Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

After hearing all the horror stories of paint chipping and peeling off drives, I was wondering how Mercury keeps theirs on.
Are they baked on or something?
I've got my drives, boxes, and tabs off the boat. The paint that's currently on them is'nt chipping or peeling, but it's a dull, flat black lookin color. That's the color they were when I bought the boat back in 01.
I'd like to paint everything a nice shiney black or maybe even go to a purple like the new engines are gonna be, BUT, I hate to screw up a good thing. Like I said before.... nothins chippin or peelin, all I want to do is make them look shiney like the new ones are.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what is the best kind of paint to use to repaint them? And also, I've seen drives painted in Imron, and after a summer of running, then start to turn dull up at the top of the drive. Why is that? Is there too much heat that's dulling the paint?
I am NOT a painter. But I plan on having a professional paint them for me, but he is not familiar with marine stuff. He's asking me what I want him to use to paint them so they don't end up dull again.
Can someone with experience or who has had this done with good results please steer me in the right direction?........Thanks, Frank

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

I just had mine PC ...turned out nice cept shows any corrosion that was there .

another thread

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...43#post1122543

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

I asked CMC, ...........Compition Marine Center awhile back and this is what they use.

du pont aluminum prep.
3 step process, just spray all three, no wait time.
If you have raw aluminum.


Then spray your color ( ppg ) Phantom Black or Double aut Black.


Wicks aircraft supply makes good aluminum propellar primer also.

Cougarman

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

You can strip to bare metal, but you end up cutting thru some pretty good factory corrosion guard by doing so.

If you have factory paint, then that stuff is pretty tenacious. You can prime over it with the correct primer and overcoat. 2 part poly is what most use. Nothing looks new forever, especially with heat and salt.

Used to shoot my outboards with DuPont Centari. There's better stuff out now.

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

Actually Centari is a pretty good product to date. Also Imron is very suitable. It's shine last's and if it's prepped rite,it wont flake or chip off. Plus it has u-v inhibitor's in it for sun staying power. Wouldn't suggest spraying the lower's. I would sand them and leave them raw.Or even polish them for that trik look. Good luck !

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

Thanks guys, I've got some work ahead of me. :D

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

Here our our drives. Imron wet sanded with clearcoat then wetsanded and buffed them. Still looks new today. Click on the picture and the color will come out normal.

LS JR.

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

THOSE DO LOOK GOOD! How many years since you painted them? Are they TRS?

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

Probably about a year and a half since we painted them. Yes, TRS. Thanks for the compliment, ya know anyone who wants the boat? :D

LS JR.

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

I guess I'll take it. :D

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

I added some nose-cones to bravos a couple of yrs ago and painted them with acrylic-enamel with no prep at all. They looked like new and never had any peeling or fading even down onthe skag. I know nothing about painting and put very little effort into it.But it looked great.

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

10x

I have been trying to reach you regarding your intakes and carbs with no luck can you please send me a pm with a mail adress where I can reach you ?

Cigaretteman

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

Man, the shine on that boat is unreal. Very nice.
Makes me want to forget about looking for a Cafe and take it off your hands.

I repainted my lowers last yr. Sandblasted down to bare aluminum since I was welding on new skegs. Used the Merc procedure above, but substituted with PPG Concept Acrylic Urethane paint instead of the enamal, since several here including the paint supply shop said the Acrylic Urethane is stronger. Still looks like the day I shot them.

BTW, the Merc pt #'s in the above linked thread are PPG products.

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

US1 Fountain, what's under the cover? :cool:

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

I'm probably wrong, but at first glance it looked like a C4 Corvette I once owned. I too am curious.

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

Everyone who buys a Cafe usually jumps to a Gun so might as well skip the Cafe. Cafe's are nice but for the same money or a little more you can have a Gun. I mean, they wanted the same for that '91 Cafe (that your buddy bought) as we do our Gun. We'll give you a hell of a deal on it too! Our whole boat is in the condition the drives are in! Any luck selling the 32'?

LS JR.

Re: Paint for Merc SSM drives
 

An '84 all original 20k mile Vette.

LS, afraid the slip limitations is what is making a 35 the most allowed. And that's only because we didn't ask for permission. 30' is 'supposed' to be the max on our dock, without moving to longer dock. A 38 would be to obvious.
No luck yet, but haven't listed it other than here. Waiting for a couple more months to get serious about it, or keep it. Kinda on the edge anyways.