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Series 2 Undercoating Question

cdk84

Donation Time
Hi Everyone,

To anyone who owns, or is familiar with an unrestored Series 2 Alpine,

What portion of the undercarriage is undercoated? Is there any part of the downward facing unibody that left the factory uncoated? If so, was it painted body color?

If you have photos that show an unrestored Series 2 undercarriage, I would tremendously appreciate seeing them. I have a Series 2 car and had the body shell dipped before I could see the car, so I need to learn what was correct for an original car.

Thanks so much in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Best Wishes, and please Stay Healthy,

David
 

Gordon Holsinger

Diamond Level Sponsor
Hi Everyone,

To anyone who owns, or is familiar with an unrestored Series 2 Alpine,

What portion of the undercarriage is undercoated? Is there any part of the downward facing unibody that left the factory uncoated? If so, was it painted body color?

If you have photos that show an unrestored Series 2 undercarriage, I would tremendously appreciate seeing them. I have a Series 2 car and had the body shell dipped before I could see the car, so I need to learn what was correct for an original car.

Thanks so much in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Best Wishes, and please Stay Healthy,

David
I believe that our cars were painted body color on the underside.
 

jdoclogan

Platinum Level Sponsor
Hi Everyone,

To anyone who owns, or is familiar with an unrestored Series 2 Alpine,

What portion of the undercarriage is undercoated? Is there any part of the downward facing unibody that left the factory uncoated? If so, was it painted body color?

If you have photos that show an unrestored Series 2 undercarriage, I would tremendously appreciate seeing them. I have a Series 2 car and had the body shell dipped before I could see the car, so I need to learn what was correct for an original car.

Thanks so much in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Best Wishes, and please Stay Healthy,

David



David,
I received the 1962 Promotional Harrington Le Mans (configured from a Series II platform) in original condition. It confirms what I'm about to show you from the original #41 Factory Works Sebring Alpine. Yes, the under body of a Series II is completely painted the body color. There are some Series II Alpine owners that spent considerable time and effort to remove the Tar undercoating. They probably think you and I are crazy for wanting to return to the original makeup with replacing the tar (simple roofing tar) after dipping.
 

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jdoclogan

Platinum Level Sponsor
And there is more. These two photos show my best determination of the tar undercoating areas. Again, all is painted the original color. In this case, code 30, Seacrest Green.

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Last edited:

Gary T

Gold Level Sponsor
My Series II also had a very large amount of the "tar" on the underside and I did spend a lot of time removing it using a gasket scraper and hammer. Because is was so brittle and was not consistent it was removed. The driver side was coated with high temperature coating and the passenger side was coated with sound deadener liquid as well as the total inside floor pan area. I could not find a suitable pebble grain material for the inside of the firewall, so I used Dynadeck instead. Thicker than original, but should be good sound deadener.
 

Gordon Holsinger

Diamond Level Sponsor
My Series II also had a very large amount of the "tar" on the underside and I did spend a lot of time removing it using a gasket scraper and hammer. Because is was so brittle and was not consistent it was removed. The driver side was coated with high temperature coating and the passenger side was coated with sound deadener liquid as well as the total inside floor pan area. I could not find a suitable pebble grain material for the inside of the firewall, so I used Dynadeck instead. Thicker than original, but should be good sound deadener.
This is a trick I have heard of but never used to remove under coating. Use dry ice on the non undercoated area and use dry ice it is supposed to make under coating brittle and easily removed.
 

loose_electron

Donation Time
I am pretty sure that the tar undercoating was a dealer installed option. My dad sold Sunbeams in the 60's and I started working on them in the early 70's. I seem to remember spraying and undercoating on some cars as a customer requested thing. This was back in the days before the whole body was zinc plated after body welding was finished in manufacturing. God that was messy crap to deal with.
 

jdoclogan

Platinum Level Sponsor
Jerry,

Since you will find all Series I and II underbellys painted the same as the body color. It follows that the tar undercoating was done at the Rootes factory. If a Series III - V has an undercoating it most likely was a dealer application. What a fun job, especially if you didn't have a lift available.
 

jumpinjan

Bronze Level Sponsor
My Series I has "brushed" on tar (or something) undercoating. Brushed? Yes, one can see the brush strokes. We had this car since 1964-65.
Jan
 

jdoclogan

Platinum Level Sponsor
Jan, that aligns to my experience. That is what all my Series II platforms have and the Series I. That is why I left my Promotional Harrington Le Mans original and returned my Sebring Alpine to original brushed on tar after having it dipped.
 

loose_electron

Donation Time
Jerry,

Since you will find all Series I and II underbellys painted the same as the body color. It follows that the tar undercoating was done at the Rootes factory. If a Series III - V has an undercoating it most likely was a dealer application. What a fun job, especially if you didn't have a lift available.
That seems right. Most of the shop lifts were single center post hydraulics in the shop. (remember those?) Only one was outside arms dual post. I remember accidently getting that crap on the exhaust and the messy burn off. It did not come of your hands easily either. Yuk. Memories...
 
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