did almost the exact same thing back in the late 80's. But instead of the all thread keeping them spread apart, I used some angle iron welded to the two smaller angle iron pieces that you have. Powder coating wasn't around back then, but I had access to electro coating in a large paint bath, so I used that. I'll have to post some pics. Many 914's later, but they're STILL sitting in the garage...on the rack I made back then!

When I finally get around to totally restoring one, I'll use 'em.

Have you installed them yet? I was worried about the paint 'blocking' once the front trunk was closed. I also thought that a thicker coat of paint, which the powder coating should be, would help isolate the springs from making that noise they make when you open the hood.

I've read that you need to keep the temp below 350F when powder coating springs or they'll soften.

I powder coated the front springs for my Corvette and the coating, as well as the springs themselves, seem to have held up for 10+ years. Don't recall any special handling, but then again these were full size suspension springs so it take them longer to heat up than the smaller 914 hood springs.

Some other people said that you'd need to have it in the 400 range all day long to affect it. Eastwood's kit says 450 to start then 400.

I have heard people complain that their hood springs are too stretchy/ worn out, though probably not from powder coating.

I'm definitely considering it. I just got a lab oven to relieve hydrogen embrittlement from plating so powder coating is next

Nathan,

I'd make sure that your lab oven is rated for paint/powder. With paint you usually have to have something that can evacuate a certain percentage of volatiles per hour. Not sure about powder 'gives off' during the bake, since you're essentially melting powder, but I'd still chekc that you're okay.

I hadn't thought about that. The oven is an old Blue M Gravity oven which has 3 ~ 1inch holes on top, similar to this. I can't find any specifics on what would be adequate though. Think it'll work?

Nice! I use an electric kitchen oven (not the same one I make my dinner in).

I used Blue M ovens at my factory to cure Polyester-casting resin. The 2 holes are vent holes and the 3rd hole is to put a thermometer in. The vent holes can take a slide that control’s the airflow. There was a fare amount of VOCs going off during the hardening of the resin and I even put in 5 gallons in my big ovens to warm up the resin when it was to cold in the room. The motors are totally enclosed but not explosion proof.

I never had one blow up.

Bob Burton

Good to hear! I'd wondered what the middle hole was for; it's a little different. Thanks for the response, Bob.

Installed and seem to work fine

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REALLY NICE

Pretty blue and the springs look nice. It reminds me of cadillac blue firemist from the 60's, I had it on a 58 bug and the red on a 46 cheby.

I'm unsure if the oven would be okay. I don't know the inside dimensions of your oven, how much 'surface area' the part your coating, the temperature you're curing at, the flow of heated air that the oven is producing, the thickness of the paint/powder material you're applying, what volatiles are in that paint/powder and what the rate of evaporation of those volatiles are. Lots of things to consider! I would start by asking or calling Blue M and telling them what you're doing. Even if the oven is old, they should be able to give you some information on it (or even a manual if you don't have one). I'd also have as much information about the paint/powder as possible. The MSDS would be a start and then anything else you can get from the manufacturer of the material.

I would think you'd have less of a chance of an explosion with powder (less volatiles I would assume) but I would definitely check. But Hey, you're learning, it's waht we all do. just be careful so you don't get hurt!

I wouldn't think that powder coating would be that flexible. Is it?