Opinions please

[Ace Rossi]

been moving right along on the lay down kart rebuild and after stripping off all the old rough powder coat from the chassis, what would you do?

Repaint

powder coat

leave bare

[Eric Alexander]

Powder coat.

No way you can leave it bare.  You’ll only add more work sanding or sandblasting the impurities off the metal before you finally have to powder coat/paint it.

And paint can’t hold up against the environment in a garage.  You’ll be touching it up constantly.

[Ace Rossi]

I was curious because i know when Bill Spaude built some lay down karts he never did anything to them. He left them bare and another racer I’ve come to know via Internet says the same thing. I like powder coat because I like color that last and paint is cheaper but you get what you pay for there.

Just curious as to who does what!

[Greg Wright]

Many of the Caretta and Hartman karts had bare frames, some were clear coated. One of the coolest I ever saw was gun blued.

Greg Wright
Rapid Racing Inc.
Vintage B-Stock Pilot
"When in doubt Gas it, It won't help but it ends the suspense."

[Bruce Peck]

I’ve already told you my opinion – leave bare.  But that’s just me.  I’m never satisfied and always tweak so I’m always wanting to weld a bracket or something somewhere and much easier to do when you have the bare metal.  Just keep it oiled down.  In a laydown with bodywork you don’t see the frame anyway.

[Ace Rossi]

Yea I’m finally convinced myself after stripping the main chassis today and finding a crack in the main tube that was hidden by old powder coating. I’m with Bruce and the idea of ever having to weld or cut on the chassis would just ruin all effort not to mention routine inspections that may have caught this.

Here is a picture of the cracked tube…

[Greg Lindahl]

My sprint and road racing karts are unpainted and have been for several years now. Living in the SF Bay Area, they’re still not rusted in any meaningful way.  Use WD-40 or other similar chemical on the frame regularly and you’ll be fine. While you’re at it spray the pipe and other ferrous items, sans the brake rotors, etc.

[Ace Rossi]

Gonna weld the crack tomorrow and then deliver the whole chassis In pieces to a good friend who is going to run it thru what I think he called a “wheeler beader” that supposedly according to him is a machine that is like a tunnel and the piece (my kart) is fed thru and its blasted with a micro fine mist of metal shavings from a zillion nozzles pointing from all directions and it will bring the complete kart back to brand new look and condition without any distortion what so ever. He said it’s similar to sand and media blasting but no where near as aggressive but it gets everything off including all the nooks and cranny’s that I can’t get. Said the kart frame will have a polished look to it when it’s done and it cost me nothing to have it done. It’s good to have friends like this!

I will post pics after and show the finished  result. Might just clear coat it or maybe just keep it oiled! Who knows! :)

[Ace Rossi]

CLARIFICATION

this machine is called a

“Wheel A Brator”

here is a clip of how it works

[Ace Rossi]

Well after a couple of weeks of being away from the build, due to being busy at work (my real job that pays for this stuff) the good looking bare frame is now crappy looking with surface rust in numerous places. I oiled it down pretty good with recommended oils but it did what it did. My opinion is if it does it this  easily, I’m just gonna powder coat it and be done with it!

I hate to go this way but I have no choice. I don’t like crappy looking toys!  😒

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