To Undercoat or Not To Undercoat

[Bingster]

Now that I have the inner fender wells painted on my '47 Desoto, I need to decide if I want to spray rubberized undercoating on them to deaden the sound and rocks.

I know about the kind that dries hard and doesn't stay soft. In fact, I would probably use Eastwood's in the spray can.

The only question is the future if I ever want to repaint the inner wells again. On the other hand, maybe I wouldn't really need to paint them again. I have Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator on them followed by their Extreme Chassis Black. Top that with rubber undercoating and the metal is pretty well protected.

Anybody use the spray can undercoater?

[1955 plymouth]

I did some restoration in about the same process you mentioned here with your fenders, turned out real nice, I'm glad I did it, may not be how it came from the factory but it makes me sleep better at night. I say go for it.

[claybill]

my solution was to brush on pick-up truck 'bed liner' a rubberized tough paint.

bill

[alan32433]

Now that I have the inner fender wells painted on my '47 Desoto, I need to decide if I want to spray rubberized undercoating on them to deaden the sound and rocks.

I know about the kind that dries hard and doesn't stay soft. In fact, I would probably use Eastwood's in the spray can.

The only question is the future if I ever want to repaint the inner wells again. On the other hand, maybe I wouldn't really need to paint them again. I have Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator on them followed by their Extreme Chassis Black. Top that with rubber undercoating and the metal is pretty well protected.

Anybody use the spray can undercoater?

I have a 48 DeSoto and I decided to use 3M Body Shutz for the undercoating on my car. I have two 48's, one I'm restoring and one parts car. Both car's had original thick undercoating in certain area's of the vehicle, specifically the underside of the front and rear fenders where rocks and other debris was thrown up from the tires. My thought is that if you don't apply something similar in those areas, small rocks and pebbles could dent the underside of the fenders and would show through on top of the fenders, not to mention wear away your paint in those areas. What they used was some sort of thick rubber coating and 3M body shutz seems similar to me. You spray it with a cheap undercoating gun, you can buy them at Harbor Freight and other places. You can get 3M undercoating in quart cans from places like NAPA.

[PatrickG]

i've used the rubberized rattle can stuff. would do it again.

its nothing too industrial, so I dont think scraping it off at some point in the future would be out of the question.

i think eastwood even has something you can spray on it to soften it up more so it comes right off.

[Plymouthy Adams]

upon removal..a quick flash with a heated paint stripper will allow you to roll this stuff off like cake icing with a putty knife..

[Frank Blackstone]

Tim Is that paint stripper the chemical type that heats up like Aircraft Paint Stipper or the electrical type that heats up like a Heat Gun? I have both to use but would not want to cook the exposed paint on the top of the fender with a heat gun?

[cwcars88]

In the early 80 s when I did my Model "A" I used Eastwood rattle can undercoating on the body and it still looks good. It is driven year round rain or shine and over 20,00 miles. I did not do the under side of the fenders because it can be seen and I don't think it looks good. There are no stars on the top side of the fenders from rocks hitting the bottom side. But with stock narrow tires and slower speeds I have been lucky.

That said I also have a 46 chev panel delivery street rod that has fenders more like our plymouths, these fenders are not undercoated and I do have a few stars on the fender paint from rocks hitting the under side.

When I get that far on my plymouth it will be under coated.

Wayne

[Bingster]

Thanks guys. That 3M stuff sounds like the plan. I never thought about stars coming through rock hits.

[Bingster]

Hey Alan, do you have a right rear fender stainless trim piece you're not using for the '48? I'm in need of one.

[alan32433]

Hey Alan, do you have a right rear fender stainless trim piece you're not using for the '48? I'm in need of one.

Bingster, all the rear fender trim pieces that were on my cars when I bought them were trash. I was able to find both pieces NOS, one on eBay and one from Mitchell Motor Parts. They are hard to find and when you do they are pricey. One of the pieces I bought was at a swap meet in Zephyrhills FL several years ago. The guy didn't know what it fit, didn't even know it was for a mopar. I recognized it immediately and bought it for $20. The other one was $125.

[Bingster]

Thanks Alan. Yeah, I've got NOS attaching strips and the NOS left trim piece but need the right. If you run across one in your travels please let me know.

[alan32433]

Thanks Alan. Yeah, I've got NOS attaching strips and the NOS left trim piece but need the right. If you run across one in your travels please let me know.

Bingster, The Zephyrhills swap meet is later this month and I plan on going if this storm doesn't mess things up. I will look when I'm there. I didn't explain myself very well earlier, I found one of the trim mounting strips on ebay, only needed one of those.

[Bingster]

Thanks Alan. I got my mounting strips on ebay as well. Not too much good stuff on there lately for our Customs. I guess it all depends on what we're looking for. Did you see the Flying Lady Ornament on there? It's up to $125 last I saw. From the photo it looks like it is rusted through in a couple of spots, but overall it looks okay I guess. I have the plastic one, although I plan to replace it. Which do you have?

