Author Topic: How do members stand on dealer installed undercoating? (Read 24154 times)

nuch_ss396 · « **on:** November 05, 2006, 01:01:56 AM »

Hi all !

Originally, our 1st generation Camaro's came from the factory without undercoating. My particular 69 Camaro has dealer installed undercoating and I have been
toiling with what to do about that. Should I leave in on ( it would need to be frenhened-up a bit ) or strip it? Recently, I was encouraged to see a post here
featuring a members car that appeared to have undercoating. I believe it was JohnZ's 69 Z/28 that had dealer installed undercoating still intact.

From a purist's point of view, the undercoating should go. But, as a survivor, should I leave the undercoating intact? What do you all think about this?

Steve

lakeholme · « **Reply #1 on:** November 05, 2006, 02:30:16 AM »

Stripping it is no fun!

If it is dealer installed, leave it...

hotrod68 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 05, 2006, 04:59:37 AM »

Phil is dead-on--stripping it off is a royal pain. I spent a month under my '68 scraping it off. But if the car left the dealer with it, I vote leave it or replicate it if you do have to take it off, especially on a numbers-matching car. They're only original once, and if I had a documented car instead of a bastard, there's no way I'd not put it back as close to factory as possible. My 2 cents and good luck!

jeff68 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 06, 2006, 05:50:58 PM »

Steve-
I say leave the undercoating if it is in good shape. Ensure that it is not peeling or bubbling. If it is, moisture can get under it and cause problems that you won't see.
My father had the dealer undercoating applied to our 68 convertible when new, and it was in perfect condition even after 160,000 miles of Connecticut driving. I freshened it up with a light coat of 3M Undercoating as part of the ongoing restoration.

rich69rs · « **Reply #4 on:** November 06, 2006, 06:55:30 PM »

I left mine - it has been on the car for 37 years and I don't have any rust issues, granted when I bought the car in 1991 it only had 25,000 miles and now a little ovr 41,000.

It was a part of the way the car was originally delivered to the original owner.

Steve Shauger · « **Reply #5 on:** November 06, 2006, 07:52:04 PM »

I prefer to have the undercoating on my survivor car removed (carefully). Underneath is a pristine underside with a lot good information such as markings, plating and over spray patterns. I have seen a car heavily undercoated, and then with it removed....wow, what a difference. Again you must take precautions when removing the undercoating, but the results will be well worth the effort. One of my goals is to remove it from the underside of my car.
JMHO.

Steve

Vintage Camaro

Quote from: nuch_ss396 on November 05, 2006, 01:01:56 AM

Hi all !

Originally, our 1st generation Camaro's came from the factory without undercoating. My particular 69 Camaro has dealer installed undercoating and I have been
toiling with what to do about that. Should I leave in on ( it would need to be frenhened-up a bit ) or strip it? Recently, I was encouraged to see a post here
featuring a members car that appeared to have undercoating. I believe it was JohnZ's 69 Z/28 that had dealer installed undercoating still intact.

From a purist's point of view, the undercoating should go. But, as a survivor, should I leave the undercoating intact? What do you all think about this?

Steve

lakeholme · « **Reply #6 on:** November 06, 2006, 10:28:59 PM »

Quote from: paceme on November 06, 2006, 07:52:04 PM

I prefer to have the undercoating on my survivor car removed (carefully). Underneath is a pristine underside with a lot good information such as markings, plating and over spray patterns. I have seen a car heavily undercoated, and then with it removed....wow, what a difference. Again you must take precautions when removing the undercoating, but the results will be well worth the effort. One of my goals is to remove it from the underside of my car.
JMHO.

Steve

Vintage Camaro

What process did you use --even carefully-- and still find markings?

Steve Shauger · « **Reply #7 on:** November 06, 2006, 11:28:42 PM »

I have seen a couple of cars that were high pressure steam cleaned, and inspection markings were still present. I know someone who soaked the underside in kerosene and manually (plastic scrapers and rags) cleaned the underside, and again it came out beautiful. My car was undercoated at the dealer and at some point want to remove the undercoating. Obviously it is easier to leave it alone, but that clean factory look is what I am after.

firstgenaddict · « **Reply #8 on:** November 08, 2006, 03:15:30 PM »

Plastic scrapers or wooden paint stir sticks and kerosene is the best method I have heard of...
It will be alot of hours... I have heard close to 100 or more...

Ron C. · « **Reply #9 on:** November 08, 2006, 06:19:20 PM »

It took me 2 1/2 weeks to get it off my 69 but when you look underneath and see that clean look its worth it.If your car was dealer prepped and you have documentation to prove it was undercoated well I would leave it.If your driveing it and not worried about the rain issue leave it on.Its really up to you!

hotrod68 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 11, 2006, 06:08:21 AM »

I used Auto Zone carburetor cleaner with a putty knife and Scotchbrite to take off the undercoating on my car. It was a long, tedious and arduous task, but well worth it for me. The carburetor cleaner evaporated faster than kerosene, melted the asphalt, and was nowhere near as messy or smelly. Hope this helps someone who has dealt with kerosene!

