Oil line paint

[Ian Comerford]

My car is on its way back from the bodyshop in a month or so and I am cleaning up all of the stuff that is going back into it when I do the rebuild. The oil lines running along the right hand sill are a bit of a mess but can anyone recommend the best paint or coating for them (or were they bare). I have no idea of what they came with from the factory and am not a stickler for originality but if the factory coating is best and available I am happy to use it.

Thank you

Ian

[Saxon46]

satin black rattle can will do the job

[Ian Comerford]

Thank you. I tried basic rattle can paint a few years ago and it didn't take long for it to chip off in the wheel arch. May try something epoxy.

Ian

[911hillclimber]

It's a grit blast area down there for sure.
I tried Hammerite Smooth satin black from a rattle can and then hand painted that particular area with same but thick.
Made little difference, and gave up re-touching the paint many many years ago.

Have thought of 2 lengths of heat shrink over the tube's painted local area if you can get it over the nuts and it will reduce enough.

[inaglasshouse]

Since the lines are off the car and you're in restoration mode - if you want them perfect and durable:
1) Strip. Grit blasting not advisable unless you are very careful about sealing up the ends. Envirostrip?
2) 2K Epoxy
3) Epoxy degrades with UV exposure (cosmetic, but it does fade / chalk). You may decide it doesn't matter, given the position of the lines. If you decide it does matter, Wurth matt black or satin black rattle can top coat.

[smallspeed]

I know nothing about these parts and how they're supposed to be finished, but if its a matt or semi gloss black, have you considered having them stripped then chemical blacking? Its a surface conversion type process, so very durable and also doesn't provide any thermal insulation which possibly helpful on oil lines in an air cooled car?

I've had a few parts done this way - its resistant to just about everything. The shot gun barrels I had done about 10yr ago are still black (inside and out) despite having 2500-3000 rounds rough-shooting through them and never cleaned
Its cheap too - I think I paid about £10 cash to have the barrels done! If you're anywhere near Leicester, SPL blacking on troon industrial estate are worth a shout

http://www.splblacking.co.uk

[911hillclimber]

The pipes are brass, or at least mine are.
Chemical blacking on steel is superb.
Just one all the fasteners on the Terrot bike in chem black (Frost kit) and the finish is great, and no 'growth' of dimensions as you can get with plating.
We used it at work in the late 80's in automotive and the corrosion resistance is admirable.