to undercoat or not?

pappentl

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CAT Member
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Putting my '65 back together after many years apart. The bottom was dipped, epoxy primed and painted body color 20 years ago. It's just starting to show some very minor surface rust, so I'm going to sand and paint those sections (also the interior of the boxed sections). How do you all feel about undercoating (yes I realize it's my car), worth doing or not?

...tom
B9473100
 

TigerBlue

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I would not

Assuming your Tiger in not a daily driver and driven in winter slush and snow? Salted roads should be avoided in Sunbeams even with undercoating! :mad:

Best wishes. Rick
 

Warren

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What lurks below.....

That's the first thing I think of when I see fresh undercoating. If you do it take dated good pictures like a baby book. Maybe don't apply with a broom finish like originally applied, where'd I read that :)
 

65beam

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undercoat

This is a photo of how the undercoating was done by Doug Jennings to one of my cars. This was done after the underside was painted. The brown is where the 3M undercoat spilled out of the inside of the frame rails, etc. It was cleaned off at a later date.
 

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pappentl

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My car was dipped/stripped and repaired by Doug. He also painted the underside. My intent is to not use this as a garage queen, but if not a daily driver then a more than occasional driver. The car was my daily driver for 4 years in Ohio, Indiana and NOLA prior to the renovation, and I will do it again (except for snow, it's a death trap on snow and ice...). I do like the look:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155439559554446&set=p.10155439559554446&type=3&theater

...tom
B9473100
 

CLIFF_MK1

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As an alternative to undercoating, you might consider bed coating. We used Raptor Bed Coating and it's very tough but easy to clean. Comes with a hardener and application gun and various colors.
 

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HolyCat

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Downside?

Other than cost and a little more weight, I am not sure what the downside to undercoating your car might be. Just make sure that there is minimal overspray.

When we lived in Louisiana back in the 80s, I saw a lot of fairly new cars showing signs of serious rust. We bought a new Jeep Cherokee in 1985, and I wanted it to last. I took it to a place that performed rust-proofing - called Ziebart. I believe they have a series of locations in different parts of the country. They would drill holes into closed sections in inconspicuous places so they could apply their special formula of coating into places otherwise hard to get. Then they covered the hole with a plastic plug (with their hallmark embossed, so you knew your car was Ziebarted). When we got rid of the Jeep around 20 years later, there was no sign of body or frame rust, even though the Jeep went its first 5 years in Louisiana heat and humidity, most of the time out of any garage. By the way, there was so little really cold weather in southern Louisiana that salt applied on the roads was not an issue.

Should you decide to drill any holes to help with applying the coating, please be sure to drill only in areas where stresses are minimal (i.e., in the sides of beams and NOT in the bottom or top). If in doubt, do not drill.

Good luck with finishing your car!
 
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