[cvette427]

I have been stripping the undercoating from my 66 Nova (6 cyl auto non-SS), and it seems that the wheel wells and floor pans have the original body color from the factory as opposed to black paint. The car is a yellow car. The firewall is also yelllow. I don't remember ever seeing other than black on wheelwells and undercarriages on restored cars before. I am pretty sure the paint under the undercoat is original and would like to keep it original but black is certainly easier to work with. HELP! Also would the gas tank be unpainted shiny metal from factory or did GM put some coating on it for rust, insulation, or whatever?
Daniel

 

[Coprod]

Daniel,

My wheel wells are painted factory color also and I know it's original.....
I also had undercoating on the undercarriage.

I thought about taking mine off, but don't want to get that involved yet....It does look good cleaned off and painted. Its a lot of work. Hows it going so far and what method or methods are you using?

Take care,

Richard

 

[cvette427]

Richard,
Thanks for the reply. Removing the undercoat is a real pain but the look of original sheet metal is kind of addicting and a job that started as small has grown as I expand on the areas I hope to clean. I am using a torch and putty knife as well as a cheap serving spoon from the grocery store for the curves. Laquer thinner works for the residue but it is very hard on the hands.
Daniel

 

[YENKO DEUCE REG]

To my knowledge, the rear wheel wells were primed, painted body color, and then undercoated - in that order. So, on some cars you can look up inside and see the three different colors. The body color also oversprayed onto the underside of the trunk floor, the frame rails, etc... which normally did not get undercoated. It looks haphazard when original and/or restored, but that's the way they came. Not sure on the firewall being body color though, it might be a 2nd gen thing?
M

 

[RatNova71]

If the firewall is body color, doesn't that mean its a Canadian car?