1981 frame paint question
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 6
From: Palos Verdes Peninsula California
1981 frame paint question
Hello All,
I was changing my rear shocks today, and decided to do some cleaning in there before putting the tire back on. I used some Simple Green and a scrub brush to get some grease off, and I found that my frame paint comes off rather easily.
The car has 12,600 original miles, and has had no restoration done to it. Is it normal for paint to come off like this?? I've also noticed in a few others areas that what I though was grease/oil on the frame is actually the paint being kind of smudgy.
Here's a pic:
I was changing my rear shocks today, and decided to do some cleaning in there before putting the tire back on. I used some Simple Green and a scrub brush to get some grease off, and I found that my frame paint comes off rather easily.
The car has 12,600 original miles, and has had no restoration done to it. Is it normal for paint to come off like this?? I've also noticed in a few others areas that what I though was grease/oil on the frame is actually the paint being kind of smudgy.
Here's a pic:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,577
Likes: 2
From: Long Island New York
What your cleaning off is probably 20 yr. old undercoating that is dried out from being exposed to the elements. Now that it's all cleaned up, it would be a good time to use POR-15 on everything to keep it from rusting up. 
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 6
From: Palos Verdes Peninsula California
Originally Posted by supervette77
What your cleaning off is probably 20 yr. old undercoating that is dried out from being exposed to the elements. Now that it's all cleaned up, it would be a good time to use POR-15 on everything to keep it from rusting up.
Even though the car is a survivor, I can't stand the rusty look of the underside. I'm at least going to do a body on resto when I have a lift, maybe even a body off.
Thanks!!
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Denver co
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 6
From: Palos Verdes Peninsula California
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,236
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From: Myrtle Beach SC
Originally Posted by JLinNY
Interesting. So they didn't paint the frame, they just sprayed that stuff all over it? What's POR-15?
Even though the car is a survivor, I can't stand the rusty look of the underside. I'm at least going to do a body on resto when I have a lift, maybe even a body off.
Thanks!!
Even though the car is a survivor, I can't stand the rusty look of the underside. I'm at least going to do a body on resto when I have a lift, maybe even a body off.
Thanks!!
But back in the 70's and 80's, workers stood in a vat (using boots) with a hose and sprayed the frame with a black asphaltic paint. The vat captured the excess paint. It then hung by the nose and dripped dry. Newer process bake it dry.
POR if exposed to sunlight will tend to gray. Those that use it will spray semi-flat black paint over the POR to simulate the original finish.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,367
Likes: 1,061
From: Virginia USA
Here is my left frame rail after getting all the undercoating off and painting with 2 coats of POR-15 and one coat of chassis black. It took about 3 hours each to get all the undercoating off both sides. That stuff is tough. I think it looks better with a smooth clean finish. I have finished both sides and also the carrier x-member and the x-member that the carrier bracket bolts to. Someday I'll remove the body and do the entire frame with this method.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 6
From: Palos Verdes Peninsula California
Originally Posted by foundvettelifeisgood
JLin,
Great looking 81. Excellent color combo. Real sharp.
Great looking 81. Excellent color combo. Real sharp.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 6
From: Palos Verdes Peninsula California
Originally Posted by theandies
Here is my left frame rail after getting all the undercoating off and painting with 2 coats of POR-15 and one coat of chassis black. It took about 3 hours each to get all the undercoating off both sides. That stuff is tough. I think it looks better with a smooth clean finish. I have finished both sides and also the carrier x-member and the x-member that the carrier bracket bolts to. Someday I'll remove the body and do the entire frame with this method.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 6
From: Palos Verdes Peninsula California
Originally Posted by hunt4cleanair
But back in the 70's and 80's, workers stood in a vat (using boots) with a hose and sprayed the frame with a black asphaltic paint. The vat captured the excess paint. It then hung by the nose and dripped dry. Newer process bake it dry.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,367
Likes: 1,061
From: Virginia USA
Originally Posted by JLinNY
Thanks for this info Hunt!!! Great stuff. That's exactly what the stuff on my frame looks like, a super thin coat of asphalt type stuff.
Patrick - I used some of those foam brushes. Works really well and for less that fifty cents a piece you can just toss them when your done. If you use a brush and want to reuse it you have to use lacquer thinner to clean the brush.
