Undercarriage Painting
Short answer: The correct factory look for the underside is black with low gloss — eggshell-black lacquer for the firewall and engine-compartment sheet metal, and a more durable black enamel (or a modern urethane) for the frame, suspension, and undercarriage.
PPG mixing formulas:
Firewall, inner radiator support, engine-compartment sheet metal: 2 qt “mixing black” #386 · 1 qt “universal flattening agent” · 1 qt “mixing clear” #310 · use PPG #DDL-16 quick-dry thinner or DuPont #3608S.
Undercarriage, frame, suspension (eggshell black enamel): 3 qt mixing black · 1 qt flattening agent · use PPG DTR601 quick-dry reducer.
Enamel is used here because it is more durable than lacquer and wipes clean for showing.
Modern alternative: Many good urethanes outperform enamel or lacquer for chip resistance and general wear, and have flattening agents to dial in the right dullness (test your flattener-vs-gloss mix). Paint the underside before the body so you get the factory-style overspray onto the rockers and into the cowl — and carefully mask the frame, leaf springs, and all lines/cables.
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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am
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