C1 Underbody fiberglass cleaning / painting

[Richard E.]

I'm looking for suggestions to remove oil, grease, and possibly transmission fluid stains from the underbody fiberglass. Discoloration has penetrated the fiberglass over time, possibly the stains cannot be removed.

Is there a method for cleaning the stained fiberglass surface sufficiently for paint without damaging the fiberglass? Are sealers available that would allow painting over these areas once cleaned?

Also, did the factory prepare the C1 underbody pan or wheel wells with undercoat or paint?

Thanks much for all responses.

[Mike M.]

Re: C1 Underbody fiberglass cleaning / painting

there wasn't any paint applied to the underside of the c-1 floor pans from the toe pans rearward to the portion of the floor pan that lays directly below where the rear of the seats live. there should be some exterior color overspray on the spare tire tube's iuncerside. and perhaps some directly over the rear axle housing. if the c-1 isn't interested in ncos judging, then, since its your car, the entire floorpan underside can be painted. i'd simple clean and reclean the areas with petroleum stains with cheap lacquer thinner. good luck, mike mccagh

[Daniel T.]

https://youtu.be/etDMnV9epms. (No affiliation, it just looks neat!). Also have seen this used to remove household mold and smoke damage from wood.

[Steven B.]

Re: C1 Underbody fiberglass cleaning / painting

https://youtu.be/etDMnV9epms. (No affiliation, it just looks neat!). Also have seen this used to remove household mold and smoke damage from wood.

I spoke with a dry ice guy last week at the gas station (convenience store with gas pumps ) and he said he had done fiberglass boats, pine, metal, brick, etc. and it worked well. He had not done vinyl as in vinyl siding. I asked if he had done cars, specifically Corvettes and he had not.

[Richard E.]

Re: C1 Underbody fiberglass cleaning / painting

Mike,
Thanks much for the information. I'm actually asking for a friend that will be painting a C1 body soon. I do not know if judging the car is part of the plan, but I expect the body restoration is intended to be as factory correct as possible. I wonder if examples of typical factory overspray locations / pattern is documented anywhere? Thanks again.

[Frank D.]

Re: C1 Underbody fiberglass cleaning / painting

I use lacquer thinner and Tub'O'Towels and a scrapper where needed, finished my 63 last month (first pic) and my 61 had NOTHING on the glass under the chassis (second picture), I think any paint on an original car would look bad, really bad. On C2s IIRC there was some sort of undercoat in the fender wells to prevent rocks thrown from the tires hitting and cracking the fender underside, don't remember if my 61 had that.

[Keith R.]

Re: C1 Underbody fiberglass cleaning / painting

I used lacquer thinner, lots of rags and I also soda blasted the wheel wells. It made them come out real clean. Too bad that I had to shoot undercoating on top of it though!