GJB928

While I'm struggling with my fuel strainer, thought that I would clean up my tank spider. Once I get past the body shutz/undercoat, some parts appear to be black other parts look body color all with a consistent red oxide undercoat.

What is factory for 1978 928 Euro?

Rob Edwards

Black.

GJB928

Thank you

Rob Edwards

The cradle in the pic got sent out for powdercoating so I don't have a good feel for what the the undercoating was or if it had undercoating. Tank cradles often have a lot of corrosion so if there was a factory undercoat or galvanized dip or something (I doubt it), it wasn't very effective. I'd guess they were just dip painted in whatever chassis black Porsche was using at the time. All idle speculation, take it for what it's worth.

Randy V

What's a tank spider?

linderpat

the cradle that holds the fuel tank in to the underside of the car.

GJB928

Anyone else want to chime in? Is it possible that 78's were body color then understated?

Rob Edwards

My understanding is that non-metallic paint colors were painted top and bottom, after the schutz was shot, and the schutz was light-gray in color. Metallic cars are painted only from above, with variable overspray in the engine compartment and wheelwells. Schutz before paint, in either case. Cradle shouldn't have had undercoating on it, at least not from the factory.

I assume understated = autocorrect of undercoated?

GJB928

Yes, one of my less humorous auto corrects.

dr bob

On Jim C's '78, the fuel tank cradle is definitely black. There are foam pads between the "arms" of the cradle and the plastic, which look like they started out as non-black but became black (paint?) at some point.

linderpat

mine is black, and never been painted. Build date May 78

Guy

My black 79 which is mostly original paint is not painted on the underside. It's gray. In fact there were areas under the booster and by the coolant reservoir that are bare galvanized still. No paint or primer!

The tank strap was black, no undercoat. Definitely appears to be a quick dip. No primer or galvanizing that I recall.