[alan32433]

Thanks Alan. I got my mounting strips on ebay as well. Not too much good stuff on there lately for our Customs. I guess it all depends on what we're looking for. Did you see the Flying Lady Ornament on there? It's up to $125 last I saw. From the photo it looks like it is rusted through in a couple of spots, but overall it looks okay I guess. I have the plastic one, although I plan to replace it. Which do you have?

Bingster, I have the original that is rechromed including the mounting base. I also have another NOS flying lady piece minus the base. I'm not sure which piece I will use, I haven't looked at either of them in a long time. I'm just now starting to put the car back together after paint, in fact I installed the engine and fluid drive this evening after putting a flow coat of clear on the body this morning. Lots of work but I have a wonderful wife that actually loves helping me. I included a few pictures, let me know what you think!

[Bingster]

It looks great, Alan. You've obviously put a lot of work into her. What do you plan to use for shocks? They say that certain Monroe shocks work but I am leaning toward Kanter. I bought front wheel cylinders from Andy B. when I first got the car cause I didn't know anything about the car or where to get parts. I just hope they work out okay. I've heard good and bad. I'm going to have the rears re-sleeved.

What about brake hoses? I've heard Raybestos are a perfect match. There is a guy on ebay (not the Argentina one) who makes exact copies. But I like the idea of being able to return them locally if I need to.

Wheel bearings? I guess Napa can cover those.

I've got my front suspension and brakes repainted and just about ready to put back together. Then I'll do the rears.

Hey, did you paint your fenders on the car? I guess you did if you are color coating them now. I've decided to remove mine and sandblast them insdie and out. Was a lot of work de-greasing and painting the front wells on the car.

You probably saw my post about the Steele Upper Control Arm bumpers. If you need new ones don't hesitate to have yours done by them. Excellent quality.

By the way, did you get your front grille re-chromed? Mine is passable but the bumpers need it. And then the grille would look very bad next to newly chromed bumpers.

You know, by the time you get everything back together and re-chromed and all, there definately is more into the car than the book says. I wonder ten and twenty years from now how much the '46-'48's will be worth.

Somebody would have to offer me the moon before I would sell my Desoto once it's restored. I've already put in a lot of hours. Maybe for half a million. Maybe.

[alan32433]

It looks great, Alan. You've obviously put a lot of work into her. What do you plan to use for shocks? They say that certain Monroe shocks work but I am leaning toward Kanter. I bought front wheel cylinders from Andy B. when I first got the car cause I didn't know anything about the car or where to get parts. I just hope they work out okay. I've heard good and bad. I'm going to have the rears re-sleeved.

What about brake hoses? I've heard Raybestos are a perfect match. There is a guy on ebay (not the Argentina one) who makes exact copies. But I like the idea of being able to return them locally if I need to.

Wheel bearings? I guess Napa can cover those.

I've got my front suspension and brakes repainted and just about ready to put back together. Then I'll do the rears.

Hey, did you paint your fenders on the car? I guess you did if you are color coating them now. I've decided to remove mine and sandblast them insdie and out. Was a lot of work de-greasing and painting the front wells on the car.

You probably saw my post about the Steele Upper Control Arm bumpers. If you need new ones don't hesitate to have yours done by them. Excellent quality.

By the way, did you get your front grille re-chromed? Mine is passable but the bumpers need it. And then the grille would look very bad next to newly chromed bumpers.

You know, by the time you get everything back together and re-chromed and all, there definately is more into the car than the book says. I wonder ten and twenty years from now how much the '46-'48's will be worth.

Somebody would have to offer me the moon before I would sell my Desoto once it's restored. I've already put in a lot of hours. Maybe for half a million. Maybe.

Bingster, sounds like you are moving along with your project. Fun isn't it!

I believe I got my brake hoses from NAPA, shocks were new old stock Western Auto from the 70's.

I painted the car disassembled. I started with bare metal, epoxy primer then 2K urethane hi build primer, block sand, block sand.... Then I based and put 3coats of clear. After that I re-installed all the body parts with the exception of the front fenders and hood. Then I block sanded with 600 grit followed by 2 final flow coats of clear as you see it in the pictures. Once the engine is completely installed and running, I will put the front clip back on, block sand, and flow coat those as well. Paint will be done at that point.

One of my grill halves is NOS but has tiny bubbles. The other half and the two park lamp assemblies are one's I picked up over the years and are in good to excellent (not perfect) condition. I've wondered how someone could re-chrome the grill with all the sharp edges and so forth, probably cost a fortune? Bumper Boyz will exchange our 48 bumpers for triple plated show quality ones for $420 each. They will be in Zephyrhills at the swap meet this weekend. I'm going see if they are really show quality or not. Not sure if I will bring my cores ready to buy.

You are so right about all the work and cost compared to what you can sell your car for. I'd be lucky to get 40% of what I have invested. You just gotta love doing this stuff, which I do. I've told the wife after I am done, it will be great to drive it occasionally, maybe a car show every now and then, but a lot of the fun will be over. Thats when I'll pull the 67 Chevy BelAire in the shop and the fun starts all over. And I'm with you, the DeSoto won't be for sale. When I'm too old to drive, I'll spend my days shining it (if I can still see).