Body General body information and techniques for restoration, repairs, and modifications.

Rate my undercarriage?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-17-2015, 01:21 PM
  #1  
Member
Thread Starter
 
KNIGHTE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 TA http://bit.ly/1EadkbO
Engine: 5.0 V8 LG4 BBL
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Rate my undercarriage?



Hey Guys,

My cars undercarriage seems to be the worst part, its an 85 Trans Am.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/113572...7651553173808/

This is my first Trans Am, and i haven't owned a car with this kind of problem since the 90's, so i forget what to look for.

What do you think?

Anything serious you can see under there?

Its at a mechanics right now, so i am sure he'll let me know, but i'd love your opinions.
Old 04-17-2015, 02:39 PM
  #2  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (2)
 
Bob88GTA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Huntsville AL
Posts: 3,938
Received 98 Likes on 62 Posts
Car: 88GTA
Engine: 5.7TPI
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

No Cat??

OTT, don't look too bad. Exhaust system and maybe a cleanup, Oil Pan, Rear Main Seal, Timing Cover Gaskets...
Old 04-17-2015, 02:47 PM
  #3  
Member

 
carattini's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: Pontiac 89 GTA
Engine: 350 TPI 5.7L V8
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Don't look bad to me
Old 04-17-2015, 02:54 PM
  #4  
Member

 
84LsxZ28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Athens, Ohio
Posts: 388
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Car: 1985 Z28
Engine: Turbo 5.3
Transmission: 4l80e
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

I don't see anything wrong with the undercarriage. Take a wire brush to get some of the surface rust off, then get some undercoating on it. Looks pretty great floorpan wise, honestly. The thing I would do is redo the exhaust, it's looking kind of meh.
Old 04-17-2015, 03:35 PM
  #5  
Member
Thread Starter
 
KNIGHTE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 TA http://bit.ly/1EadkbO
Engine: 5.0 V8 LG4 BBL
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Thanks for the replies guys - yep no CAT - its a WA car, i'm getting CAT installed as i am in CA.

Glad to be part of the 3rd Gen community :-)
Old 04-17-2015, 09:05 PM
  #6  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (11)
 
92GTA's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: CA
Posts: 4,305
Received 15 Likes on 14 Posts
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

It would be bad for a CA car but being where you got it from, looks fine. I've seen WAY WAY worse over the years on here from people who's cars have lived in the rust belt.

Get all that surface rust off there properly instead of just painting over it, and get it sealed so it doesn't get worse. Even in CA, once rust starts, it will still keep going.
Old 04-18-2015, 01:22 AM
  #7  
Supreme Member

 
midias's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Henrietta NY
Posts: 4,373
Received 189 Likes on 149 Posts
Car: 1984 Trans Am L69
Engine: Sniper EFI Powered 355
Transmission: WC T5 w/ Steel Support Plate
Axle/Gears: 3.42 10 Bolt Posi
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Looks 1000% better than anything around here. Clean the scale and hit it with POR15 or Rust bullet.
Old 04-18-2015, 02:09 AM
  #8  
Member
Thread Starter
 
KNIGHTE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 TA http://bit.ly/1EadkbO
Engine: 5.0 V8 LG4 BBL
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Cool thanks for the advice guys! ThirdGen helps me yet again :-)
Old 04-18-2015, 06:53 AM
  #9  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (3)
 
PurelyPMD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Newtown, CT
Posts: 3,038
Received 46 Likes on 37 Posts
Car: 1987 IROC Original Owner
Engine: LB9
Transmission: M39 MM5
Axle/Gears: G80 G92 J65
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Around here we douse it with diesel then power wash it with hot water - cleans just about everything off but expect to get dirty.
Old 04-18-2015, 09:32 AM
  #10  
Member
Thread Starter
 
KNIGHTE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 TA http://bit.ly/1EadkbO
Engine: 5.0 V8 LG4 BBL
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Originally Posted by PurelyPMD
Around here we douse it with diesel then power wash it with hot water - cleans just about everything off but expect to get dirty.
That actually works? I was thinking more something like they have here

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/paint-b...removal-guide/

Might try it though :-)
Old 04-18-2015, 10:22 AM
  #11  
Supreme Member
iTrader: (3)
 
-=Z28=-'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,072
Received 46 Likes on 39 Posts
Car: 84 Z28
Engine: 383 Stroker
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Yeah, I was going to say, Lookslike a down south kind of rust. That is nothing. come up to MN and I will show you what rust/rot looks like!! lol. not too bad!
Old 04-18-2015, 04:38 PM
  #12  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (3)
 
PurelyPMD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Newtown, CT
Posts: 3,038
Received 46 Likes on 37 Posts
Car: 1987 IROC Original Owner
Engine: LB9
Transmission: M39 MM5
Axle/Gears: G80 G92 J65
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Originally Posted by KNIGHTE
That actually works? I was thinking more something like they have here

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/paint-b...removal-guide/

Might try it though :-)
The diesel won't get rid of the rust but it will get rid of all of the oils, road tar, etc. that has accumulated over the years - even in some cases the undercoating!

