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Undercarriage Refresh

matt-pz

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Hello - I have a question. I'm going to have my Healey 100 painted this winter. It was an amateur restoration so there are some minor body issues I want taken care of and I want new paint. I'll also be getting a new interior.

I have a lift and looking under the car it appears that it could use a bit of a refresh as well. I think proper standards is to have the underneath painted the same as the car, but I'm not going to rip the car apart so I'm looking for an easier solution. Wagner (https://www.wagnerspraytech.com/products/paint-sprayers/motocoat-series/) has a sprayer that I could use, but I don't want it rubberized.. maybe just some black paint (the car is black)... though it wouldn't be glossy. I just want some protection and for it to look cleaner. There's also some 3M and Eastwood spray cans that are available. Thoughts? Suggestions?
 

Bob_Spidell

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The real issue will be getting things clean enough to retain paint; these cars' bottoms have been oil-soaked for over 60 years. I'd use Dawn dish soap, then go over with a volatile solvent that doesn't leave any residue, then scuff as much surface as you can. Sounds to me like a 'rattle can' finish would suffice, but you'd want a primer/sealer under it.
 

steveg

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When I painted my engine compartment, an old-motorcycle fan friend suggested using kerosene to remove the crud. It works great!

Spray it on, work it with a bristle brush, then spray with Scrubbing Bubbles and wash off with a pressure washer. Might have to repeat.
 

DerekJ

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I would definitely recommend painting it body colour. I think the cars look odd if the floor or engine bays are a different colour to the car. Always makes me suspicious for some reason.
 

bob hughes

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If you can get the grease and the major surface rust off the metal then I would go for two coats of Epoxy Mastic - at least that is what it is called on this side of the pond, it will be a semi gloss in finish and sticks like the proverbial, you will need some warmth to get the cross link working. Over here it comes in black and a sort of red and I think may be other colours now. As your car is black then it would be ideal IMO.

:cheers:

Bob
 

RestoreThemAll

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What they said about clean! Then 2 part epoxy, or 2 part urethane, or POR-15.
 

elrey

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If you end up using spray cans... Set them in hot water till they are warm. They will spray much better than at room temp.
 

Healey Nut

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Get it super clean and scuffed and then use small detail rollers and brushes and use paint on truck bed liner .
 

HealeyRick

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steveg

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This brush-on Permatex product dries into a black primer. I used it on some suspension pieces. Used Eastwood Rust Encapsulating Primer spray on engine compartment and frame areas with surface rust. Search for this by Permatex 81775.

screenshot.1073.jpg
 

RAC68

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Hi All,

As I understand, the correct color for the for all body metal (frame, engine compartment, interior) is the body color and in my case my Healey was always painted Old English White (OEW) with black upholstery. However, I was never happy with the OEW engine compartment in contrast to the metallic engine or how the white would appear between some seams of the black interior panels. Additionally, I never liked the look of the OEW frame or how dirty the under fender would look with normal driving.

When deciding to refinish my car in the 1980s, I decided to retain OEW on all exterior panels but to paint frame, suspension and engine-compartment a standard Black semi-gloss Ford frame paint. This black shows off the green metallic of the engine much better while not showing off any oil drips. Additionally, the black paint of the cabin, frame, and suspension is, in my opinion, more fitting and highly compatible with my Healey's black interior as well as under-car components (including under fenders) and points up my wire wheels (chrome or silver painted) and Old English White body paint.

100_1104.jpg 100_0266.jpg

Although I don't have the perfect pictures to show my point, the first presents how the black wheel-well presents the wires and how the black exhaust and frame do not take away from the body line. Additionally, the second presents how the black frame and engine compartment present the engine and other components. Now imagine how the pictures would be presented if all was painted OEW.

Yes, my preference and not original but, in my opinion, presents the original with a better contrast and is much easier to maintain.
Ray(64BJ8P1)
 
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