Should I got the "extra mile"? (i.e. Underneath car)

[EvilTwinATX]

I am at a crossroads and would like your opinions...I know ultimately it is a personal decision but want to bounce it off you guys/girls.

My car is almost ready for blocking sanding...the top of the car is currently in duratek and the only thing left in the car is the front and rear suspension.  I haven't touched the underside of the car though.. and it kinda bothers me.

I have torque boxes and subframes I am planning to weld in and have to strip some of the frame to do it...question: should I go the extra mile and strip and paint (or so something like Lizard Skin) or just touch up the undercoating currently on it. The undercoating is not horrible looking but it isnt gonna be as nice and the top and I guess that is what bugs me. 

I am not doing a concourse restoration but would like to show the car...especially with how much work is going into it. Has anyone regretted NOT doing the underneath after the finished thier car? Thanks for your opinion.

[Street_Challenged73]

I think it all comes down to how often you plan on driving it.  I painted my underbody in FC-7, but I will probably undercoat each wheel well just to make sure I don't start getting paint chips.  I'd say this would probably be the route you'd want to take if you do decide to paint your underbody.  A friend of mine went through all the same details I have up to this point on his underbody and he's been throwing around the idea of undercoating his wheel wells because his paint's chipping in places from the road debris and such.  If you want to really drive the car, I'd say just go with the full undercoating so you don't have to worry too much about keeping it constantly clean underneath there.

[EvilTwinATX]

I was planning on undercoating it in the wheel wells... it will also make wheels look a little better when on the car. I want to drive it heck yeah!

I am just a detailed kinda person and am trying to decide if I am going to regret it later if I just touch up the current stuff..it is the globby asphalt type stuff.

[DAYTONA]

...this car was completely painted/clearcoated and waxed underneath....I drove it on the street, but not often....it was easy to wipe clean on the underside, but the biggest concern was getting a "star" on the top of the fender from a stone in the tire underneath.....luckily, the entire time I owned the car, it remained flawless, but I only put about 600 SLOW miles on it in a decade or so....

first HEMI Challenger ever made....

[Bullitt-]

EvilTwinATX, Sounds like you and I are doing similar things. My Challey is not so bad as to need the Full Monte Resto and my budget wouldn't allow for it anyway. My underside needs a little attention but was never completely undercoated to begin with so as I work in an area I blast or treat any rust, clean the rest & will be applying epoxy primer similar to the factory. In the areas where solid undercoating exists (wheel wells) I am cleaning & plan to rattlecan a fresh surface coat for appearance. I am removing all mechanicals & refinishing as I go. Time consuming but a lot of bang for the buck if ya know what I mean. 

[HemiDog]

I ended up painting the underside of my car.  However, now that I had decided to use Lizard skin on the inside, I wish that I had sprayed the underside with it also, then paint over it.

[moparnut]

I am doing that right now on my GC It would have bugged me not to do it.It is a ROYAL PITA but is worth it to me.I am blasting and painting the underside,I have atleast 60 hours in the bottom side already but am removing the undercoating without the aide of a rotisserie,which i will never do again.I plan on using a clear rock chip guard in my fender wells so some color shows thru and isnt that ugly black UC.

[EvilTwinATX]

HemiDog, I didnt think you could paint over lizard skin? I know they can color match but I thought that was it?

Bullitt99,  I think I might Por15 it first (except the wheel wells) and then use the tie coat then spray it with either  or chassis black. I wish I had the cash for a rotissiere resto.. bummer.

[HemiDog]

First page of thier website says it can be sanded and painted.   I actually never heard that they will color it. 

http://www.lizardskin.com/

[EvilTwinATX]

First page of thier website says it can be sanded and painted.   I actually never heard that they will color it. 

http://www.lizardskin.com/

It was late... I was thinking of Line-X. My bad...