Paint

[azygoustoyou]

I'm going to paint the bottom of the car soon. The color is going to be black chasis satin. I would like to know how the cars came new. Are the front frames where the crossmember goes painted the color of the bottom ? Or are they suppose to be the color of the car? I'm trying to figure out where the colors start and stop. I do realize the engine compartment is the same color as the car. Thanks for your replies.

[mdrburchette]

I don't know whether they changed it during the years, but I remember the whole shell of my car being the exterior color, including the floorpans and in the wheel wells.

[pope]

I dont know either, my 80 has an original gloss black underbelly and wheelwells,which is not the color of the car. The cars original color was green and when you pull off the undercoating which was on since new, its gloss black all over except for the engine compartment which was green.
Brady, here is a pic of what they are doing to restorations of pricy cars lately.

[kilrwail]

Brady - My '78 is painted the same colour above and below, but of course it's hidden there by the black undercoating in most places - but not everywhere. If you want to be anal about a perfect restoration, I can tell you where there was never any undercoating. But I don't think that's the effect you're after

[kristoj]

My '82 is the is the same color as the body underneath, but the cross member is gloss black.

[azygoustoyou]

Thanks guys,
I guess I'll paint up to the bottom of the firewall along with the crossmember the black satin chasis paint that I have. Then I'll paint the frame rails, firewall, and inner fenders in the engine compartment the exterior color. I'm not putting any undercoating on the bottom. Only in the wheel wells. I'm using sound deadening inside the exterior.

[Fonz]

pope is that some form of rhino lining?

[pope]

A spray-on bedliner over a 2-part epoxy primer or similar primer.