If you’ve got a project car that needs hard-wearing paint on its undercarriage, drivetrain, engine bay or floors then you’d struggle to go past the all-Australian range of products by KBS Coatings (http://www.kbs-coatings.com.au/). Based just north of Newcastle, NSW, they sell rust eradication, high-temperature-rated engine paint, paint stripper, primers and top-coats, as well as fuel tank cleaners and sealers, metal putties and more.
At United Speed Shop we specialise in cars that clock up bulk miles on the street so we need a hard-wearing coating for the chassis, floor and undercarriage on everything we build. Because it is self-etching, chip-resistant and able to be brushed on we reckon KBS’s Rust Seal is the perfect product to put under our builds.
The surface does need to be very clean before you start – don’t just go painting over any dirt, rust or dust! If you don’t have virgin steel under your ride then its best to use the full KBS three-stage Rust Eradication process, starting with a wash in Aqua Klean, followed by treatment with Rust Blast and then top it off with Rust Seal. Thankfully, you can buy all these products in one of KBS’s Chassis Coating Kit.
To properly seal the surface and provide the maximum protection you should apply two generous coats of Rust Seal, ideally with a good quality brush as it will help avoid leaving any streaks or marks in the finished coat. Thankfully, Rust Seal is self-etching so it will flatten out as it dries and final curing can take up to four days to go rock hard and settle.
Rust Seal does need some handling care to get the best out of it. Don’t paint straight out of the tin; decant a small amount at a time into a glass jar or pot and cover the remaining product with a small piece of Glad Wrap or film to keep the air out of the Rust Seal tin. You’ll need to replace the brushes in between coats so budget on stocking up on a few before you start.
The flash-off time between coats varies on atmospheric conditions (aka “what your weather is doing”) but figure on at least 1.5 hours to let it tack off before you come in for the second coat. And finally, remember to wear their Black Nitrile gloves and use care as Rust Seal doesn’t wipe off with solvents!
The good news is that United Speed Shop is now Newcastle’s only outlet for KBS products. While we carry a range of chassis and fuel tank prep products in the store (which is now open Saturdays from 9am-2pm), the full range is available via our website.
http://store.unitedspeedshop.com/collections/surface-coatings/kbs-coatings
