What is this stuff on my floor called?

[randywebb]

Another idea -- it is a certainty that all this has been worked out before for other cars. The type of matrial used will vary for different areas of the car (e.g. firewall vs. floor - few rock hits on the firewall). Someobody who wanted to do a search of SAE papers on this would surely find some interesting stuff. Any college with an engineering dept. (there's one or more in every state) will have librarians who can help with the search and it will be free.

Another approach is go see what the Lexi and MB S classes, BMW 745's of the world are using these days. I know the saleman will be impressed when you start pulling up the floor mats... Then figure out how much it weighs and see if that is significant. If not, just use that material. If it is then the next step is to find a lighter material that comes close to the same function.

The optimal solution would be for all y'all to figure this out before I am ready to do my floors....

[Az911]

Snap on crud remover simplest way to remove any sort of under coating. What's better then letting the tool do all of the work for you?

[cowtown]

Originally posted by randywebb
Cdnone1 - Are you saying that the black sheets stuff on the horizontal sections of the floor wighed 18 lbs.? Is that for front and back together?

Or is the 18 lbs. for that stuff + some other stuff?

Great color BTW.

The stuff in my '75 weighed in at around 12lbs.

Click on this thread to see the gory details:

I'll just lift up the carpets to check for surface rust, then put them back...uh-huh

[blue82coupe]

Cdnone1.... We have the same car !! Dan

[ghnat]

Hey Colin,

In your thread you said you used MEK. What is that? Did it help to scrape up the tar coating? Also, What did you use to coat the floor?

[cowtown]

MEK is methyl ethyl ketone, and I got it by the gallon at Home Depot. I understand from later posts that there are better solvents to use (I can't remember what they are right now, though).

Be careful if you do use MEK. A respirator and a fan into the car are required. After you have scraped as much as possible off, the MEK helps get the remnants off.

I put POR-15 down afterwards.

Good luck!

[randywebb]

"A respirator and a fan into the car ...."

You also need to deal with skin absorbtion. The fan will help. This is really toxic stuff. Affects memory too.

[tshih]

Also a fire extinguisher is handy to have in case of it going up in flames!!! Highly flamable solvent.

[ghnat]

Wow, nice job Colin! I'll search and see what else would be good for stripping the tar stuff off. I'll try to find something that is not as toxic!

Thanks for all of the info every one. One day I just may have my car back together and even running!!!

[targa80]

Here was my solution to removing the sound deadener and undercoating

Ultimate undercoating scraper (cheap jeri-rig)

[cowtown]

Originally posted by targa80
Here was my solution to removing the sound deadener and undercoating

Ultimate undercoating scraper (cheap jeri-rig)

That's a better solution than MEK. Fewer dead brain...uh, what was I talking about again?

[ghnat]

Pat,

Now that is a great idea! Harbor Freight here I come.

[randywebb]

Cowtown - glad you caught my joke -- the other stuff is serious tho. I'm surprised Davis hasn't outlawed it ....

[Cdnone1]

has anyone stripped the undercoating from the bottom of the outside of the car and wheel wells? if so whats involved? I have a beautiful car but would like espesically the wheel wells to look better and just get the weight and junk out of there. thanks in advance
steve

[randywebb]

I'd bet that the stuff in the wheelwell is crud and is _on top_ of the undercoating (which is itself under the paint).

Try pressure washing and maybe using Castrol Purple cleaner (carefully and read directions and cautions first).

Once you get it down to the paint it will look a lot better.

re the rest - Yes several have done this to their track cars. There are pics posted. Not sure if you can find the info via the search button or not, but they are out there.