How is everyone finishing the underneath of their car?

[steveh326]

Whats the best way to finish the underneath of my car?  Hopfully will be ready for this step soon, before it goes to paint.  I originally thought about using bedliner either rolled or sprayed from a rattlecan, but not sure this is the best idea, so looking for other suggestions.

Should I paint it black?  body color? 

Thanks in advance.

[AzPete]

It really depends on the use you plan for the car. Daily driver type would need better protection than a show unit.

[silverblueBP]

I painted mine black. After dealing with the black for a number of years, I wish I would have done it in white. It would be a lot easier / brighter when working underneath. Since I open track it a lot, I'm under it just about every month[1] checking nuts and bolts.

1.	when the motor's not blown

[68EFIvert]

I painted the bottom of my car with POR15 satin black.  Tough stuff and looks good. 

[steveh326]

I painted the bottom of my car with POR15 satin black.  Tough stuff and looks good.

might be a good option, thanks...   I assume you sprayed it?

[steveh326]

It really depends on the use you plan for the car. Daily driver type would need better protection than a show unit.

nice weekend car, cruise nights, will probably see some rain during the rest of it's life, but not a daily driver or a show car.

[steveh326]

I painted mine black. After dealing with the black for a number of years, I wish I would have done it in white. It would be a lot easier / brighter when working underneath. Since I open track it a lot, I'm under it just about every month[1] checking nuts and bolts.

1.	when the motor's not blown

haha, not sure I can do WHITE, but black is sounding better and better.

[RyanG85]

3M Schutz

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?66666UuZjcFSLXTt4xMcNxfVEVuQEcuZgVs6EVs6E666666--

[66gt350]

Mine is more the "natural" look -- road grime and oil.

[AzPete]

I would go the por 15 or like item before using bed liner adds a lot of weight from what I have read.

I had one painted to match the car. Held up well as I had the car for 12,000 miles or so. Made clean up real easy as the surface was slick and it was a daily driver. To me, painting makes it easier to clean.

[dodgestang]

I simply never look at it.   

[steveh326]

I simply never look at it.   

I prolly won't look at it MUCH, but just about everything under there is new now and just has the EPDM coating that won't hold up to the elements.

[Laurie S.]

I striped mine, and no, I don't have a rotisserie.

[buckeyedemon]

single stage urethane of approximately the same color as the original undercarriage.

hopefully being smooth will make it easy to wipe down.

[Jack1966]

I used Zero Rust for the extra protection factor ( the red oxide was kind of similar to the original color on this San Jose car).

[tarafied1]

I rattle can sprayed mine with undercoat and then covered it in road grime and oil too.

[68EFIvert]

might be a good option, thanks...   I assume you sprayed it?

just a 2" brush and old cloths.

[6t6red]

just a 2" brush and old cloths.

Wear gloves also or you will be wearing black for a long time.  Pors does not like to come off. but it is great stuff.

[68EFIvert]

I forgot about gloves.  Wear 2 pairs.… at a time.  :)

[blue65coupe]

A little rattle can, a brush, black rustoleum, there you have it. 

[jims6t6]

Mine is more the "natural" look -- road grime and oil.

Mine too. 45 years of road grime and oil

[steveh326]

I striped mine, and no, I don't have a rotisserie.

nice!  thats way more than I will do, but it looks great.  I don't have a rotisserie either, but the shell is up on 55 gallon drums so it's almost 4' up in the air right now, and I want to finish the underneath before it comes down onto a dolly.

[mustangstofear]

We do it two ways, base coat /clear coat. Or we spray on U-Tech etch primer, then spray our Vortech bed liner material. No the bed liner material doesn't add a lot of weight.

[steveh326]

OK, thanks very much for all the input.  I think I am going the POR15 route, or maybe a combination of POR15 and semigloss rustoleum.  not a show car, but I do want it to look nice when I am under there changing the oil or working on something else, and definately want to keep future rust at bay.

probably 70% of the metal under my car has been replaced, not sure how the POR15 will do with the EPDM primer coating on the new pieces, but will definately use it on the original metal, then maybe topcoat everything with the rustoleum.  if my thinking is valid, this keeps it affordable, something I can do myself, and should make any future touchups easy.

 

[6t6red]

You shouldn't need more than a quart of Pors-15 if you are going to brush it on.  That stuff goes a long way but if you have any left over it doesn't have a long shelf life.  When you brush it on it levels out pretty good also.