Underbody protection?!

[Leeboo]

Hi, I am just wondering what are the best steps and products for protecting the underside of a Nova.

I have heard of a few different types of stuff, e.g. Body Schutz, Stone Chip etc, but I am want to know what people have used and what its gonna cost.

I had thought: bare metal, then zinc primer, then stonechip....? Paint? Waxoyl?

Thanks!

[vaughanmc]

I was talking to a guy at my work whos into the old Ford's

He had Capri a few years back and he was saying he got it all shot-blasted underneath, welded it where it needed done, used some sort of liquid galvanising process on it then painted it over with hammerite

He said the Underseal etc as its rubber can only burst/crack and trap water

I was thinking of using his idea on the Nova in a couple of years time :)

[let_nova]

liquid galvanising.......galvafroid :thumb:

[vaughanmc]

Aye thats the one he said :)

Couldn't remember the name

He said after 6 years of constant use it never rusted once! Must be good s*it

[let_nova]

sure is we us it on the hull of the boat at work!

[vaughanmc]

Is it expensive to buy ?

Also, how much would it be to shot/sand blast the underside of a car ?

[let_nova]

not too bad i think, comes in big cans. i got my last nova sand blasted for 100 quid but that was a homer!!

[Leeboo]

Cheers for the input so far lads, much appreciated.

What way is this galvafroid stuff applied? Just like paint? Is it essentially Zinc primer?

See, its for a Nova that is very very clean underneath, and I want it to stay that way. We all know how the underneath of a Nova can rust under the old underseal as Vaughan said.

What steps have you all taken after - bare metal - zinc primer/galvafroid etc?

[vaughanmc]

Did they do a good job ?

Also, did it blow any holes in the a*se of it ?

[vaughanmc]

Cheers for the input so far lads, much appreciated.

What way is this galvafroid stuff applied? Just like paint? Is it essentially Zinc primer?

See, its for a Nova that is very very clean underneath, and I want it to stay that way. We all know how the underneath of a Nova can rust under the old underseal as Vaughan said.

What steps have you all taken after - bare metal - zinc primer/galvafroid etc?

Personally I'd paint over it with Hammerite - Either body colour, white unless your cars white

Something bright so you can look easily for any rust coming back through

[Leeboo]

Yeah I had thought something like hammerite could be ok, as long as its well protected under that. But I had thought of the old traditional waxoyl spray, a light coating. Not sure.

Its not for the red Nova incase you are wondering!

[let_nova]

i painted mine with galvafroid them painted it with red hammirite.

re: sandblasting. na they never blew any holes in it. ma cars pretty solid underneath.

[vaughanmc]

Hammerite is metal protection also I think so thats as good as another protective coat

The guy at my work told me - Shot blast, Galvafroid then Hammerite

Then xe_nova says they use it on Boats lol So it must be good

[vaughanmc]

Any pics of the underside of your car mate ?

[let_nova]

mine?

[vaughanmc]

Aye pics of it done with the Galvafroid then painted red ?

[let_nova]

na just when it was finished. you seen it already?!

[vaughanmc]

Seen a couple of inner arch pics but none of the full underside...

[let_nova]

al see wot i can do... cars not here at the min up at the garage getting more ponnies!!!

[vaughanmc]

Ah nice one :)

[ade]

theres a catch here - the rubber underseal isnt just to protect the car - its also to sound deaden it and reduce road noise and stops the panels vibrating - remove it and you'll be surprised how noisey the inside of your car becomes!

Normal process is to strip to bare metal (either shot blast or wire wheel it), weld etc, etch prime, red oxide/zinc prime, paint, then apply a stone guard such as gravitex, shutz underbody sealer etc. most of these can be painted over but tbh the modern stuff is very resiliant unlike the older rubber compounds...