Odd Frame Epoxy

[sdg3205]

I haven't really thought about this in years, but while under the car recently chasing oil leaks I thought it best to finally throw this out to the community.

We all know what cracked frame epoxy looks like. We all know what rust under said epoxy looks like, but my frame has some weird epoxy happenings in the back right corner of the car.

It looks to me like the epoxy never adhered properly right from the get-go. The other thought was that it was damaged by heat or fire. It seems to be thin, bubbly and/or flakey while also changing colour and texture.

It exists along the RH rear of the engine cradle then back along the top and bottom of the frame extension around the inner pontoon to the right of the alternator.

Has anyone ever seen this? It's rock solid and there is no evidence of any rust.

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[dn010]

Was the frame ever coated in POR15 or similar in its life?

[David T]

Was the frame ever coated in POR15 or similar in its life?

Or did it have undercoating that someone removed? Is it an '83?

[Michael]

It looks like a PO applied coating on top of the factory epoxy coming off.

[Mark D]

Yeah it looks like you've got several layers of coatings.. The stock epoxy is the aged looking gray, POR-15 rust prevention paint is the blue-gray, and the light grey looks like POR etching primer.

With POR you can either dust a light coat of spray paint over the POR as it's curing to help a top coat stick, or you can use the etching primer if the POR has cured and then top coat over the etching primer.

Here's an example of my fuel tank closing plate...I pretty much did the same thing.

This is with POR-15 rust prevention paint. The light gray is stock epoxy that has been scuffed with a scotchbrite
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15749&d=1357280641

And after applying etching primer:
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15750&d=1357280936

And top coated with Rustoleum Smoke Gray
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15752&d=1357280957

[sdg3205]

It's an August 81 build and there is no evidence it was ever under coated.

It could be that someone did try to repaint it at some point, it's just such an odd, unlikely place. Not typically were Deloreans start to rust.

[dn010]

it's just such an odd, unlikely place. Not typically were Deloreans start to rust.

That would depend on where it was driven, spent it's life, or where it was parked... Here is my frame, and this is after POR15 - you can see a similar discoloration between the layers like you posted previously:

27672

27673

Needless to say it is not road worthy in it's condition at the moment but am working on a replacement within the next few months.