Jump to content


Photo

XU1 undercarriage paint finish


  • Please log in to reply
25 replies to this topic

#1 MFM

MFM

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 687 posts
  • Name:Mark
  • Location:Gold Coast
  • Car:xu1
  • Joined: 11-August 18

Posted 12 March 2019 - 07:32 PM

Ok I'm bored so am underneath the XU1 rubbing off 40 years of oil and grime with Kerosene. What I want to know from forum members is what the factory finish is under there. I am finding that the transmission tunnel paint finish between the chassis rails in the middle is a red oxide with a piss coat of black spray paint thats see through(see photo), however as I progress towards the diff area, there appears to be a very thin coat of bitumen paint on the floor pan which comes off easily with Kero exposing the red oxide with piss coat of black. What I want to know is what finish these cars come with from factory. Are they the same as the tranny tunnel i.e red oxide with piss coat of see through black or does the factory paint a very thin coat of Bitumen paint over the whole underside (except for the tranny tunnel). Want to keep this car nice and original.

Attached Files



#2 grumpy xu1

grumpy xu1

    Lotsa Posts!

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,809 posts
  • Name:Gary
  • Location:Queensland
  • Car:lj xu1
  • Joined: 01-February 10

Posted 12 March 2019 - 08:43 PM

Black mate. Get a good area, get a rep around with a spectrometer & shoot the colour for an accurate match. PM me again & we can chat about it all Mark. Gary.

#3 rodomo

rodomo

    To advertise here, call 13TORANA

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 17,997 posts
  • Name:R - O - B Dammit!
  • Location:Way out west of Melbourne Awstraylya
  • Joined: 10-December 05

Posted 12 March 2019 - 08:57 PM

Finish underneath is not uniform...………..all over the place like a mad woman's breakfast.
I'm taking all the bitumen off and just going black.

#4 grumpy xu1

grumpy xu1

    Lotsa Posts!

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,809 posts
  • Name:Gary
  • Location:Queensland
  • Car:lj xu1
  • Joined: 01-February 10

Posted 12 March 2019 - 09:25 PM

He wants it as per all original.

#5 MFM

MFM

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 687 posts
  • Name:Mark
  • Location:Gold Coast
  • Car:xu1
  • Joined: 11-August 18

Posted 12 March 2019 - 09:40 PM

Yeh that's exactly right Gary, I want it exactly as it was when it left the Adelaide plant.My car is pretty well unmolested, so am starting to think that the factory may have sprayed a very thin coat of black bitumen paint over the underneath. Not so much in the transmission tunnel but everywhere else. It concerns me that I am rubbing this thin coast of bitumen off when in fact I should be leaving it as it may have been sprayed on at the factory. Is there anyone out there that has an unmolested LJ Torana that can tell me what it looks like under their cars particularly if its a May 72 vintage. This topic might seem silly but my own opinion is that if you own a genuine XU1, its probably best to keep them as original as possible even if the patina looks a bit shitty. Just clean the original finish up as best as possible and leave it, which is what I am trying to achieve.



#6 Cook

Cook

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,497 posts
  • Location:Melbourne
  • Car:LX Hatch
  • Joined: 27-February 15

Posted 13 March 2019 - 09:26 AM

Not silly at all Mark, just problematic when you consider different plants were doing different things, what has time done to the body/paint etc. etc.  I'm sure you will get the bottom of it. Cheers Ron



#7 MFM

MFM

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 687 posts
  • Name:Mark
  • Location:Gold Coast
  • Car:xu1
  • Joined: 11-August 18

Posted 13 March 2019 - 05:52 PM

Thanks for the replies. I anticipated more responses but I guess it is a boring topic of discussion. Underneath wouldn't be an important area of concern for most XU1 owners but considering this car will only ever be driven in dry weather on sealed roads for the remainder of my life, cleaning underneath after never being cleaned its likely to stay clean. Its also an area that potential buyers examine intently before a purchase (not that I plan to sell as just bought it) so its nice to look under there and see it all nice and original with no hidden secrets.



#8 Rockoz

Rockoz

    Lotsa Posts!

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,955 posts
  • Name:Rob
  • Location:Cowra NSW
  • Joined: 21-September 08

Posted 14 March 2019 - 07:22 AM

Ummm.

Most of the more knowledgable members have more things to do than keeping an eye on the forum all the time.

Given also that the rise of Facebook groups has cut participation here significantly.

Give it a few days for some of the other members to have a chance to log in.

 

The advice you get here may take a bit longer, but will be worth the wait.

Patience is a virtue.

 

Put your question into perspective though.

 

The undercarriage of the car would have been low on the list for quality control checks on the production line.

Checks would have been limited to the fastening of bolts etc, and that all the bits that were needed were in place.

 

Finish on the undercarriage would have been limited to something very basic.

Its an area not usually seen, and would not have had the same checks as the finished colour of the car on the up bit.

 

Variations will be huge. Depended on who was using the gun at the time and whether or not it had any product in it.

The attitude of the bloke doing the job factors into it. As many variables as the number of cars produced is possible.

