1983 Hurst Original Undercoating

[smevis33]

I am currently working on a frame off for a 1983 hurst olds and am wanting to restore the undercarriage to as close to original as possible. The material was a very thick material on the body from rear floor pans back and the rear wheel wells. I want to add the original look and am wondering if anyone knows what they used originally. I know that the material will not be available but I want something comparable to the original texture and look.

 

[69hurstolds]

The cars I've seen had a smooth gray coating if you will. Looked like a semi-gloss gray primer. I wish I'd have kept the pictures. The factory did not coat everything black under the car. The black body schutz that they used in the rear wheel wells sometimes got a bit carried over to the spare tire well area and sometimes part of the rear belly pans but I think this was mostly overspray, and not by design. Maybe it was, but they weren't precise. They got messy and it wasn't artwork. Yours is typical of the way tire rocks and debris beat the schutz off ceratin areas of the wheel well.

Here's a very low-mile 85 442 (2800 miles) without any aftermarket rustproofing. Even the cross member was uncoated. 83 and 84 H/O was similar.

Note some spray on the belly pan

I suggest 3M body schutz for the wheel wells. Takes about 1 can per wheel well. DON'T do the fronts. They didn't, you shouldn't either. Uses a special applicator gun with an air compressor to apply, but it is what it is.

 

[smevis33]

Thanks for the info. I have seen lots of posts from you in the past so I know that you are very knowledgeable. I bought this car with 5K in 1985 and didn't do anything cosmetic to it until now. This is a very early car (#16) and I know that almost no 2 of these cars seemed to be the same underneath. The only reason I took it frame off is it sat in my shop for 25 years undriven on damp concrete without moving so it surfaced rusted on the frame and uncoated suspension parts. I have been working with some other low mileage owners that happen to be near me and they both have similar coating on theirs and all of ours are black and resemble the 3m material( I attached pics of theirs and 1 of mine with most of it gone). I know that when these were done the people working on the did them fast and they are very inconsistent so I just wanted to make sure I was using a similar product since my wheel wells looked like a much thicker material and was almost impossible to get off. I agree the 3M material looks like the material. Do you happen to know what material they used on the firewall? Whoever installed mine at the factory was obviously not paying for it and gave me my moneys worth since it was about a 1/4" thick and all over everything( See last Pic). Thank you for your help.

 

[69hurstolds]

Not sure what they used on the firewall. I suspect it was a rubberized coating. You can probably simulate that (without the heavy coats) with those rubberized spray sound deadener that comes in spray cans. It seems about that consistency to me. That's what I would use, but obviously not that much! On my 85 it's spritzed around the HVAC sealing area and localized around firewall bushings and grommets. Nothing like yours.

 

[mikester]

Ive used 3M quite a few times on a lot of my old projects. Its on my coupe and my wagon. That being said if I had to do it over I would use U pol Raptor. Hands down its a much better product. You can also control the texture by changing the air pressure and also what kind of gun you use to spray it.

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

My Regal has dealer undercoating from when it was brand new. Its applied on the floor pans and gas tank. No idea what it is buts it seems identical to the factory wheel well coating.