Undercoating application: update - it went great!

[bull]

Getting closer to shooting some undercoating in the front wheel wells and I'd like to be prepared (although I never seem to get fully prepared). I'll be using a standard Shutz gun and Resto Rick's undercoating.

1. Looking through undercoating pics on this site it seems the stuff lays down pretty nice but I'm concerned about overspray. Does the stuff vaporize and cloud up the room you're in like paint does or is it pretty solid? Do I need to cover the car and everything else in the room I don't want undercoated? Did you do a lot of taping off when you did it? Ventilation, respirators, etc.?

2. What pressure should I be regulating the gun down to?  

3. Do you typically shoot the stuff with the fenders and splash shielding fully assembled and on the car or piecemeal? It seems like it would be much easier to do disassembled but...

4. Is humidity and temperature an issue or is the stuff pretty forgiving?

5. What do you use to clean the gun out with? Good old thinner or Xylene or what?

Thanks. I'm sure I'll come up with more questions but I'm off to bed.

[Charger-Bodie]

1) Yes it will float around and stink.... Mask it tight and cover stuff in you garage that you don't want a light film on (it wont carry too bad,but some) the lower you are able to run the pressure the less you will have in the air and on other things.

2.) Adjust the pressure to suit the texture you want on a cardboard box or something as a test panel.

3.) If it were me I would assemble the panels and then undercoat it like the factory.

4.)Humidity could make the panel sweat (possible trap some moisture )when you spray it on, I would try to make it pretty dry in the room you plan to do it.

5.)Good old Thinner should clean it up. You will need to do it a few times though.

[bill440rt]

Curtis,
If you've ever sprayed undercoating out of a spray can, it's kind of the same thing just on a larger scale. I'll try to answer your questions as best as possible.

1) You'll get vapors in the room (it's still a solvent based material), but not much "overspray". The gun doesn't vaporize the material like a conventional spray gun, it just sort of "blobs" it on. YES, you'll want as much ventilation as possible, and wear a respirator. DEFINITELY wear an old paint suit or a crappy long sleeve shirt at the very minimum, and get a spray hood to wear over your head. Plan on throwing these things out when your done, so don't wear your Sunday best or your prized Hawaiian shirt. I mask off whatever is not to be sprayed, and lay down a tarp if you don't want to be walking in it.

2) Read the can or check with RR for air pressure. Spray a little on a scrap panel or paper prior to the car to get a feel for it.

3) The factory did it with the splash shields, etc bolted in place. I've just done it beforehand because I like the neater look. Whatever your preference.

4) I'd say the stuff is more forgiving to humidity/temps vs paint & clear, but I still wouldn't spray it on in a rainstorm.

5) Does the can say anything about clean-up? Lacquer thinner should do the trick. Spray it thru the gun first, then completely disassemble to fully clean it.

Hope that helps some. Post some pics when your done!!  

[bill440rt]

Brian posted his just as I was typing mine. Looks like we have nearly the same answers! 

[bull]

Yes you do. Thanks. It's probably something I won't be doing in tha garage by the sounds of it. And since it'll be raining now until July 2011 I'll be moving on to other projects I guess.

[charger_fan_4ever]

Is the resto rick undercoat pretty much identical to the original stuff ? Is the rhino bed liner stuff anywhere near the same texture ?

[bull]

Is the resto rick undercoat pretty much identical to the original stuff ? Is the rhino bed liner stuff anywhere near the same texture ?

I've been told that the Resto Rick stuff is all but identical to the original. No, the bed liner stuff would not look correct. It probably wouldn't look bad but not correct.

[bull]

Wow, that undercoating from RestoRick is really good stuff! The weather turned decent for a few days so I got on the ball, rolled the car outside onto the driveway and shot half the floor tonight after about 5-6 hrs. of prep time. I gotta admit, I'm very impressed with Rick's product. I only did the front half of the car from the engine comp back to about the back seat area so I could install my drivetrain this winter. I'll do the rest after I get the rear axle rebuilt. I'm sure I'm going to need another 2 gallons of it eventually, probably next summer, but I'll definitely be using his stuff again. It blended perfectly, had a nice pattern and the color is great. Very nice.

The only thing bad I'll say about it is that I wish it came in a normal round paint can so I could have had it shaken at the paint store. They wouldn't put that rectangular can in the shaker for me but the consistency wasn't an issue after I shook it by hand for about two minutes. It was too thick to run through the screen like the directions said so I just poured it straight and it worked great. Definite thumbs up. Now I just have to see about getting it out of my hair.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

What no pics? 

[bull]

What no pics? 

It was dark when I finished and I was tired. I'll post some tonight after work.

[tan top]

  ..........

[bull]

I could have done a little better but I guess it's not too shabby for the first try with it being almost dark outside. I was trying to avoid that crossmember because the tranny mount bolts in there so that's why it's a little grubby yet. I'll need to clean it off good and coat it with something.

[Troy]

Looks great! I need to patch a few places on mine so it's nice to know that it will look the same.

Troy

[bull]

Yes, Rick told me it was going to blend well and it really did. Although it was a pain to prep and apply I have to say it was a real joy seeing the improvement. For months while doing other work on the car I'd glance underneath it and just groan at the mess. Finally I decided I had to deal with it.

If anyone is wondering about the original stuff being brown, I really don't know what to say other than do your best to get it clean. I scrubbed and scrubbed on the original undercoating with stiff brushes, soap and water, Simple Green, a pressure washer, etc., and it just would not get rid of the brown coloring. After all that I got under there and put SEM Rust Seal on all the spots I could find. I knew it WAS clean but didn't look it. I asked Rick Kreuziger about it and he said, "Sounds like you'll be fine with the scrubbing you've done... as long as it's thoroughly dry, I'd say you're ready to go." That's all the blessing I needed. I'm just glad this much of it is finished. Now to do the back half and the front wheel wells... next summer probably.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Very nice! 

[PA Dodger]

Looks good. I think that's what I'll be using. So how much do you think it'll take to finish the job? 

[The70RT]

I used the same stuff. I used 2 gallons on rear and front fender wells and inside the front fenders.

[bull]

Looks good. I think that's what I'll be using. So how much do you think it'll take to finish the job?  

I'm thinking it's going to take a total of 2.5-3 gallons for what I need to do. Not sure if you can tell by the pics but I went back to the pinch seam that's just behind the E-brake cable bracket and that took about three quarts. I figure I'll finish up that gallon and blow a second gallon on the back end plus a third gallon on the front and rear wheel wells depending on how thick I go. My front wheel wells have been completely stripped of all undercoating so it will probably take quite a bit. It's not cheap at $60/gal. but it is worth it I think.

By the way, I taped up my e-brake cable and the little fuel/brake line brackets to avoid getting the goop all over them. Those lines inside those little brackets are a tight fit and I didn't want any more interference than what I already had.

[tan top]

    looks good !!