Detaling the undercarriage
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 2
From: Arkansas
Detaling the undercarriage
Hey Guys,
I'm in the process of redoing my undercarriage and my frame swap. I bought the "how to restore the corvette chassis" handbook and it has some great tips.
But the author painted everything black....I mean everything underneath the car. To me that resembles the "spray bomb" detaling you see in some engine compartments.
Anybody have any tips or leads on what color certain components where from the factory? Mine was rust-red when I got the car so I don't have an accurate reference point.
I didn't know that the coil springs on our car were originally bare steel from the factory, and I think the halfshafts were to.
Were the steering components black or bare? What about the spindles?
Any ideas would be great, I'm not wanting a correct resto...just something that looks clean.
I'm in the process of redoing my undercarriage and my frame swap. I bought the "how to restore the corvette chassis" handbook and it has some great tips.
But the author painted everything black....I mean everything underneath the car. To me that resembles the "spray bomb" detaling you see in some engine compartments.
Anybody have any tips or leads on what color certain components where from the factory? Mine was rust-red when I got the car so I don't have an accurate reference point.
I didn't know that the coil springs on our car were originally bare steel from the factory, and I think the halfshafts were to.
Were the steering components black or bare? What about the spindles?
Any ideas would be great, I'm not wanting a correct resto...just something that looks clean.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Hey Guys,
I'm in the process of redoing my undercarriage and my frame swap. I bought the "how to restore the corvette chassis" handbook and it has some great tips.
But the author painted everything black....I mean everything underneath the car. To me that resembles the "spray bomb" detaling you see in some engine compartments.
Anybody have any tips or leads on what color certain components where from the factory? Mine was rust-red when I got the car so I don't have an accurate reference point.
I didn't know that the coil springs on our car were originally bare steel from the factory, and I think the halfshafts were to.
Were the steering components black or bare? What about the spindles?
Any ideas would be great, I'm not wanting a correct resto...just something that looks clean.
I'm in the process of redoing my undercarriage and my frame swap. I bought the "how to restore the corvette chassis" handbook and it has some great tips.
But the author painted everything black....I mean everything underneath the car. To me that resembles the "spray bomb" detaling you see in some engine compartments.
Anybody have any tips or leads on what color certain components where from the factory? Mine was rust-red when I got the car so I don't have an accurate reference point.
I didn't know that the coil springs on our car were originally bare steel from the factory, and I think the halfshafts were to.
Were the steering components black or bare? What about the spindles?
Any ideas would be great, I'm not wanting a correct resto...just something that looks clean.
Rick B.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,328
Likes: 17
From: Fl
semi gloss black:
frame
bumper brackets
secondary pieces bolted to the frame
steering/suspension:
tire rod sleeves are natural steel
spindles, pitman arm, idler arm are cast finbish
center link natural/forged (will look kind of black and dark gray)
coil springs are natural steel
ball joints are natural steel
power steering slave cylinder is semi gloss back
upper control arms and lower control arms are semi gloss black
brakes:
calipers are semi gloss black
caliper brackets are gold iradite
dust shields are yellow dichromate ( pretty sure, may be dull cad)
drive train:
half shafts and drive shaft are natural extruded steel
u-joints are natural
I would find a judging manual for your car from NCRS, it has all the correct finishes listed for each area of the car.
Hope the few ideas I listed helps some.
frame
bumper brackets
secondary pieces bolted to the frame
steering/suspension:
tire rod sleeves are natural steel
spindles, pitman arm, idler arm are cast finbish
center link natural/forged (will look kind of black and dark gray)
coil springs are natural steel
ball joints are natural steel
power steering slave cylinder is semi gloss back
upper control arms and lower control arms are semi gloss black
brakes:
calipers are semi gloss black
caliper brackets are gold iradite
dust shields are yellow dichromate ( pretty sure, may be dull cad)
drive train:
half shafts and drive shaft are natural extruded steel
u-joints are natural
I would find a judging manual for your car from NCRS, it has all the correct finishes listed for each area of the car.
Hope the few ideas I listed helps some.
Last edited by 72ls5fla; Sep 6, 2009 at 11:31 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 2
From: Arkansas
Thanks guys, I didn't think about a NCRS judging manual.
72ls5fla what you posted is a big help and exactly what I was looking for in an answer to my question
If anyone has ever bought the Corvette Chassis restoration handbook it would blow your mind with how much black paint the author used on his undercarriage...he painted frame, coils, spindles, halfshafts, driveshaft, steering parts, brake dust shields, calipers etc....everything was black.
