What to use for paint on a VW chassis.

[TheType1Freak]

Im working on a 63 Beetle and am cleaning up the pan and getting it ready for paint. Im wondering what other people are using? Im thinking about trying Rustoleum brand professional undercoating or truck bed liner on the bottom side. Has anybody used that on their bug? Is it real thick?

Otherwise Im thinking about just using Rustoleum Professional high performance enamel spray paint. I have had good luck with that in the past.

I have heard that some people use POR 15 on the underside of the chassis. Do you guys think its worth the extra money?

[Glenn]

POR 15
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

[beetlenut]

Master Series.
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scrapyards are for quitters
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[c21darrel]

[kman]

Chassis Saver (Magnet paints) Master Series or POR 15. All similar, all good.

[63Ragtop NZ]

I have been wondering about this myself as i am getting closer to the paint part of my resto.
Guys at the paint shop recommend this POR15 Chassis black.

http://www.por15.com/POR-15-Top-Coat_p_102.html

but I'm wondering it a 2k epoxy and 2k black would be better?

thanks
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If you can't join them, beat them!

[63 vwnotch]

I've used Por15 with expected results, however I don't think I will use it again because of their marketing cost... think I will try master series or the likes, any of the above will beat rustoleum... you don't want to put all that work into something then hit it with a product like that....

ymmv

EDIT: looked up chassis saver and it appears to be a good buy... anyone else use it with some mileage/years on it?
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BUS WANTED: 13 window BUS any year considered..

[theKbStockpiler]

The Truck Bed liner seems to be extremely effective initially. A stone is never going to chip it but it's not light either. I'm planning on using it on the most rust prone areas like the outside area of the floor pan,inside where your feet sit and so on,not the whole underneath.

There are plenty of threads stating that the user was disappointed with the results of POR. I can express that ZeroRust is a very good paint that dries hard with no anti-rust properties that I witnessed. If you want a physically durable paint ,ZeroRust fits the need.

I'm doing some work on a Jeep right now and I'm spraying clean metal with-

1st Zinc Compound

2nd Metal Etching Primer ( after wiping zinc coating with a dry rag)

3rd Primer/Sealer

and lastly base paint. All from a can.

I'm using BondoGold on top of all of this and I have had NO adhesion issues at all.

Years ago I did a test of using zinc compound and without ,and the parts I used zinc on took twice as long to show rust again. I tested a piece with just zinc on it verse pieces with just cheap paint and cheap paint with primer/sealer. The plain zinc pieces did the best.
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My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[Joseph DR]

I used POR 15 and then top coated it with Top Coat for UV protection.
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1964 Beetle

[raygreenwood]

Bearing in mind that the original rigid undercoating on my VW car (s) has survived for over 40 years....and only started cracking at flex spots about a decade ago (and kts these cracks that need to be ground out so that rust can not form in them).......and its hard as hell to remove......

I decided to go back with the original coating. I stripped to bare metal with abrasives, air grinder and air chisels etc.

Then any welding or patching is done.

Let light surface flash rust form after wiping down with acetone. Then treated with phosphoric acid converter (perfect primer). Then spray on a layer of zinc dichromate primer.

Then spray coat with Wurth stone guard.....which is the original spec, high build hard, rock proof undercoating used on most Porsche, VW and Merecedes of the day. Then top coat with body color paint.

It will last until after I am dead.

They make it in about 4-5 stock colors. You can buy it buy the large can and apply with low preszure shutz guns.....or in rattle cans. You can also buy the same product in the same form at,NAPA paint stores.
Ray

[63 vwnotch]

Ray, did you find any rust under the original coating in areas you wouldn't expect to be there because the liner showed no evidence of a problem area??

I have the dealer option coating as well, it's been thereally for 46 yrs and appears to have held up fine.. I heated and removed some from the pan nearest heat channel for inspection, underneath the coating looked beautiful.. I did find a couple questionable areas in fender wells (slight bubble) removed and found some rust... I intend to take it all off to see what's really hiding beneath the coating but I'm on the fence about replacing it rather that painting it... seems to me if a surface coat does fail you'll likely see it easier and catch it sooner with paint rather than a liner coating..
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BUS WANTED: 13 window BUS any year considered..

[raygreenwood]

[theKbStockpiler]

Are we talking additional salt exposure and or sealing in treated rust? A factory finish with undercoating can last decades in a salt environment. Without a ionic bound protectant ,I doubt it.

If you are undercoating anything it will both extend the life of the metal and also conceal the rust progress.
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My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[raygreenwood]

[theKbStockpiler]

My point was if treated rust was sealed in and still capable of rusting.

I'll do some more Rust Testing someday soon. One of the issues if you do bodywork is that it Never holds up to salt like a production Hot Zinc or modern ElectroPaint job. This leaves you with the impression that Paint is really a membrane that allows moisture in and out. I'm wondering if the barrier of good undercoating is good enough that you don't even need something with an ionic bond. I live in the salt capital of the world so I'll have to start another test which includes undercoating.

My first test a few years back was I had small strips of metal hanging in a IceMelt solution. Bare spray on zinc compound lasted mybe 6 months before showing any rust and rusted slower after it did. Spray can primer/sealer with Rustoleum paint on top lasted 3 months before showing rust and just a layer of Rustoleum lasted the same amount.

I'll do a test with Rust Converter and Undercoating included next.
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My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[andk5591]

I have used POR15, rustoleum, and farm implement paint. If you are not driving the car in salt or lots of rain, the Rustoleum would be fine. POR15 and similar products need better prep and cost more, but do hold up better,
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D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[raygreenwood]

[Offroader5]

Thought about powder coating? Have you stripped the car down to bare chassis/pan? Not sure what range of prices you'd find in your area, but I'll be getting mine media blasted and powder coated for under $300.

[Hikelite]

[avoll]

Por 15 wait till it drys tacky, then spray over top of it with rustolem.
Mine looks exactly the same 3 years later.
Use the rustolem engine paint back around the engine bay. Good up to 500 degrees.
If you wait until the por 15 drys they sell a special primer for it but its expensive.
Or you have to sand it before painting, which is pretty much impossible in spots.
Use different colors por 15 and rustolem.

Far less work, to spray when por 15 is tacky.

Unless the surface is shiny metal, then use something else.

Also make sure you clean the surface good before painting.
Rag, dish soap, bucket of soap water, and elbow greese works if nothing else.
Then air dry over night.