Looking to get the engine tin powdercoated. What is a fair price? Had one estimate, seemed really big to me. I realize this will vary from here to there, but what have others paid for this service?

Anyone have any good references for the mpls/st paul MN area?

Dave

We'd charge the guy off the street $20 per small item and add it up.
it's all manual labor time, sandblasting and degreasing, then painting and baking.
Material and powder is not the real cost, time/labor cost and equipment is.

I take parts over to my local commercial powder coater. The bigger the batch, the less the cost. The more flexible on time, the less the cost. They would probably charge me about $100-150 to do a set of tin.

Consider spray painting? I did mine with high temp paint and they still look great after being installed/handled and 9 months later.

Agree. I did mine using Eastwood Extreme Chasis Black primer and paint (after blasting the parts to bare metal). Beat the heck out of one piece when refitting it and not so much as a scratch or a chip.

Powdercoating isn't that hard to master (check Youtube). You can get started for well under $200. It is far more durable than regular paint, plus you will have the satisfaction of mastering another great way to keep your car looking sharp!

I purchased a $40 Craftsman powdercoat gun, a used $60 oven, and already had a drill with wire brushes to clean the parts. I use Eastwood powdercoating 'paint' and have been very satisfied with the results.

Different markets as well as different vendors will charge differently. That said, one place in So. CA estimated $300 to powder coat all the engine tin (approx. 9 pieces), an engine mount and a muffler mount.

If I had time, they suggested I wait for additional customer(s) with the same color needs and have it done at the same time to help reduce their setup and processing time.

I eventually used another vendor who charged me $200 (ouch, but no waiting for others). I think the spread is wide enough to shop around and ask.

There are also privateers who powder coat in their own facilities. Do a Google search with PelicanParts as a preface search term for links. Add shipping costs and comfort factor to a distant location.

Rattle can is an option as well, but powder coating should be more durable in the long term.

Sherwood

I had a set done for $120. I do a lot of business with him. Have it blasted and then inspect it for damage. Most top tins have some cracks and bends.

After I've removed the engine from my car, I will pull off the tins as well. I can blast the tin myself (blasting cabinet! ) and p/coating can be done by a local guy. The price of the coating is only a little higher than several cans of high temp paint.

I need an advice though: keep all tins the original color (black & silverish metallic ) of have it all in one silverish color. Personally, I think that it will brighten up the engine bay.

Furthermore: what's the original color of the manifold tubes? It's not grey, it's not green... Or...

A grey color but silver looks better.
For $200 I took the fan, engine tin, intake manifold and plenum, exhaust tin everything and had it blasted and powder coated in 1998. It's still looking really nice with 20,000 miles on it.
On my Westy I had the fan housing done in silver and it looks better than satin black. That engine has 40,000 miles on it and look brand new.( 7 years later)

RE: Color. I went with a semi gloss that my powder coater said was popular with the VW and Porsche crowd and it looks great. I think I paid about $110. Ugly dirty parts dropped off, pristine, wrapped in paper new parts picked up!

However, I did look at a guys 914 that had bright yellow tins (matched his body color), and it was a bit of a revelation how much easier it was to see in there. Food for thought.

semi gloss is always a good idea. It's SO hard to maintain 'high gloss' under the bonnet. When I restored the engine of both my TR3A and my Saab 96, I opted for semi gloss as well. It's much easier to spot oil leaks: "If you see a shiny part, you're in trouble" sort of trick.

For now, I'm leaning to the all-metallic side! Combined with a modern day fire wall covering, I'm sure it will all be a lot easier on the eye!

Menno

(Little off topic: a professional car restorer I know paints the back of dashboards white: much easier when you're lying on your back with a torchlight in your mouth, replacing dashboard light bulbs...)

Menno

That the best part about powdercoating. Someone else does the messy work and you get new looking parts back.

Pretty much every batch I brought to my guy in Sacramento was $100 - $150...

Hi Dave,
This is my Ceramic & Powder Coater in MI. I don't know about pricing, because he is a long time family friend & I probably get a discount??
Call Fred for pricing, but shipping might be an problem. They do excellent work and Fred (owner) has a 1972 914 with a worked over 2.0 liter, 53 VW Bug, etc. etc. along with a few 914 parts cars out in the back woods.
Tell him you know me.
Tom