Under body paint

Offroad VW based vehicles have problems/insights all their own. Not to mention the knowledge gained in VW durability.
User avatar
Ram
Posts: 134
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2004 10:41 am

Under body paint

Post by Ram »

Hello

Im building a baja bug, the body is of the pan , i have allready removed the paint and epoxy primed it and over that I also sprayed 2k primer .
My question is , on the lower parts under the body should i paint it with regular color and then do a coat of rubberized undercoat or can i skip the regular color stage and just spray the undercoat?


Thanks
User avatar
dustymojave
Posts: 2312
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:08 pm

Re: Under body paint

Post by dustymojave »

Instead of undercoat, I suggest using pickup bed liner. If you're going to use undercoat, definitely apply gloss top finish paint before the undercoat. It could be gloss black to blend with the undercoat. But undercoat is far from free from penetration by moisture, especially in under fender areas that get blasted by road grit, even if the car is only used on pavement. But primer absorbs water and will wick it underneath undercoating to cause rust where it doesn't show.
Richard
Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
Speed Kills! but then...So does OLD AGE!!
Tech Inspection: SCCA / SCORE / HDRA / ARVRA / A.R.T.S. OffRoad Race Tech - MDR, MORE, Glen Helen BajaCup
Retired Fabricator
'58 Baja with 955K Miles and counting
Ol'fogasaurus
Posts: 17760
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:17 pm

Re: Under body paint

Post by Ol'fogasaurus »

I think i would put a rust sealer of some sort then do a proper paint build up on the underside for the very reasons Dusty said. You want to keep moisture away from bare metal and remember that rust is some kind of virus that needs to be sealed away from oxygen.
Ol'fogasaurus
Posts: 17760
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:17 pm

Re: Under body paint

Post by Ol'fogasaurus »

I got rethinking about this. When I did the underside of my pan back in the 90's I covered the bottom with undercoat because I ride in the sand and going over the tops of the dunes the paint was being "sanded" off... so to speak. I think it was mentioned that the bed-coating "MIGHT" allow moisture through like primers do so I am wondering if, on the underside of the pan,if undercoating might be the best idea.

Lee
User avatar
dustymojave
Posts: 2312
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:08 pm

Re: Under body paint

Post by dustymojave »

Undercoat is more porous and much more easily penetrated by physical contact than bedliner.
Richard
Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
Speed Kills! but then...So does OLD AGE!!
Tech Inspection: SCCA / SCORE / HDRA / ARVRA / A.R.T.S. OffRoad Race Tech - MDR, MORE, Glen Helen BajaCup
Retired Fabricator
'58 Baja with 955K Miles and counting
Post Reply