Painting underside - black or body color, Wurth undercoating or not Options

[Qarl]

Okay...

I spoke to the NEW body guy today who is going to redo the paint job on the 914 conversion. Hopefully he can take the car in 2-3 weeks and then get it done in 30 days. Should be pretty easy since it is a stripped tub on a cart. I am also going to have Engman's inner long kit installed and fix some of the bodywork fuckups from the last body guy (don't ask).

Since I am basically starting afresh, I am considering painting the underside (underside of floor pan, wheel wells, and everything below the engine tin seals) black.

My thoughts are that the car is yellow and the suspension (front struts) and rear shocks are yellow. I'm thinking that this would show off the suspension better.

I know Doug Leggins did this on his car and that I have seen several other restorations that have done this.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-2...-1109562333.jpg

I noticed that Gint undercoated his 914-6 car and then painted it body color.

http://www.914world.com/members/ginter/DSCN0257.jpg

Here are my requests.

1. Looking for photos of freshly painted cars with the undersides painted black.
2. Options for undercoating (I know Wurth is really good).
3. Does POR make an undercoating option. I know they have a chassis black product. Might be good for added rust protection and to yield a nice satin finish
4. Painting over undercoating. What's the paint layer application.... primer, undercoasting and then paint? Or primer, paint, undercoating, and paint.

Thanks!

Qarl


This is car similar to mine that someone from either Minnesota or North Dakota e-mailed me a few years back.

I don't remember who it was...

[TravisNeff]

No photos to illustrate, all my cars (cept the new one) were undercoated black. Never liked that, always looked dirty and that texture trapped a ton of it.

One thing that I always loved on the earlier (earlier than 85) 911's was the stongard finish that was painted body color. Your suspension will hide if you paint it all one color, unless you want to re-coat all your stuff so I know where you are coming from.

I'd say wurth it and do body color!

[Qarl]

I'm thinking this might be a really good choice.

http://www.por15.com/product.asp?productid=209

It can give you a satin black finish, corrosion production (good for all the seams and nooks and crannies underneath) and is extremely durable.

[SirAndy]

QUOTE (Qarl @ Mar 4 2005, 02:07 PM)

Since I am basically starting afresh, I am considering painting the underside (underside of floor pan, wheel wells, and everything below the engine tin seals) black.

are you nuts? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/screwy.gif)

please, don't spend all that money on making your car that nice and then cheap out on the underside! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/icon8.gif)

paint it body color! *NO* undercoating, pretty please. i beg you ... don't do it. noooooooooooooo
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/unsure.gif) Andy

[balljoint]

Is this going to be a concours winner?

If not then I think the Chassis Black looks pretty cool. I have heard a lot of good stuff about that product from restoration guys up here (where the salt is on the roads not in the water).

I am no purist, I may not know Porsches but I know what I like.

[John]

Just my $0.02 advice, Do not undercoat your car. I would recommend properly prepping and painting the underside. Use POR or some other quality product and then paint body color. Or you could spray the body shitz (sp?) on it to give it that texture. For me, a SMOOTH surface will hold the least amount of dirt/water/grime.

I like them smooth paint. NOT UNDERCOATING! Keep it clean.

It's not like you are going to drive the thing in the salt/snow/rain much are you?

Again, just my opinion (disregard it if you want).

[balljoint]

I don't think chassis black is textured and it is a POR product already. You could even paint it Yella afterwards I think.

[iamchappy]

Please no undercoat keep the same as body color. If you have too, use a clear undercoating or scuff guard.

[iamchappy]

The 2nd link is the way to go.

[GWN7]

Paint it body colour.....let people look for your upgrades. Smoother, cleaner looking.

If you want you suspension upgrades to stand out, paint them Floresent Orange or Green. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[TravisNeff]

I hijacked Sahara Beige Steves photo. Look how easy you spot the wheelwells. think of that if it is black, and then black/brown with crud on it.

[Qarl]

QUOTE

The 2nd link is the way to go.

Well the second link has an undercoat and then paint on top of it.

I think it is Wurth Underbody or SKS...

http://www.wurthusa.com/en/catalog/product...ath=06.0510.jpg

Whatever it is, it has to be paintable...

[MecGen]

Hey man
Best of both worlds,
have him paint it and after, if you want, shoot undercoating on it, easy, hard to do the other way around.
Cheers
Joe

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif)

[Britain Smith]

I really like the underside of the car to be body color, but I am a bit impartial....

(IMG:http://www.britainsmith.com/Porsche/912Project/Paint/images/150_0052_jpg.jpg)

-Britain

[pete-stevers]

Karl.... my opinion on undercoating.....I have undercoating on my car and i believe if there is a crack in the undercoating caused by rock chips and the like is a fantasic place for moisture to collect and sit ....can you say rust.... i have talked to the body men to redo the darn thing and paint body color....however I never drive it in the rain or salt....so it will have to wait....a possible solution is under body wax after paint as the new cars have around here in BC
good luck on the project and keep us posted
if this paint guy can't get it right "say hello to my little friends" (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)
steve

[azbill]

The floor pans, trucks and etc. are flat black on my '73. I talking to PO and according to him the bottom is orginial. Right now it need a respray.

[TravisNeff]

My 73 had dealer applied undercoating, original paint underneath. Areas under the trunk were white, well under all the grease and dirt that made it black. I am powerwashing the new car's wheelwells this weekend and it is a non-undercoat car, I'll post my progress pics

[william harris]

Mine will be body color with no undercoating. I spent months and thousands of dollars to media blast and prime the damn thing. I gonna paint it like the factory did and no undercoating will ever touch it. Yeah, it will eventually get dirty. That's because it is a car. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[Katmanken]

Quarl,

You are living in Florida, land of humidity, rain, salt spray at the beach, mildew and RUST.

Seal that sucka.

Ken

[Qarl]

Okay... the yellow's win...

So, now how to protect the body and underside. Because of the humidity and rain and the fact that it has the factory GT panels welded on, I want some added protection....

So, I am thinking one of the following...

1. A coat of the POR chassis with yellow body color on top might be best at this time

2. Wurth protective coating with yellow on top (like Gint's car).