Undercarriage Beautified
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 5
From: Richardson Tx.
Undercarriage Beautified
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Just bought my first vette - a '79 L82 w/ a 4 speed.
The Undercarriage leaves a lot to be desired though- corrded and dirty parts all the way through. Has anyone developed a method to clean the underside with the car while it is completely intact- different parts degreased, sanded, treated w/ paint etc. --with good results?
Just bought my first vette - a '79 L82 w/ a 4 speed.
The Undercarriage leaves a lot to be desired though- corrded and dirty parts all the way through. Has anyone developed a method to clean the underside with the car while it is completely intact- different parts degreased, sanded, treated w/ paint etc. --with good results?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,273
Likes: 14
From: Austin TX
Pressure wash thoroughly at a do it yourself car wash with a high pressure wand.
Raise car on four jackstands.
Dress in coveralls, shower cap, eye protection, latex gloves.
Scrape with putty knife, wire brush, rotary wire brush on a flex shaft on a electric drill.
It will take you a dozen hours to do this.
Wipe down with PASO.
Paint with POR 15.
Smile with self satisfaction.........
Don't expect anyone else to appreciate this effort unless they have done it themselves!
Raise car on four jackstands.
Dress in coveralls, shower cap, eye protection, latex gloves.
Scrape with putty knife, wire brush, rotary wire brush on a flex shaft on a electric drill.
It will take you a dozen hours to do this.
Wipe down with PASO.
Paint with POR 15.
Smile with self satisfaction.........
Don't expect anyone else to appreciate this effort unless they have done it themselves!
Pro
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 677
Likes: 5
From: Cary North Carolina
Originally Posted by flynhi
Pressure wash thoroughly at a do it yourself car wash with a high pressure wand.
Raise car on four jackstands.
Dress in coveralls, shower cap, eye protection, latex gloves.
Scrape with putty knife, wire brush, rotary wire brush on a flex shaft on a electric drill.
It will take you a dozen hours to do this.
Wipe down with PASO.
Paint with POR 15.
Smile with self satisfaction.........
Don't expect anyone else to appreciate this effort unless they have done it themselves!
Raise car on four jackstands.
Dress in coveralls, shower cap, eye protection, latex gloves.
Scrape with putty knife, wire brush, rotary wire brush on a flex shaft on a electric drill.
It will take you a dozen hours to do this.
Wipe down with PASO.
Paint with POR 15.
Smile with self satisfaction.........
Don't expect anyone else to appreciate this effort unless they have done it themselves!
Be careful the bottom is a lot sharper than the top.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,101
Likes: 3
From: Cruising somewhere in St. Louis, Missouri
For 137.00 you can have it done with professional equipment in and hour. That was for Top and bottom engine and whole under carriage.
Full services car washes should have this service. I was very pleased.
Full services car washes should have this service. I was very pleased.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,033
Likes: 1
From: Prescott Arizona
Originally Posted by luerja
For 137.00 you can have it done with professional equipment in and hour. That was for Top and bottom engine and whole under carriage.
Full services car washes should have this service. I was very pleased.
Full services car washes should have this service. I was very pleased.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,958
Likes: 0
From: Middletown Connecticut
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Originally Posted by vetteonr
I can't believe they put your car on a lift without opening the doors a little and loosening the t-tops. That's kind of risky.
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I like to keep the grime on the underside, keeps the parts from rusting,I just cleaned off the oil, undercoatiing etc that has built up on my crossmember over 25 years and hardly any rust at all was on it, took a wire brush to it and painted it and it looks brand new. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,033
Likes: 1
From: Prescott Arizona
Originally Posted by luerja
I never even heard of that? So what would happen?
Thanks
jim
Thanks
jim
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 782
Likes: 0
From: Elizabeth New Jersey
I think that's Bull **** since there's about a 1/4" gab between doors/tops andb irdcage which will not 'cause that much stress on the doors.