In regards to the components that are a "natural" finish, did you guys bead blast and leave them the way they were or spray a clear coat on them to prevent rusting?
I know you can get cast iron color hi-temp engine paint that works pretty good on components that were cast iron...I did my master cylinder and exhaust manifolds this way and it has held up pretty good.
One last question...what about the underbody itself, especially the floor pan? The fiberglass area? Did you guys paint it or coat it in undercoating?
72ls5fla what you posted is a big help and exactly what I was looking for in an answer to my question
If anyone has ever bought the Corvette Chassis restoration handbook it would blow your mind with how much black paint the author used on his undercarriage...he painted frame, coils, spindles, halfshafts, driveshaft, steering parts, brake dust shields, calipers etc....everything was black.
In regards to the components that are a "natural" finish, did you guys bead blast and leave them the way they were or spray a clear coat on them to prevent rusting?
I know you can get cast iron color hi-temp engine paint that works pretty good on components that were cast iron...I did my master cylinder and exhaust manifolds this way and it has held up pretty good.
One last question...what about the underbody itself, especially the floor pan? The fiberglass area? Did you guys paint it or coat it in undercoating?
Last edited by 1982CorvetteDude; Sep 7, 2009 at 09:29 AM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 2
From: Arkansas
You should probably look for some NCRS manuals if you are looking for factory correct finishes. Your post is a little confusing. You are looking for factory correct colors but you are not looking for a factory correct restoration. If you want something that looks clean you can make up your own color scheme.
Rick B.
Rick B.
I also didn't want a blue drive shaft with a red car either, I didn't want to go that wild...just simple.
If it was originally black then I wanted to repaint black....I didn't want to put black on stuff that wasn't black to begin with. If I were ever to sell the car (which I hope doesn't happen) I want the buyer to crawl under and say "man that's clean" and see all the detail. Not one big black mass.
Last edited by 1982CorvetteDude; Sep 7, 2009 at 09:30 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,301
Likes: 4,389
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi CD82,
Mike's right, the NCRS tech manual for you car is a good source of finishes.
The under body fiberglass was bare except for a little 'black-out' and undercoating in the wheel wells, and a little 'black-out' on the wheel side of the jack compartment and the battery compartment.
These pictures are from my 71, but they may help you although your car is a bit different, especially in the rear.
I'd love to see some pictures as you progress!
Regards,
Alan
Mike's right, the NCRS tech manual for you car is a good source of finishes.
The under body fiberglass was bare except for a little 'black-out' and undercoating in the wheel wells, and a little 'black-out' on the wheel side of the jack compartment and the battery compartment.
These pictures are from my 71, but they may help you although your car is a bit different, especially in the rear.
I'd love to see some pictures as you progress!
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Sep 7, 2009 at 11:42 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
Likes: 315
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
CD82
Bare metal parts, after cleaning, should be sprayed with some sort of rust inhibitor. I am using CRC SP-400, which leaves a somewhat sticky film that dries over time. A light spray and or/wipe down every year keeps the rust away.
You are absolutely right...a rattle can blackout restoration over everything looks tacky, and some future buyer may not want to remove all that paint. Get the NCRS Information Manual & Judging Guide. It may not answer all your questions, but it goes a long way.
Bare metal parts, after cleaning, should be sprayed with some sort of rust inhibitor. I am using CRC SP-400, which leaves a somewhat sticky film that dries over time. A light spray and or/wipe down every year keeps the rust away.
You are absolutely right...a rattle can blackout restoration over everything looks tacky, and some future buyer may not want to remove all that paint. Get the NCRS Information Manual & Judging Guide. It may not answer all your questions, but it goes a long way.
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Michael S. Palmer
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton Illinois
Not as good of quality as Alan's pics but may be of some help. Some one posted these a few years ago. They are from the St Louis Corvette plant production line.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,447
Likes: 3
From: Syracuse NY
Hi CD82,
Mike's right, the NCRS tech manual for you car is a good source of finishes.
The under body fiberglass was bare except for a little 'black-out' and undercoating in the wheel wells, and a little 'black-out' on the wheel side of the jack compartment and the battery compartment.
These pictures are from my 71, but they may help you although your car is a bit different, especially in the rear.
I'd love to see some pictures as you progress!
Regards,
Alan
Mike's right, the NCRS tech manual for you car is a good source of finishes.
The under body fiberglass was bare except for a little 'black-out' and undercoating in the wheel wells, and a little 'black-out' on the wheel side of the jack compartment and the battery compartment.
These pictures are from my 71, but they may help you although your car is a bit different, especially in the rear.
I'd love to see some pictures as you progress!
Regards,
Alan
