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Undercarriage Detail And Restoration Ideas

68MustangHCS

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
258
Location
Eastern, NC
Hello everyone,
I'm detailing the undercarriage on one of my HCS cars. I saw a few photos posted with various stages of detail. After looking at my semi-clean undercarriage, the paint seems to be almost gray with the slight notice of the red oxide in spots. I guess my undercarriage paint has faded over the years or is covered in gray dust/grim. I plan on hand restoring it. I have the car up on jacks and will be hand washing the undercarriage a section at a time, then using steel wool to prep the surface and putting a couple coats of red oxide and black paint in the proper areas. I saw in a related post that there is a reproduced book out which details the San Jose undercarriage. I would like to get a hold of some pictures of examples to show the proper restoration. It would be nice if we had a restoration guide section listed in the left column explaining and detailing some of the proper colors, tips, and details of an original example of a GT/CS or HCS. Maybe the webmaster will put a link to an area like this. I've searched over hundereds of websites but haven't found anything like this yet except on Mustang Club website out of Bay County Florida where a Man has his 66 GT fastback with hundereds of details posted.

Thanks for any help...
 
P

PNewitt

Guest
WOW, Arlie.

How cool is that? Thanks for bringing that to our attention. I was looking for something like this for the book, too. I'll e-mail the author of that site.

Thanks!

Paul N.
 

PFSlim

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 9, 2004
Messages
1,546
Location
Weatherby Lake, MO
The way I understood, the under side was that burn red color. Then, when the car was painted, some of the color from the car oversprayed on the bottom. Mine is all black.

Paul
 

Russ

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 25, 2003
Messages
393
Location
Flagstaff, AZ
I have a number of detailed photos of the underside of my CS that are posted in the Gallery. The title is Highland Green GT/CS, MCA Gold Car. I have more photos that I would be glad to send to you if you are interested. Hope this helps,

Russ
 
OP
OP
68MustangHCS

68MustangHCS

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
258
Location
Eastern, NC
I think this detail information is important. After 38 years of road grime, these cars need to be detailed a couple times a century. I found that they have more info on the suspension too.

Has anyone used steel paint for the natural look or cast iron paint to represent the phosphate coating to get the look of how the suspension parts came from the factory? Is there a source for this paint?

This site has some excellent information, I'm just wondering if San Jose followed the same proceedures as the Shelby's. Here is the suspension link:

http://www.1968cobra.com/SUSPENSION.HTML
 

case12

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 8, 2004
Messages
1,450
Location
Crystal Lake, IL
Check with Russ - his car is the best example I have ever seen, all the way down to the chaulk/paint markings. Casey
 

70boss

Active member
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Messages
25
that Shelby site is a nice one. Pete, the owner is a good friend of mine, he is the 68 KR guru.

I just posted my car on eBay. take a look at the undercarriage detail. It is nearly 100% factory like it came from the plant. If you can see the top of the tranny tunnell it is black...that is what the entire undercarriage looked like before I hand cleaned it. I could not believe how nice the pans look. If you look close you can see the factory bare steel part where it was attached to the assembly line. I have not touched up anything...it is just as i found under the grime and I think a thin layer of tar. Lots of elbow and machine grease was required to clean the car, but once i saw how nice it was I couldn't stop.

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=580922&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=4611471958&lk=URL
 

70boss

Active member
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Messages
25
I would say that this car is completely "red-oxide" But even so, there are many areas where black seam sealer and sealant was used. This is evident by the seat belt anchor areas. Have you ever seen original front floor supports that were so nice and intact? No jacking marks or dents.
 

70boss

Active member
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Messages
25
Oops..... I think you meant..."why is the tranny tunnel black"

Thats easy...I did not feel like pulling the driveshaft! It took many hours to clean what you see. To finish the job you need to pull the driveshaft, and the exhaust.

Rob
 

390cs68rcode

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
2,864
Location
Houston Texas
that makes sense on why the tunnel is black.

yep, I have seen a nice untouched or cleaned underside. :smile:

1968b.jpg


1968a.jpg
 

GTCSMustang

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2003
Messages
719
Yea, that makes sense. That is one incredible undercarraige. I'm calling the guy about the jet seal pictures that I still don't have for you. Maybe today.
 

nfrntau

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
1,020
Location
Rosharon, Texas
Jason, a little black paint and you can make it look like 70Boss car. Of course you would have to remove the driveshaft - four bolts you know -
 

390cs68rcode

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
2,864
Location
Houston Texas
GTCSMustang said:
Yea, that makes sense. That is one incredible undercarraige. I'm calling the guy about the jet seal pictures that I still don't have for you. Maybe today.

I agree, I recently cleaned it a little more on the outside edges, looks even better now. :grin:
 

70boss

Active member
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Messages
25
ha ha ...nice little shot. To really finish it off, I would need to pull the exhaust, and I just don't want to do it. I think most people can see what the undercarriage is like.

BTW, your car looks nice, it looks better than mine, since i have one pan that is now black from replacement.
 
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