[Ram Air I]

Thanks for posting this info. I have a nice low mile 68 (56k) that has a heavy undercoating still covering the bottom. I have toyed with different ideas how to remove it. I hesitated knowing that it will be a monumental "undertaking".

My father was a Pontiac dealer from '59-'94 . Most cars sold 20-30 years ago were undercoated. I have undercoated many cars myself and that too can be very messy if you are not careful.

I have really searched the chassis over and found almost no inspection paint. Some cars have it everywhere. It does have the block code (XP) on the back of one of the heads in black crayon. It is only visible when the car is on a lift and you are underneath. Maybe the engines were stored where the back of it was visible.??

[Bet Winner]

Originally Posted by Ram Air I

Thanks for posting this info. I have a nice low mile 68 (56k) that has a heavy undercoating still covering the bottom. I have toyed with different ideas how to remove it. I hesitated knowing that it will be a monumental "undertaking".

I have really searched the chassis over and found almost no inspection paint.

Some cars had little inspection paint. Mine has some on pig tails of rear, clutch fork spring, starter, but little else.

My undercoating is the thick dark black stuff that looks like tar. I tried Mr Muscle, WD-40 and others. The heat gun will work, but it is slow and leaves more clean up which can take the original paint off if you are not careful. Heating it with the propane torch until it is shiney will allow it to be taken off cleaner with plastic razor blades, plastic spoons for curved areas(hard kitchen spoons that come to more of a point work the best so far), plastic putty knives, etc.

Mine was also on the gas tank which I have out and will replace. I also have the rear out to refinish it. I plan to replace the brake and fuel lines becasue I don't see how I can get the portion that is wrapped clean.

My point is to decide how far you will go with it before starting. You will probably want to go all the way......................................so just resign yourself to it before starting. And report back! Good luck.

[graycav56]

Ah, this is a topic that seems to apply to just about all of us, eh?

I am doing the same deal with my 66. The original owner coated it with Rusty Jones, asphalt from a can, spray goo and everything else he could find. While it did a pretty good job protecting the car, it is a major league PITA cleaning things up.

I have used a heat gun and paint scraper, a 4 1/2 in wire wheel, small wire wheels for my Dremel, sanding discs of various sizes and coarseness, hand sandpaper, lacquer thinner, mineral spirits, windex, steel wool and a variety of expletives in a wide array of languages and dialects.

My issue is that the body remains on the frame, and despite me SWEARING never to do that again (see 69 Chevelle SS396, 1998 for reference), that is what I am doing. It is the differences in what I am trying to remove coupled with all the damn nooks and crannies and wires and hoses and lines and stuff that makes it so difficult. Some of the goo comes off easily with heat and a scraper while others are rock hard and need a bit more "Jack Bauer".

It's fun though, as much as I bitch, and the results are coming out pretty well.

[Bet Winner]

Used a propane torch and a plastic razor blade to take some of the selling dealership's undercoating (and some factory undercoating) off today--didn't get too far yet--ruined my last plastic razor blade--ordered more. The dealership put the coating on thick, but it protected the paint.

I did scrape the color off in one spot leaving the black dye that the bodies were originally dipped in.

[SWEETJUDGE]

i didnt read all this,.....
i took a torch & a scraper & did the entire underside on my judge. Than sprayed the hard to reach areas with alcohol or acetone.... went back with a cookie type scrapers (about 50 of them) i did this at night for like 2 months.... its a lot of work..... i got the entire underside to shine..... & is now better than factory intended