For the rust use the Evapo rust & keep it moist - it DOES work.
Old 04-18-2015, 04:57 PM
  #13  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (11)
 
92GTA's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: CA
Posts: 4,305
Received 15 Likes on 14 Posts
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Originally Posted by PurelyPMD
The diesel won't get rid of the rust but it will get rid of all of the oils, road tar, etc. that has accumulated over the years - even in some cases the undercoating!

For the rust use the Evapo rust & keep it moist - it DOES work.
Ditto. I used Evaporust on the frame of my 56 Corvette and it was freakin awesome! I used it for a bunch of other parts well!
Old 04-18-2015, 06:41 PM
  #14  
Member
Thread Starter
 
KNIGHTE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 TA http://bit.ly/1EadkbO
Engine: 5.0 V8 LG4 BBL
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Thanks for the info guys, I'm wondering if i need to go with a gel solution or something though, its going to be really hard to keep the undercarriage wet.

Last edited by KNIGHTE; 04-18-2015 at 06:49 PM.
Old 04-18-2015, 07:52 PM
  #15  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (11)
 
DynoDave43's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: MICHIGAN
Posts: 4,642
Received 753 Likes on 579 Posts
Car: 1988 Trans Am
Engine: L03
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 2.73 Open
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Originally Posted by PurelyPMD
For the rust use the Evapo rust & keep it moist - it DOES work.
I've used Metal Rescue...same sort of product I think. But it's a liquid. Outside of a rotisserie, how would you keep a product like this wet for a 24hr. period, upside down, on the underside of a floor?

This customer used a spray bottle, and lots of constant effort. But to do the whole underside of a car...that would be a quite a task.

http://www.evaporust.com/chassis.html
Old 04-18-2015, 08:48 PM
  #16  
Member
Thread Starter
 
KNIGHTE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 TA http://bit.ly/1EadkbO
Engine: 5.0 V8 LG4 BBL
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Originally Posted by DynoDave43
I've used Metal Rescue...same sort of product I think. But it's a liquid. Outside of a rotisserie, how would you keep a product like this wet for a 24hr. period, upside down, on the underside of a floor?

This customer used a spray bottle, and lots of constant effort. But to do the whole underside of a car...that would be a quite a task.

http://www.evaporust.com/chassis.html

Exactly. If you look at the hot rod article there is one product that looks like a sticky gunk. That looks like what I need!
Old 04-18-2015, 09:55 PM
  #17  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (11)
 
92GTA's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: CA
Posts: 4,305
Received 15 Likes on 14 Posts
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

I soaked folded paper towels and they stuck and molded to the surfaces pretty well. Kept them wet with a spray bottle.
Old 04-18-2015, 09:59 PM
  #18  
Member

 
gsmarcano's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Tavares, Florida
Posts: 360
Received 17 Likes on 12 Posts
Car: Camaro
Engine: 350-Vortec-carbed
Transmission: 700-r4
Axle/Gears: stockola, right now anyhow
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

looks pretty good, thinking of having mine undercoated.
Old 04-19-2015, 07:29 AM
  #19  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (3)
 
PurelyPMD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Newtown, CT
Posts: 3,038
Received 46 Likes on 37 Posts
Car: 1987 IROC Original Owner
Engine: LB9
Transmission: M39 MM5
Axle/Gears: G80 G92 J65
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

What was done with one of the low mileage GNX cars that was poorly stored and covered in surface rust underneath was the car was driven over one of those cheap inflatable pools that you can buy at Walmart and the pool was inflated. A grid of 1" pvc pipe drilled with small holes was placed underneath & the Evaporust was pumped through them with a cheap electric pump. The sprinkler system was set to hit every portion of the car underneath and left there for a week. When it came out and was cleaned off it looked like the day it left the line & got top dollar when it crossed the auction block a few months later!

This may be a more involved project than you want to get into but simply wrapping portions with soaked towels and cellophane should produce similar results without having to flip the car over.
Old 04-19-2015, 12:55 PM
  #20  
Member
Thread Starter
 
KNIGHTE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 TA http://bit.ly/1EadkbO
Engine: 5.0 V8 LG4 BBL
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Re: Rate my undercarriage?

Originally Posted by PurelyPMD
What was done with one of the low mileage GNX cars that was poorly stored and covered in surface rust underneath was the car was driven over one of those cheap inflatable pools that you can buy at Walmart and the pool was inflated. A grid of 1" pvc pipe drilled with small holes was placed underneath & the Evaporust was pumped through them with a cheap electric pump. The sprinkler system was set to hit every portion of the car underneath and left there for a week. When it came out and was cleaned off it looked like the day it left the line & got top dollar when it crossed the auction block a few months later!

This may be a more involved project than you want to get into but simply wrapping portions with soaked towels and cellophane should produce similar results without having to flip the car over.
That's a really excellent method, if you look at the hot rod article that is exactly what they did to the hood of the car. Thanks for the tip.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
PurelyPMD
Camaros for Sale
27
05-05-2016 04:57 PM
3rdgenkindagal
Aftermarket Vendor Review
25
10-21-2015 09:32 AM
LT1Formula
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
7
10-08-2015 08:34 PM
oil pan 4
Fabrication
2
10-06-2015 11:56 AM
skinny z
Carburetors
11
09-29-2015 11:25 PM



Quick Reply: Rate my undercarriage?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:12 PM.