Black Rustoleum (or similar) on everything just for protection in most places. Out here in the desert, I may just use Krylon or something cheap. I frankly don't see much sense in color coordinated brackets, but, that's just me. Fine and dandy if someone likes it and has the time and patience to do it. So long as you don't mind messing it up just to redo it again (or if you want a "Mall running poseur"
).
Once upon a time I did that detail stuff with a CJ7. Painted frame, brackets, even bolts. Tub off, matching shiny, dark red paint all around, top and bottom. Even the drive train was nice and pretty. Nice seats, stereo, bumpers, hard top with late model doors (flat handle), and on and on... Trouble was, I had so much time and money into it, and it looked so nice, got alot of attention, I didn't want to take a chance on messing it up. Got so I never went out and really had fun in it any more, to worried about scratching it or breaking something. Even dirt roads elevated the "pucker factor" at that point, forget about roll overs, I was afraid I would throw up a rock and scratch something.
I eventually got disgusted with it (and myself) so I sold it and bought another old beater Chevy. Boy did I have fun in the truck. Bashed in the door till I had to crawl across, broke the frame (repeatedly) from "nosing in" after clearing a wash, busted windows. Never did anything to that truck except what it took to keep it relatively clean (no need getting completely filthy working on it) and running. Ahh, the memories...
Huh, what, the moral? Was there one? Oh yeah, just don't let it go so far that you don't enjoy what you build.
Russ
85 K30 CUCV, 350 TBI, TH400, 205, D60/C14, 4.56 Locked
Some day: 4" lift, 44" tires, massive cutting, shorter wb and rear overhang.
LOL 
