Underbody Restoration / Protection?

[Stagsongas]

Hi All,

I'm just about to begin on the restoration of LD 296 J reg'd. The car was born White and I'm sticking with that. Much of it is already stripped and the engine needs to come out so I decided to go the whole hog on the body. Paddocks releived me of several hundred £ for panels this last week or so and I'm raring to go. Spending money on a project always does that to me

But what to to with the underbody, what is the current thinking/trend/fashion?

Someone has gone to a lot of trouble under the wheelarches and on some of the front chassis/floor in scraping off underseal and priming the metal, but other areas like the heelboard and rear spring mountings are very flaky, but not rotten, and need a good scrub.

So...What's the best thing to coat it with?

Is it better to use White under the arches etc. or would Black be more sensible?

Paint it or use Spray on Stonechip?

Is it realistic to actually use a car with only paint on its underside?

I have no idea what direction this car will take inbetween utterly standard with a weather eye on heritage and concours, right up to (or down to?) modified for today's driving but still looking pretty standard, although I figure that whatever I do, the shell has to be right first. One step at a time, everything else will fall into place I guess.

The only thing I won't use is bog standard underseal and I'd welcome any thoughts /ideas/experiences.

Regards and TIA

Steve

[jakesmig]

I've just finished off the underneath of mine which needed new inner wheel arches, spot patches etc and went down virtually the same route as EDD,
in my case it was:-

1 coat epoxy primer
2 coats 2K primer
DINITROL 445 stonechip
2 coats 2K body colour (Damson)
1 coat clear coat to finish off

Wheel arches included.

IMO using a colour coat / clear coat finish aids self cleaning more than on an underseal or stonechip finish.

I get the impression that most 'restored' cars seem to go with colour coded wheel arches.

John

[DJT]

Steve,

Mine were done as follows:

1. Strip to factory primer using warm air and solvent to remove old underseal
2. Spot treat rust with Fertan as required
3. Good brush coat of Red Oxide
4. Seam seal
5. Sprayed with Stone Chip
6. Sprayed with body colour

They seem to be holding up well 12 months down the road

[73stagman]

They do look much nicer done body colour but mine are done the same colour as the under belly of the car.... scraped and burnt all the old underseal off. Painted with red oxide primer then with black gloss enamel then finally in Black Waxoil. They should be good for a while!....[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

Sorry for the big piccies but they are how they are stored on Photobucket and are not on this PC

[Ian Durrant]

personally I don't like body colour inside the arches. It accentuates the gaps around the tyre. Moderns use black plastic inner shields and I suspect for that reason.

[edd]

I think it just looks pretty. Underseal just attracts rubish . Stonechip and paint just falls off and makes it easier to clean . My stag is slightly lowered and it will be hard to spot the areas that are painted underneath. My fat tyres fill the void .

[jeffsstag]

I think yours looks fantastic underneath,you should be proud

[DJT]

Edd,

I'm going to report your last posting to the Moderators. That is pure porn...

[Stagsongas]

Just a quick note to thank everyone for their effort and pictures thusfar - certainly I have much to think about and plently of encouragement. I will reply individually later, but thanks to all for now.

I guess many will recognise the mixed feelings that pop up and the circles you can go around. Do you make absolutely the best job possible and then worry about using the car and getting it dirty etc., wince when folk lean over your paint and so on, or should you take it to a reasonable level and not worry so much about road grime but always have a tiny regret that you didn't do it to ultimate levels of perfection?

Similar principles apply to originality. Put up with that Water Pump etc. and always worry about it, or modify, be damned and then able to drive it with far less worry? Do you put on the body stripes, ally wheels and stainless sill covers you like, but the car should not have (examples only) if strictly viewed as produced?

I'm afraid I'm one of those people who has to make the best possible job of everything but as shown above, that can cause me concern and conflict, I then end up not using the car which is rather pointless. I may have to find some way of bargaining with myself

At least for now I'm on the easy part - the shell has to be right whatever.

Regards

Steve

[David Lloyd]

take it to a reasonable level and not worry so much about road grime but always have a tiny regret that you didn't do it to ultimate levels of perfection?

It is a human condition. I went for a less than perfect model as I didn't want to worry about using it getting it caught out in the rain etc.... but I can see the things I want to put right because I know they should be better. Before too long it will be a show trailer queen.

[73stagman]

It is a human condition. I went for a less than perfect model as I didn't want to worry about using it getting it caught out in the rain etc.... but I can see the things I want to put right because I know they should be better. Before too long it will be a show trailer queen.

I have the same dramas.... even looking at stag engine reconversion!

[edd]

I'm most definitely going to use my car . OK I'm going not going rallying through mud but my secrete gutters in the wings are there for when it gets wet. It will never be a daily driver . The problem most restorers face is knowing where to stop . I'm trying to buy nos where I can as every part I pick up from the original car is knackered . do I purchase a slightly less knackered part no you end up buying the best about .
I'm now fitting leather just add to the expense arghhhh
I'm back off to work
edd

[DJT]

I went for a less than perfect model

So did I, but she's a good cook.................

[Stagsongas]

So did I, but she's a good cook.................

I'm not going there - I haven't answered for the 'do they do a SWMBO remote with Mute button' comment yet.

Regards

Steve

[Stagsongas]

I'm most definitely going to use my car . OK I'm going not going rallying through mud but my secrete gutters in the wings are there for when it gets wet. It will never be a daily driver . The problem most restorers face is knowing where to stop . I'm trying to buy nos where I can as every part I pick up from the original car is knackered . do I purchase a slightly less knackered part no you end up buying the best about .
I'm now fitting leather just add to the expense arghhhh
I'm back off to work
edd

Well have a good day Edd.

I'm not questioning what you are doing, it is beautiful, and if it's keeping you happy it's the right thing to do. It's me that the problem!

Regards

Steve