I can say that soap and water alone will not work I'm afraid. Have you seen this type of application?
"Wet" Undercoating Removal?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 872
Likes: 114
From: Round Hill Virginia
"Wet" Undercoating Removal?
I have a 69 a bought a few months ago and the previous owner had a tar/grease-like undercoating sprayed to protect from rust etc. The good thing is that it seems to work, the car (chassis, bird cage/body mounts) is in great shape under all that goo. What is this stuff? It's dry but wet and VERY difficult to get off if you touch any part of it. Very sticky stuff.
I'm looking to take the body off this winter to clean up the chassis, new brake and fuel lines etc. I realize I'm likely to wear out a few scrappers but I wonder if anyone has any experience with this stuff and a good way or products to get it clean???
I'm looking to take the body off this winter to clean up the chassis, new brake and fuel lines etc. I realize I'm likely to wear out a few scrappers but I wonder if anyone has any experience with this stuff and a good way or products to get it clean???
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 872
Likes: 114
From: Round Hill Virginia
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 872
Likes: 114
From: Round Hill Virginia
I'm sure my approach once the body is off is to simply stare... I think the scrapping and degreaser of some sort, or all will be in order. The bugger is also that it's under the body too in some places. Oh joy! @7T1vette I'd leave it alone but my OCD for everything clean and it's it's proper location will get the best of me. I don't need it to be bright and shiny, just clean! 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,212
Likes: 4,300
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi nix,
Originally there was some amount of undercoating sprayed in each of the wheels wells. The amount and how carefully it was done varied from car to car.
This was done before the body was placed on the chassis so there's typically none on the frame or it's parts.
Kerosene works as a solvent for many types of undercoating and isn't quite as volatile as lacquer thinner or gasoline... but still makes quite a mess.
Remember that as you remove the material that's presently there any bare steel that's exposed will begin to get the first blush of rust very quickly… even over night. So be prepared to protect what ever you expose or you'll be removing surface rust in the future too.
Regards,
Alan
Originally there was some amount of undercoating sprayed in each of the wheels wells. The amount and how carefully it was done varied from car to car.
This was done before the body was placed on the chassis so there's typically none on the frame or it's parts.
Kerosene works as a solvent for many types of undercoating and isn't quite as volatile as lacquer thinner or gasoline... but still makes quite a mess.
Remember that as you remove the material that's presently there any bare steel that's exposed will begin to get the first blush of rust very quickly… even over night. So be prepared to protect what ever you expose or you'll be removing surface rust in the future too.
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Sep 27, 2017 at 09:03 AM.
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Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 434
Likes: 47
From: Lake in the Hills IL
The schmutz on my underside is kinda like yours I think. On the frame/metal pieces it's fairly solid unless there's an area that had a leak of some sort (then it feels kinda gooey). On the rest, it would come off if I scrape at it...like a gooey tar
Whomever did mine went to town, hoses, cables, etc.. covered in the stuff. They must have taped off the trans and oil pans from getting coated. Positive side is that my frame is pretty solid, and it must have done something over the years to keep it that way. Negative... well I don't really like the way it looks. So at some point I'm going to scrape it off (have other priorities though).
Whomever did mine went to town, hoses, cables, etc.. covered in the stuff. They must have taped off the trans and oil pans from getting coated. Positive side is that my frame is pretty solid, and it must have done something over the years to keep it that way. Negative... well I don't really like the way it looks. So at some point I'm going to scrape it off (have other priorities though).
Last edited by raydog9379; Sep 27, 2017 at 11:18 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 872
Likes: 114
From: Round Hill Virginia
The schmutz on my underside is kinda like yours I think. On the frame/metal pieces it's fairly solid unless there's an area that had a leak of some sort (then it feels kinda gooey). On the rest, it would come off if I scrape at it...like a gooey tar
Whomever did mine went to town, hoses, cables, etc.. covered in the stuff. They must have taped off the trans and oil pans from getting coated. Positive side is that my frame is pretty solid, and it must have done something over the years to keep it that way. Negative... well I don't really like the way it looks. So at some point I'm going to scrape it off (have other priorities though).
Whomever did mine went to town, hoses, cables, etc.. covered in the stuff. They must have taped off the trans and oil pans from getting coated. Positive side is that my frame is pretty solid, and it must have done something over the years to keep it that way. Negative... well I don't really like the way it looks. So at some point I'm going to scrape it off (have other priorities though).
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 44,641
Likes: 1,827
From: Huntsville AL
My 65 was undercoated back in the 60/70's end to end and was hard. During my frame off I used the following;
1) Heat gun
2) Plastic scrapers
3) Paint stripper
4) Lacquer thinner
Lot of work and be sure to cover your head (hair) when working under the body.
1) Heat gun
2) Plastic scrapers
3) Paint stripper
4) Lacquer thinner
Lot of work and be sure to cover your head (hair) when working under the body.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 872
Likes: 114
From: Round Hill Virginia
Good tip on covering up! I've already had a wad of this stuff get stuck in my hair. Stuff is nasty!