As some of you know I recently aquired a 67 326HO car with 57000 miles. its just an unbelievably gorgeous car that had 1 repaint 25 years ago and it looks like it was done last week. heres my dillema. the undercarriage is unrestored, no rot or rust through but some mile surface rust (patena, normal wear and tear, etc... I did remove the original style exhaust that was installed in 1985 and put some nice custom made duals on it so you could hear it run! so do I " restore" the undercarriage with a simple scuff and spray or just leave it be for originality??

Now keep in mind this car has its original interior including the carpet and the engine has never been out of the car....

I think you should just stop and sell me the car for 5k.

If not, I'd at least clean up what you can to help preserve the car. Wire brush and paint will help protect until the day comes when a well deserving resto can take place. Take your time to not get overspray where it shouldn't be. It would likely be a lot easier without the new exhaust in the way.

You didn't ask about the exhaust, but IMHO, I'd stick to a stock looking dual in/out muffler with resonators and splitters out the bottom. Why change such an original car?

Tough call in my opionion. How its stored will determin how quickly the surface rust would advance. I would be real tempted to wirebrush the whole thing and coat it in POR.

the new exhaust will unbolt easily and uses all the stock hangers. it dumps out between the springs and rear quarters and he even ovaled the tips. I just like a little rumble to it.
I plan on starting to do a little cleaning up this coming winter, a little scuffing and some spray paint just to seal her back up. I just didnt know if its will hurt or help the value, I plan on keeping this car for a long time...

If you are like me, you will start restoring the underneath and then realize all the components need to be removed and redone. It's a much bigger job than you may realize now. Just keep that in mind. Not to mention the time it will take.

If you are keeping it a long time, I'd clean and POR it like Rohrt suggested.

She sits in a climate controlled garage so it shouldnt get any worse. its all real light and easy to knock off and none of it is deep, the farther you go forward on the car the less actual surface rust there is. the suspension has no squeaks, rattles or bad bushings so I hate to tear her apart till she actually "needs" it. I think just some good cleaning, maybe just drop the rear axle and gas tank to get into the nooks and crannies, spread around some POR and just keep enjoying her for what she is! I have had 5 first gen Camaros, a couple were prostreet and 3 were stock suspension but NONE of them floated down the road like this car does, hardly a squeak or rattle, take curves at 55-60 mph with no body lean and I swear you can steer it with 1 finger and brake with 1 toe. The difference between the 2 F-Bodies is highly apparent when driving this one!

I can see you are squarely in the 'honeymoon' stage!

oh yeah and the funny thing is I have my wife to thank for this. I have been working my way towards a "keeper" car after going through my street car, prostreet, all out drag car back to prostreet phase. we went through about 10 cars in 10 years, do a little work, flip it or trade it. she had been harpin me about wanting a firebird since her last "toy" 10 years ago was a cherry 79 Silver Ann T/A. so when we stumbled across this 67 we bought it without even hearing it run or test driving her. we were just amazed at how original and unmolested she was. plus this car doesnt have a 496 cubic inch big block putting out 550hp, so the wife is NOT afraid to drive her...

Id try to clean up the under carriage by best means...maybe if you can cover up fragile parts like hoses etc, a light sand blast or bead blast...then either POR it under or "rustproof" it lightly with spray on... or some 'oily' substance....back in the 60s lots of cars in Europe got a light oil spray under to keep rust out...usually at oil changes.. ...I wouldnt start a frame off on that car.

I hear ya Bjorn, no frame off, she appeals more to me just the way she is. she was repainted in 85 and the hood was changed but all that original sheetmetal just makes me drool! plus how many cars out there actually have there whole original interior?!?!? I guess that my age is finally starting to show cause 20 years ago it would be air shocks, headers, cragars and a big ars holly 4 barrel stickin through the hood...

My OHC-6 68 Convertible is like that but opposite, Completely original top to bottom with the exception of an original style replacement exhaust.
My dilema is the top side needs restoration now, or at least a serious body makeover and paint, but the interior is pretty good and the underneath is just fine.
I'm torn between a resto or just paint and keep fixing it.

IMO, on yours I'd give it a clean and paint underneath, watch the overspray, maybe even hand mark original build markings. No it won't be concourse, but at a glance it will be, it'll look better than it does now and help protect the underside for years to come.
Doing nothing is inviting rust to get a foot hold. It is 40+ years old.

it has to have something, even in a climate controlled enviroment it will just continue to get worse. a little sandpaper, some wire brushes, lots of masking tape and a whole lot of patience and I think she will appreciate the effort in the long run. for now, drive her, winter is only 7 months away...

Check this out. CAUTION: it might be an expensive click...

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/ctd/1704305168.html

What do you think?

Oh no, it was a nice car but had no performance factor at all even though she was very smooth to drive. gotta love that guys ad though, geez, gig words! now if it was a 4speed...

If you have the energy to clean up the underside, go for it! It will not hurt the value at all. In my opinion it will increase the value and life of the car over-all. By the way, that is one sweet ride.

Bjorn, My under carriage is super clean and when I bought it I thought the oily look was just a leak gone wrong.... But since you bringing that up, I am wondering if maybe the previous owner had done that... The car has little to no rust on the under side, I thought at first it had been cleaned up and treated but there is some grime build up in the nooks and crannies..

I guess some may have used that "system" over here as well...it was very prevalent "over there" in the 50s , 60s...it works...and is not very expensive