An Inside Look at ZyCoat’s Super-Versatile ZyBar

01 Specialty coatings can add performance plus unique styling accents — Specialty coatings can add performance plus unique styling accents for classic trucks.

By Ron Covell – Photography by the Author

We just learned of a special coating called ZyBar. A thin coating will reduce underhood temperatures by 40 percent. It actually increases the power output and fuel economy of the engine since it speeds the flow of the exhaust gases and it resists rust and corrosion.

ZyBar is available in four colors—Bronze Satin, Midnight Black, cast (medium gray), and aluminum—and it can provide a nice accent in the engine compartment.

02 These wheels have been coated with Bronze Satin ZyBar — These wheels have been coated with Bronze Satin ZyBar, which provides a nice contrast with the polished metal.

Some builders have been so enamored with this product that they use it for components that don’t need heat protection because it has a unique, satiny finish, and the colors available can harmonize with other colors or offer an interesting contrast. The truck pictured in this article was built by Vintage Fabrication, in Independence, Missouri. In addition to coating a number of underhood components with ZyBar, they used it as an accent color for the wheels, rearview mirrors, and some other components. As you can see, it provides a subtle but elegant contrast with polished metal or glossy paint.

03 The rearview mirrors on this truck are ZyBar coated too — The rearview mirrors on this truck are ZyBar coated too. The warm satin finish offers a very nice counterpoint to the high-gloss paint on the truck.

ZyBar can be applied with a spray gun, and spray cans are available for some of their products. Proper surface preparation is essential; blasting with an aggressive media is recommended, and any traces of surface grease or oil must be eliminated before coating. The finish can be cured in a couple of hours if an oven is available. It can also be air-dried over a period of a few days. This makes the product well within the realm of the do-it-yourself builder.

04 it’s a natural for underhood components — ZyBar was first developed for high-temperature environments, so it’s a natural for underhood components.

ZyCoat also makes a clear, semigloss topcoat called ZyClear, which can be applied over ZyBar to give it a higher gloss, and it can be applied many other surfaces, including stainless, chrome, or powdercoating. This finish cures at room temperature in one hour.