 

A lot of younger people think that these cars were built to a standard, or even up to a standard.

They were built down to a price.

 

I would imagine that something like underbody sealers were the last item at a particular stand on the production line.

As such less attention would have been placed on it. If the production line moved, and the job wasnt completed, then no big deal was placed on it.

 

Each years I find it sadder that more of these cars are going to be displayed more than driven.

Never in the rain etc.

Im lucky enough to have grown up when we flogged the absolute crap out of cars like this.

Drove them like they were meant to be driven, and had a whole lot of fun with them.



#9 jd lj

jd lj

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,099 posts
  • Name:James D
  • Location:in the shed
  • Car:LJ SVO
  • Joined: 03-December 10

Posted 14 March 2019 - 11:23 AM

Hi Mark,
I don't believe that the colour of the underside of your car in your picture is red oxide with a bit of black over it.

My car has the same colour both underneath and under the grey paint in the boot. I recently accidentally scratched the grey paint on the boot side of the real seat back panel and saw this same colour there.

The colour is hard to explain but it's more like a plum colour or almost burgendy but with a tiny bit of speckle to it. I think that it will be hard to replicate.

I also expect that the bitumen coating was done at a later date.

#10 MFM

MFM

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 687 posts
  • Name:Mark
  • Location:Gold Coast
  • Car:xu1
  • Joined: 11-August 18

Posted 14 March 2019 - 07:17 PM

Ok thanks Rob/James. I guess because I have just bought the car a year ago I am a bit over enthusiastic compared to someone who has owned one for years. I only got it registered on 6/2/19 after it sat for 20 years in a shed so it will be driven regularly (just not in the rain). I suspect the thin coast of bitumen spray was put on later as you say James as this was an old trick car yards used to freshen up under the guards etc and it was cheap and made the underside look new.



#11 MFM

MFM

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 687 posts
  • Name:Mark
  • Location:Gold Coast
  • Car:xu1
  • Joined: 11-August 18

Posted 19 March 2019 - 08:45 PM

Ok I have progressed to the fuel tank and have started washing down the front of the tank (facing the diff housing) with kero and the tar is coming off easily leaving the galv finish. Haven't started the sides or underneath. I thought I read somewhere that these were painted at Factory?? Can someone please advise what paint finish the fuel tanks came with from factory as clearly the front wasn't painted with acrylic.



#12 S pack

S pack

    Scrivet Counter

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 15,522 posts
  • Name:Dave
  • Location:Luggage Point
  • Car:73 LJ
  • Joined: 25-January 10

Posted 19 March 2019 - 08:54 PM

Mark,

 

According to 'Torana Tough' the visible parts of the 82911 fuel tank were painted Black 299-9187 or 399-9394.

 

Cheers

Dave.



#13 grumpy xu1

grumpy xu1

    Lotsa Posts!

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,809 posts
  • Name:Gary
  • Location:Queensland
  • Car:lj xu1
  • Joined: 01-February 10

Posted 19 March 2019 - 09:07 PM

Hi Mark,
I don't believe that the colour of the underside of your car in your picture is red oxide with a bit of black over it.
My car has the same colour both underneath and under the grey paint in the boot. I recently accidentally scratched the grey paint on the boot side of the real seat back panel and saw this same colour there.
The colour is hard to explain but it's more like a plum colour or almost burgendy but with a tiny bit of speckle to it. I think that it will be hard to replicate.
I also expect that the bitumen coating was done at a later date.



That's because red oxide USED to have lead in it, not the shit you buy now. It was put on all holden's of the day. The tanks were tinned originally. Anyway that's all i will say, No wonder Byron left. I might be f@cken next.

#14 Ice

Ice

    Cool

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 15,102 posts
  • Name:Gene
  • Location:Galaxy's away from Ipswich
  • Car:77 HZ Sandman Van
  • Joined: 03-January 07

Posted 19 March 2019 - 10:37 PM

Your not going anywhere Gary ffs

#15 S pack

S pack

    Scrivet Counter

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 15,522 posts
  • Name:Dave
  • Location:Luggage Point
  • Car:73 LJ
  • Joined: 25-January 10

Posted 19 March 2019 - 11:11 PM

That's because red oxide USED to have lead in it, not the shit you buy now. It was put on all holden's of the day. The tanks were tinned originally. Anyway that's all i will say, No wonder Byron left. I might be f@cken next.

Agree, it is red oxide primer under the thin coating of black. Under the red oxide there should be a dip coating of black primer.



#16 MFM

MFM

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 687 posts
  • Name:Mark
  • Location:Gold Coast
  • Car:xu1
  • Joined: 11-August 18

Posted 23 March 2019 - 01:21 PM

Ok just washed off all the thin tar spray all over the tank with kero only leaving what I believe was probably the original black outs done at factory on the tank. If the Torana Tough book is correct then this is the only bit seen which is the last bit at the rear as this didn't budge with kerosene.

