Guest TKR514 Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 I'm doing my first Z restoration. I removed the front and rear suspension and fuel tank. There is no rust underneath the car except for some minor surface specks close to the rear bumber mount. Can I just wash it and call it good OR do I need to strip the entire undercoating /paint, then repaint and reundercoat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 You'll very likely find some rust once you scape away the undercoating If you don't want to know about it, leave the U/C on, otherwise scrape it off and repair the rust and reapply new coating. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 It is a long messy process and would be damn near impossible if you did not have the car on a rotisserie. I found some hidden rust when I did mine so it is your call. Check out this thread from last October. Click Here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TKR514 Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 So, what is the process? Better to scrape the metal or use a chemical paint stripper? Sandblast? Seems like I would need to get all traces of everything off and then prime, paint and undercoate? 79ZX original owner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 I think if the car is in excellent shape I would due a little selective removal at first. The areas that seem most prone to rust are at the overlap joints. Check out where the floor pan meets the firewall and where it meets the back half of the car. This is where I found my hidden rust. If you are doing this under the car I would try the oven cleaner routine first. Please and I do mean please wear eye protection, gloves and a long sleeve shirt. Good luck with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TKR514 Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 Thanks!!! Will do. Probably will keep my car another 24 years so I guess a few weeks of scraping is not all that much... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jdllaugh Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 In my opinion, this is a long, nasty, kick-butt job. It's a real killer. If I had to do it over again, I would inspect the rust-prone areas and leave the rest alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 240hybrid Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 I read somewhere that if you take a block of dry ice and leave it in the floor boards, or where you want to start removing, it'll make the U/C very brittle. Then give the U/C a hit with a hammer/mallet and it should seperate from the car easily in nice chunks, and expose a descent section of the undercarriage. do this enough and you dont have to scrap so much of it manually. Chase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dan0myte Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 Or just bring the car up to Canada and let it sit outside for a couple days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synlubes Posted January 31, 2003 Share Posted January 31, 2003 I know the tar in side the car comes off(with a scraper)easily, I would think the undercoating would be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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