I have a 68 z, it is a special order paint car. I've owned it now, for 24 years.
Should I paint the under body, or leave it original? When I bought the car it had all original paint. I didn't like the color, so I painted it hugger orange. I will be painting it back to the correct orange.
The under body is clean
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w67/dale68z/orange30231509068.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w67/dale68z/orange30231509076.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w67/dale68z/orange30231509077.jpg
Not the original rear axle, this one allows me to roll the body while I clean up the original one.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w67/dale68z/orange30231509078.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w67/dale68z/orange30231509079.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w67/dale68z/orange30231509080.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w67/dale68z/orange30231509082.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w67/dale68z/orange30231509097.jpg

I don't know what to do, the bottom of the car is reasonably clean, no dents, scratches, or rust. Some of the overspray has worn off.
BTW, it was born on 10/67, and has a ZZ paint code, and was bought at Dana.
Dale

Well, I guess it depends on what your plans are with the car...show, weekend cruiser, etc. I'd paint it just for rust protection but maybe rust is a no issue in your neck of the woods..

Was curious as I know next to nothin about Dana....did they paint a lot of cars that shade of orange? Have you seen the book "Motor City Muscle" ? There's a '68 Dana RS/SS ...actually L71:cool: pictured in that very same color....dog dish hubcaps too:)

I agree, it all depends on your plans for the car in the future. The bottom of your car looks great!! And, it's only going to be like that once. If you plan on repainting it the original color and having a factory appearing car, I would let it go. As long as rust isn't an issue anywhere under there. It looks good to me. Brian

I wouldn't touch the underside. It's way too nice to mess with.

I repainted the original color on the body. But the underside was just dirty and greasy with no rust. A good steam cleaning and you can see the original primer/color overspray.

Don't touch it! As has been said over and over... "It's only original once!"
To a non car guy it looks like a "bad" paint job with the overspray etc. but to the rest of us who know it left the factory like that it is VERY cool.

I would paint it semi-gloss black, I guess it depends how much you are going to clean it up under neath, looks very clean under there. Why put all new parts under the car and have the floor look like that. I just did it to my car over the winter and looks great.


http://community.webshots.com/user/jeff69rag2001

Jeff G.
69 Vert.

OMG! Don't re-coat! Just clean it. You'll have a twin to mine. Mostly original,,, except the exhaust,,,, oh, the CE bars,,,,and the rear sway bar,,,the aluminum drive shaft. Hell, those are the original muffler hangers too.;)
http://epitomesrebuild.com/images/242.JPG

It will end up not being driven, much, but Not a trailer queen. There is no rust at all on the bottom side.
All parts in the subframe are original or correct dated pieces. Only things I had to find date wise is the alternator, w pump, and starter. The rest was original to the car. I have the POP, and bill of sale when it was bought as a demo car from Dana.
I started working on it 8 years ago, it has been in pieces,since. I needs to get my but in gear.
Fred, I have those same hangers with the white stripe on it. I do not have an original muffler.
I feel I should not paint the bottom or the floors of the car.
Thanks for your input.
Dale

Mine was like yours, I regret painting over the orginal paint...
If I was to do it again, I would have cleaned it up, painted with water based tyre black.
Dont drive in the wet for 4 or 4 days
If need be a water blaster cleans it of
It is easy to touch up and flows out with a brush..no marks
A good spray with the hose and paint over dust etc is fine.
It is very suprisingly robust...the rear wheel wells are what generaly what needs touching up every so often..going to a show and shine.

The important part is u have a good natural factory 'look' underside, and is easy to clean off if need be yrs later back to orginal paint without damage,

Looks like you still have the muncie shifter also!!

Fred,

Do you take your car apart each weekend and clean ALL the parts??
Wow! That is NICE!!!

Painted the underside of mine with Lizard skin:
http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l346/Marroweter/Before%20and%20After/Before_After003.jpg
http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l346/Marroweter/Before%20and%20After/Before_After004.jpg

So far very happy with it, it went on a medium grey but darkened to a dark grey over the course of about a week.

Fred,

Do you take your car apart each weekend and clean ALL the parts??
Wow! That is NICE!!!
Thanks Dale! No I don't, but it feels like it. And on April first I'm getting a toy-box trailer for it.:hurray: No more driving home in the rain after a rain-out! It'll have a shop, awning, air conditioning, you know, the usual stuff seen at the track. Real men trailer to the strip. It took me nearly 40 years to figure that out.:thumbsup:

Nice car Dale, I would leave the underside as is...

Dale, Here is a special order Orange Paint 68 Dana RS/SS... bet yours was ordered the same color...
http://corvettes-musclecars.com/gallery2/v/al_chevrolet/1968+Dana+RS-SS+Camaro+427/68DanaCamaro.jpg.html

just por15 it and forget it lol

just por15 it and forget it lol

It is a special order paint 68 Dana Z28. Keep anything possible original. If you let someone work on it make sure they have strict instructions on what they are allowed to do and what they should not touch.

IMO. I would not paint it.