My 03 Xk8 has 101k on it. Since I have had the car I always notice when I wash it that the black undercoating or what ever they used is coming off the rear wheel wells forward of the tires. I can see in one small area on both sides where it has worn off. What is the best thing to recover that so no rust starts. No signs of rust now, just white paint (color of car) that I would like to recover.

 

3M and others have very capable undercoating in a spray can.

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Prices range from economical to unbelievable.

 

seems I would not want rubberized kind. The stuff on the car is hard as a rock.

 

Remember that surface preparation is the key to any kind of painting or undercoating job. I would suggest going to one of those car washes with the wand and cleaning up the area with the "engine degreaser" or "tire cleaner" mode and then going home and finishing it up with a brush and some more cleaning solution of your choice before you spray it down with whatever you end up choosing to do it with. If you get that area properly prepared your application will last a lot longer for you and should prevent any rust.

 

yea I know about the prep needed. I like using SIMPLE GREEN to clean things then go over it with a final cleaner that leaves no residue.

 

What I have done for years with a lot of success is remove the plastic inner wheel housings, front and rear. Take a brush, and clean the lip, on the opening. Clean the inside metal, with simple green, or something that leaves no residue. Take a piece of 800 sandpaper, and scuff the paint surface where ever you are going to cover the wheel well.

I use the expensive Rustoleum truck bed liner, at one can to a wheel well, especially the lips. It will cost about $55 to do the wheel wells. After they are dry, install the plastic liners. If you really want some security, get a can for each of the inner rocker panels also. I lucked out on my X Type. I had a buddy put an eighth of an inch of industrial Linex on it for $100, when he owned the business.

You can all thank God, I work on my own cars, even though I am thinking of screwing the Jaguar dealer, next time I need suspension work, just for snicks. This method works well, if you prepare the surface well.

I kept a 79 Fiat X/19 alive for 16 years, without any body rust. I also had about an extra hundred and fifty dollars in truck bed liner on every piece of body metal. I disassembled the complete car body, as far as I could. Inner doors, rockers, the front and rear wheel openings, fenders, quarters, up into the windshield posts, the roof hoop, and the complete underside.

We sold Fiats new, and they would rust in the show room, so new cars would need to be repainted. It works.

If there is already rust there, clean it up as best as you can, and paint it with rust neutralizer acid a few times. Scuff it up a little, and spray the area with epoxy paint. Let it dry for a day, and then use the truck bed liner. It sounds very ****, but the effort and cost have saved my investments in quite a few cars, including early Porsche and Beetle floors.....My 2 cents...Mike

 

dinitrol 4941, lovely stuff.

 

I don't plan to drive the car in snow if can be helped and it see's little rain I just want it covered back up so it looks right.

 

I cleaned the wheel well with simple green - high pressure washed it and then put on 2 coats of POR 15. I checked it when I was cleaning the ABS sensor a week ago and it has gone 6 months 15,000 kilometers and still looks like a coat of glass.

 

I don't think I need to go the POR 12 route. Mine is rust free, just white paint showing through.

 

you specifically asked for suggestions so that "no rust starts", so don't be so surprised that people are suggesting good rust preventing wheel well coatings in a known weak area for rust.
If you're so sure it won't ever get a stonechip or wet, just paint it black.

 

well since there is no rust to stop and the white paint is good, no chipped away stuff down to metal I feel that just new undercoating is all that is needed.

 

I have done quite a few car restorations and found that the truck bed coating, like the Rustoleum brand, works great. I think a gallon is around 55 bucks. Just clean the wheelwell as best you can and use a brush to apply. Better than undertcoating, much tougher.