First of all a lift will lift up your chasis, and assuming yoru chasis is pretty messed up, it will endure way more lbs of pressure from you doing a turn at 30 mph than the 800 or less pounds it will have to hold on a lift.
First of all a lift will lift up your chasis, and assuming yoru chasis is pretty messed up, it will endure way more lbs of pressure from you doing a turn at 30 mph than the 800 or less pounds it will have to hold on a lift.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 642
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
Agreed... seems like you'd encounter more chassis twist in a hard turn than you ever would on a lift. In fact, you'd get more twist jacking your car up that a lift.
A lift like that lifts will equal force from all 4 corners of your frame... I don't see how there'd be any different forces on things like your doors, hood, fiberglass etc than if you're car is just sitting there in your garage.
A lift like that lifts will equal force from all 4 corners of your frame... I don't see how there'd be any different forces on things like your doors, hood, fiberglass etc than if you're car is just sitting there in your garage.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 10
From: NorCal
Body cracks
The hoisting thing seems to vary from car to car, but MANY on this forum have damaged their cars through improper jacking/lifting. On coupes/'verts, the problem area is where the rocker meets the rear upright section that has the striker on it, if you lift on the frame at the side. I believe it's a body mount problem as well as frame flex (it's not the most rigid frame stock). The glass T-tops will break if left latched and it is lifted (twisted) wrong. I just keep lifting mine at the suspension or very least under the crossmembers. I've had no problems, and would rather play it safe.
Hans
Hans
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
THe front lift point is behind the motor and the back lift point is in front of the rear end assembly, alot of unsupported weight on both ends. If I put mine up on jack stands for more than a couple of minutes I will put another jack under the motor and another one under the diff.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 687
Likes: 0
From: Atascadero Ca
This is turning into a thread hijack, i apologize.
The whole glass t-tops thing is not a myth. GLASS is the keyword here. They are talking about the see through glass tops, not the fiberglass tops. I've seen see through glass tops broken due to lift, but never fiberglass. And the doors thing is just obnoxious. The fit on those doors is aboslutely terrible, there's gap everywhere no matter what, no way could a door crack due to a lift, especially a 73+ door with the side impact reinforcement. If you've ever taken a door off of a 73+ they way a ton, there is pleanty of metal in there to keep it from breaking. The hood is less burly than the doors, however how much flex would it take to crack a hood? 1/4" gap all the way around it, plus the hood is bolted to the front clip, not the frame, so the clip would have to rotate an obnoxious amount before it cracked the hood.
The whole glass t-tops thing is not a myth. GLASS is the keyword here. They are talking about the see through glass tops, not the fiberglass tops. I've seen see through glass tops broken due to lift, but never fiberglass. And the doors thing is just obnoxious. The fit on those doors is aboslutely terrible, there's gap everywhere no matter what, no way could a door crack due to a lift, especially a 73+ door with the side impact reinforcement. If you've ever taken a door off of a 73+ they way a ton, there is pleanty of metal in there to keep it from breaking. The hood is less burly than the doors, however how much flex would it take to crack a hood? 1/4" gap all the way around it, plus the hood is bolted to the front clip, not the frame, so the clip would have to rotate an obnoxious amount before it cracked the hood.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
I removed my body to clean and restore the frame ... not the most timely approach, but the results are great.
Another mamber here suggested EasyOff oven cleaner.
I cannot attest too it, but he claimed that it sprayed on and all the gunk hosed off with a powerwasher.
As far as the lifting issue - even glass Ttops should be OK
if the frame is truly solid.
That said, I might be inclined to unlatch them first - since you
never know when the frame has rusted out until it's too late.
Another mamber here suggested EasyOff oven cleaner.
I cannot attest too it, but he claimed that it sprayed on and all the gunk hosed off with a powerwasher.
As far as the lifting issue - even glass Ttops should be OK
if the frame is truly solid.
That said, I might be inclined to unlatch them first - since you
never know when the frame has rusted out until it's too late.