KurtS · « **Reply #11 on:** November 12, 2006, 05:19:00 AM »

Quote from: nuch_ss396 on November 05, 2006, 01:01:56 AM

Originally, our 1st generation Camaro's came from the factory without undercoating.

That's not true. Undercoating was sprayed in the rear wheelwells by the factory.

JohnZ · « **Reply #12 on:** November 12, 2006, 04:50:57 PM »

It was also sprayed in the front wheel wells.

nuch_ss396 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 12, 2006, 07:12:50 PM »

Quote from: JohnZ on November 12, 2006, 04:50:57 PM

It was also sprayed in the front wheel wells.

John!

I was wondering when you'd chime in. Since your '69 Z has undercoating on it, how do you stand on this issue?

Steve

JohnZ · « **Reply #14 on:** November 13, 2006, 04:57:40 PM »

Quote from: nuch_ss396 on November 12, 2006, 07:12:50 PM

John!

I was wondering when you'd chime in. Since your '69 Z has undercoating on it, how do you stand on this issue?

Steve

Dealer-installed undercoating was very common on Canadian-delivered cars like mine; my car is completely original as-delivered except for an exhaust system replacement and some minor underhood detailing, and it's staying that way. They're only original once.

lakeholme · « **Reply #15 on:** November 17, 2006, 09:23:23 PM »

John, Steve, or anybody,

Please post a picture of how the original undercoating looks now in the wheelwell.
I'd appreciate it!

nuch_ss396 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 21, 2006, 03:32:46 AM »

Phil,

I can't help you there. My undercoating in all wheel wells was freshened up at restoration time. I never touched the underside of the car though.

I'm sure John's car is a treasure trove for this kind of information though.

Steve

JohnZ · « **Reply #17 on:** November 21, 2006, 08:09:44 PM »

Mine isn't representative of factory production in that area, as it was dealer-undercoated and has full coverage in both front and rear wheel wells.

lakeholme · « **Reply #18 on:** November 21, 2006, 09:33:41 PM »

So, the factory coverage was partial? Where? (That's what I'm trying to figure.)

JohnZ · « **Reply #19 on:** November 22, 2006, 04:22:35 PM »

The coverage in the rear wheelhouse was pretty much front-to-rear, but in the fronts it was pretty much from about 12 o'clock rearward, with little or none in the front half.

lakeholme · « **Reply #20 on:** November 22, 2006, 04:57:23 PM »

Thanks a million, John! The previous owner of my car did the black underbody painting, but it appears he did not do the wheel wells. This helps a lot.

copo · « **Reply #21 on:** November 23, 2006, 06:40:22 PM »

On the front inner wheelwells, did the factory spray the undercoating on the front wheelhouses before they were assembled to the front fenders, or after the complete front clip was installed on the body ?

JohnZ · « **Reply #22 on:** November 24, 2006, 04:20:11 PM »

The front inner fenders were sprayed with undercoat (actually sound-deadener) material after the front sheet metal was installed, at the end of the overhead chassis line, as the car went through a spray booth about six feet off the floor, just before the wheels were installed and the car was set down on wheels on the Final Line.

kwkcarz · « **Reply #23 on:** December 01, 2007, 02:52:25 AM »

Great commentary guys! When I restored my LOS 69 and staem cleaned the engine bay only a very small amount of the dealer installed undercoating came off in the transmission tunnel area and was very easily freshed up. With 99k on it and originally from Garberville, CA area, the rust was MIA totally. The undercoating did a fabulous job and I would never think of removing it!

Jerry@CHP · « **Reply #24 on:** December 01, 2007, 03:15:30 PM »

When doing a frame off restoration, you only want it in the rear wheel wells and a small amount in the front (I have seen several with very little in the front and this never looks good IMO). Do not install it on the floor boards or trans tunnel. If you do, you'll get docked at a national judged show.

Jerry

9T4Z · « **Reply #25 on:** December 08, 2007, 05:47:55 PM »

Quote from: Jerry@CHP on December 01, 2007, 03:15:30 PM

When doing a frame off restoration, you only want it in the rear wheel wells and a small amount in the front (I have seen several with very little in the front and this never looks good IMO). Do not install it on the floor boards or trans tunnel. If you do, you'll get docked at a national judged show.

Jerry

Jerry will you be docked points if the undercoating is NOT put back into the wheel wells? I have been considering the undercoat in the wells like the AIM shows.. but it just looks so darn clean down there!

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Author Topic: How do members stand on dealer installed undercoating? (Read 24154 times)