underseal whats hot and whats not

[turbojolt]

people tell me the old style underseal is rubbish as it traps moisture against the metal, i also want to paint over it the same colour as the body as it looks better :d

im just starting off with the front inner arches so what should i be using?

[paul james]

Yes the brush on black goop underseal is crap, it makes working on the car a right messy business too as it just gets everywhere. Get some kind of stone chip spray, they are much better as they dry out and can be overpainted. The really thick stuff needs a compressor to apply, but you can get rattle can stone chip sprays too which will do the job when applied with multiple coats.

Underseal is a bodge, something that can easily be brushed over scrapes and rust, I'll never use it again. Do it properly and check underneath the car every now and then to make sure none has been chipped away and needs a quick touch up.

[turbojolt]

could i not lap on the rubber stuff with a brush as buying it in cans looks to expensive

and its a trackday car mate so underseal is a must as im bound to hit a gravel track at some point lol

[paul james]

You could use a tin of seam sealer as thats brushable, you don't have to just use it on seams. I used a fair bit of it on mine, and then stone chip sprayed over the top of it, then painted over that.

Basically though just don't use the non drying stuff, its the cheap and easy option but this crap should be banned!:
http://classicsagogo.co.uk/acatalog/underseal_waxoyl_sml.jpg

[Edd]

If your wanting to paint over then

Upol Gravtex or Graviguard if you want it in a can

3M do a rubberized paintable product think Benn gas used it

[waggygsi]

stonechipped an painted the botttom of my mk2 escort
http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad124/waggy1600/042.jpg
http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad124/waggy1600/044-2.jpg

[Iain]

I used 3M 08878, similar to the cans of Gravitex etc. Nicely overpaintable.

TBH though for a track car you're less likely to need stonechip as its not taking a constant battering like on the roads?

[steviegsi]

Have been thinking about this recently. I have just finished wire wheeling all of the original coating off the underneath of my nova a few weeks ago, and although I didn't uncover too much rusty bits, the bits I did uncover were all under the rubbery stuff.... The factory primer/ painted bits like the spare wheel well etc are fine.

So is the car likely to rust to bits at the first sign of moisture if it was just primed and painted like the top half will be? Just thinking it would be easier the keep an eye on things, then every now and then get the car up in the wire for an underneath wash.

[paul james]

I think how far you go with sealing up the car can be dependant on what kind of usage your going to get out of it. If the car is going to be garaged and only used on occasional sunny weekends then you probably don't need to go too nuts.

The wheel well on my nova had rusted up though, only surface rust and didn't penetrate through however, but paint alone can't withstand as well after 20+ years of driving. The rubber coating only allowed rust at and around points where it had split and I would say is useful to have it, at least on the front parts of the car where its going to be jacked up or put on axle stands. The danger areas on the nova aren't really the simple areas of the floor pan and wheel well anyway, its the water trapping box sections, suspension mounts, seams etc that really like to rot.

[turbojolt]

cheers for the help lads

[fossit85]

Kent rubber guard is what we use in the body shop. It stays flexi and can be over painted but it isnt cheap.

[turbojolt]

Kent rubber guard is what we use in the body shop. It stays flexi and can be over painted but it isnt cheap.

just how uncheap is it ?

[fossit85]

the trade price is about 12 pound a cartridge +vat

[turbojolt]

that can fook right off then, unless you can over order a load ;)