WTH can I do with my fan strap?
 

Hey guys, I am trying to figure out what to do with my fan strap, if I paint it, I will ruin it sliding it back in, if I polish it, same thing. I would like some ideas from the forums as to what I can do. Any ideas?:)

-Norm

Powder coating works fine. THink painting would work too if you were careful.

So, your 78 SC is called "Scratchy". If you scratch up the fan strap, what is the problem? Fits the description, no?

I cleaned mine up nicely with the strap in place. Used steel wool and finished it off with 500 then 1200 wet sanding. Looks great.
Post up pics later.

I had mine plated. Much more durable than painting.

* I like the plating idea but horrendously expensive here, $160.00 to be exact.
* Polished it before but rusted up quick.
* painting seems to be the cheapest and more do-able for me.
* Powdercoat- maybe too brittle, not flexy enough to bend into place.

* I like the comment about scratchy lol, true indeed, but not an option, I guess all those years in the Navy made me too paranoid of corrosion on unpainted surfaces, besides, I have a classic mini which will literally rust before your eyes if not tended to.

How about Rennline's stainless strap? Looks to be much cheaper than your cost for plating.

Pelican Parts - Product Information: REN-M03-BR

Just buy a new one for $45 from our host.
I did, it looks great.
Pelican Parts - Automotive Parts and Accessories - Porsche & BMW

Once again,
If your strap is stainless and your fan housing isn't protected from contact via paint or some other mechanical separation, add water and galvanic corrosion will occur. Look it up.

But the stock strap is made of steel and the fan housing is some aluminum alloy. There should then also be a lot of galvanic corrosion. But with the engine compartment mostly hot and dry is that really a problem?

We have a winner!
;)

H2O, if you can keep it dry no problemo. Remember the air has H20 in it. Was the original strap zinc/cad plated? if so there would be your sacrifical coating. Ignoring galvanic corrosion may work for awhile, but sooner or later the chemistry/physics will take over.

FWIW powdercoat is flexible enough to allow installation.
mine is powdercoated black and it looks great.