Attached Files



#17 rodomo

rodomo

    To advertise here, call 13TORANA

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 17,997 posts
  • Name:R - O - B Dammit!
  • Location:Way out west of Melbourne Awstraylya
  • Joined: 10-December 05

Posted 09 April 2019 - 11:33 PM

Finish underneath is not uniform...………..all over the place like a mad woman's breakfast.
I'm taking all the bitumen off and just going black.

Further to this, I believe there may have been 2 types of mix? One as a seam sealer them another over the top.
I'll try and get some pics.

#18 MFM

MFM

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 687 posts
  • Name:Mark
  • Location:Gold Coast
  • Car:xu1
  • Joined: 11-August 18

Posted 10 April 2019 - 07:50 PM

I'm finding that after I wash off the thin coat of bitumen paint that there is slight road dirt underneath it in some places (I'm using spray and wipe to scrub it off) which leads me to believe that the thin coat of bitumen is applied AFTER they left the factory or during its life before I got it. I wish someone out there had a car they never touched underneath from new to solve this discussion once and for all. There must be someone out there with a 4 door/2 door whatever that was owned by Nanna that is untouched underneath.



#19 S pack

S pack

    Scrivet Counter

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 15,522 posts
  • Name:Dave
  • Location:Luggage Point
  • Car:73 LJ
  • Joined: 25-January 10

Posted 10 April 2019 - 09:34 PM

I'm finding that after I wash off the thin coat of bitumen paint that there is slight road dirt underneath it in some places (I'm using spray and wipe to scrub it off) which leads me to believe that the thin coat of bitumen is applied AFTER they left the factory or during its life before I got it. I wish someone out there had a car they never touched underneath from new to solve this discussion once and for all. There must be someone out there with a 4 door/2 door whatever that was owned by Nanna that is untouched underneath.

Never been any underbody bitumen applied to mine. Road grime under the bituminous coating would suggest it was applied some time after it left the factory. Quite possibly done by a used car yard to tart it up.

Full under body sound deadener was an option. I saw the option code for it recently but can't remember where for now.



#20 MFM

MFM

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 687 posts
  • Name:Mark
  • Location:Gold Coast
  • Car:xu1
  • Joined: 11-August 18

Posted 11 April 2019 - 01:44 PM

So Dave I've washed off 90% of my thin bitumen coating and this is what I found. Sort of a mixture of factory red lead undercoat with piss coat (like overspray) of gloss black and very fine surface rust.

Attached Files



#21 Ice

Ice

    Cool

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 15,102 posts
  • Name:Gene
  • Location:Galaxy's away from Ipswich
  • Car:77 HZ Sandman Van
  • Joined: 03-January 07

Posted 11 April 2019 - 07:02 PM

Red oxide

#22 rodomo

rodomo

    To advertise here, call 13TORANA

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 17,997 posts
  • Name:R - O - B Dammit!
  • Location:Way out west of Melbourne Awstraylya
  • Joined: 10-December 05

Posted 11 April 2019 - 11:33 PM

Further to this, I believe there may have been 2 types of mix? One as a seam sealer them another over the top.
I'll try and get some pics.

You can see how the stuff on the seams has a gloss. It's messy to scrape of. The rest comes off more cleanly.

Attached Files



#23 MFM

MFM

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 687 posts
  • Name:Mark
  • Location:Gold Coast
  • Car:xu1
  • Joined: 11-August 18

Posted 09 June 2019 - 08:03 PM

Now that I have finished washing down the whole floorpan of the car with kero to bring back original finish, today I started scrubbing down underneath the mudguards (bring her all back to factory original) starting with passenger rear just using truck wash, scrubbing brush and water and nothing else and found something unusual. Appears under rear guards(at this stage) was originally sprayed with same paint colour as my boot (Adelaide car) blue/gun metal colour probably to get rid of the paint I'm thinking? So appears was sprayed with heavy tar anti chip wrinkle paint then this was painted over with left over boot paint. Boring discovery but thought I would share it for those interested in keeping their cars unmolested.

Attached Files



#24 MFM

MFM

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 687 posts
  • Name:Mark
  • Location:Gold Coast
  • Car:xu1
  • Joined: 11-August 18

Posted 15 June 2019 - 07:04 PM

Ok,For those XU1 purists/rivet counters like me or for those who may be interested, I have found that factory finish under rear guards is the anti chip wrinkle tar finish then sprayed over with the exact same colour as my boot (Adelaide May 72 car - gun metal/blue type colour). Not sure why Holden would use this colour and not black under guards but suspect just to get rid of it. Have scrubbed under both rear guards with truck wash only (no spirits) and this is the finish I am presented with and I believe its as it came from the factory. Shit job scrubbing under here but 47 years of road grime and its never ever going to be driven in the wet or on dirt roads again in my life so I think its worth it. 

Attached Files



#25 Zook

Zook

    Forum Fixture

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,536 posts
  • Joined: 02-February 06

Posted 15 June 2019 - 08:47 PM

Ummm.
Most of the more knowledgable members have more things to do than keeping an eye on the forum all the time.

No they don't. Who else do they share with otherwise?




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users