Undercarriage restoration color choice

CeylonstonE9

CeylonstonE9

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I need your opinion for undercarriage restoration of E9.

Should it be same as body color or black ? Does it matter or not that important ?

Example pictures can help too...
 
Original underside was khaki with a hint of olive primer with grey undercoat. Body color is only found from the overspray of the body, wheel wells are body color.
 
Retro46 said:
I need your opinion for undercarriage restoration of E9.

Should it be same as body color or black ? Does it matter or not that important ?

Example pictures can help too...
Click to expand...

I hope this thread generates some nice undercarriage photos as I too have been looking into the 'correct' finish for the CSi.
 
During my search of an example picture, I found bimbill's post on bmw2002faq forum. He says "When I restored my '73 3.0CS I had the paint store custom mix the gray using a part of the pedal box that was original and had never had sun or weather on it. The match was perfect."

This may be a useful reference picture.
https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/t...e-for-factory-underbody-powdercoating/?page=2

undercoating.jpg
 
I’m confused by the reference to the pedal box, that’s a feature of a 2002 not a coupe. My 73 had the khaki with a slight olive tint primer which then had grey undercoat applied. I stripped part of the underside myself using Easy-Off which removes the undercoat but if left on too long also softens the primer. I think Bill matched the color of the undercoat perhaps.

And when I visited Munich in 2015 I could swear the 3 series production line was using the same color primer!
 
The grey color of the tool box is a pretty good match. The wurth grey is spot on but no longer available so you’ll have to paint the undercoating.
 
I was able to buy the same Wurth Gray referenced above and the color and texture looks spot on to me. It can be left 'as is' for the underside of the car, or painted body color on the valances beneath the bumpers. I think we have a winner:)

73118dm1.jpg
 
Last edited:
HB Chris said:
I’m confused by the reference to the pedal box, that’s a feature of a 2002 not a coupe. My 73 had the khaki with a slight olive tint primer which then had grey undercoat applied. I stripped part of the underside myself using Easy-Off which removes the undercoat but if left on too long also softens the primer. I think Bill matched the color of the undercoat perhaps.

And when I visited Munich in 2015 I could swear the 3 series production line was using the same color primer!
Click to expand...

Looking back at my comments regarding under-car finishes, what I was trying to explain was sourcing a gloss enamel color to match the subframe/suspension components as they came from the factory. I've seen many very nice restorations where components are painted black when they should be gray or gloss black when they should be semi-gloss or satin black. Standard disclaimer, all these comments are based on what I found when I restored my MY '73 E9. What I should have said with regard to finding the correct original shade of gray is that while my car was disassembled I took the pedal support bracket (not pedal box) to the paint store and had them scan and match that shade of gray. It's what you see on the image of my rear subframe/trailing arms.

As for the the body pan, what I found is exactly what Chris describes. The khaki seems to be a sort of primer/sealer that went on first followed by a thickish rubbery undercoat and then finally the overspray from when body color was applied. Over the years I'm sure many cars received additional layers of whatever rustproofing material the local shops used. We've also seen cars that, when restored, had the pan stripped and shot with body color from sill to sill. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion, it's just not the way they left the factory.

What you see on my car on the pan itself is lizard skin which of course is not correct but seemed to be a recommended choice for cars meant to be driven. Sorry for the lengthly response but wanted to try to cover all the aspects.

And yes, Mark, I do have the paint code. It's PPG DCC single stage and I think I still have a half pint on the shelf.
 
My E 24 , original, was undercoated and then sprayed with body color. We power washed the bottom and power washed all the old undercoating we could get off,
re undercoated and then used single stage body color. I am agreeing this is how they were done from the
 
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