Undercarriage Pans

[Timo04]

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of restoring the two removable undercarriage pans on my car. These pans appear to be original and the black paint & under body coating are showing all of their 33 years.

My questions are regarding the rubber trim pieces that help to make a seal against the car's underside. For clarification these are the rubber seals held on by staples on the outer edges of each pan. They are in surprisingly good condition as are the inboard ones where the e-brake cables are routed through.

At any rate to get to the point, these rubbers seem to have jaggedly cut outer edges, these edges are where they rest against the car's undercarriage, near the sills. Did they come cut jaggedly this way from the factory? Does anyone happen to know how those rubber trim pieces were cut from the factory?

I wish I had some pics to post and if I can take some or dig some up I will post them here.

Thanks in advance!

All the best,


P.S. Unless someone has a better idea outside of powder coating, I'm planning on re-painting these pans in semi-flat black and to use undercoating by Wurth on the sides that face the street.

[Randy Brown]

I wasn't even aware that there were supposed to be rubber seals! Are you referring to the center tunnel covering and the engine underside air deflector?

[Timo04]

I wasn't even aware that there were supposed to be rubber seals! Are you referring to the center tunnel covering and the engine underside air deflector?

Hi Randy,

I don't believe that we are talking about the same items. These pans do function as air deflectors but I believe their main function is to provide protection from road debris. At any rate I am referring to the two metal pans that run across the entire width of the bottom side the car, located just in front of the rear wheels. They protect the brake booster, A/C compressor, oil filter, fuel pump ect...on the passenger side (USA) and mainly the fuel tank on the driver's side (USA). If your Scopion has them fitted you will know because the passenger side pan needs to be removed to gain access to some key maintenance items like the the oil filter, sending units, fuel pump and other parts.

When I can get at mine in storage and take some pics of them I will post them here. From time to time I have seen them for sale on line and they are commonly called "belly pans". Over the years it seems that some owners have never bothered to reinstall them hence they are absent on some Scorpions.

Best regards,

[DJ]

Tim, your underbelly pan has to have been modified.

It was originally a one-piece item that spans from side-to-side. The outer edges of the rubber pieces should be straight. You can see what it should look like in the attached picture of the part that TMH sells.

While it does serve to protect the underside a bit it also serves to duct air from the center tunnel upwards over the engine and to the air cleaner intake.

[davidb]

I re-furbed my pan thusly. Beadblast, prime, paint & finish
coat w/3M Pro-Grade Rubberized undercoating [#03584],
BOTH sides. I have also re-done many other components
[suspension bits] in this manner. That 3M is a very good
product. W/a fresh can it provides a very professional
surface appearance. I too was surprised to find my rubber
trim bits in very good condition after all these years.

[Ed P]

Scorpion Tip:

On my first Scorpion I cut a little "trap door" in the belly pan right under the oil filter so I didn't have to remove the whole damn thing every time I wanted to change the oil filter. On subsequent cars I cut the pan into 2 pieces with 2/3's being the left side and 1/3 being the right side. I found this to be a better solution to gain greater access. Maybe Timo4 has one of these!

Ed

lots of neat Italian auto & bike books at:

http://www.amazon.com/shops/AWTKPRBN3TUTV

[Timo04]

Thanks all for the helpful replies!

Hi Ed,

From the sounds of it I think I do have one of your modified belly pans! From my limited experience with Scorpions it seems to make it somewhat easier to get at the oil filter come to think of it. Please find attached a pic of the "1/3" side of the belly pan. This is the piece that comes off on the passenger side (USA) to get at the oil filter and other items as mentioned above.

I am now having a local paint less dent removal guy (he needs the business, it is slow for him now) get rid of the "bag of walnuts" that is circled with the black marker. The out side edge, on the right side in the pic, has the "jagged" cut rubber (looks pretty straight in the pic) which is stapled on, this rubber rest against the underside of the car. It is in good shape and seems completely in tact. I am wondering now if I should fiddle with this....maybe remove the staples and install new rubber stripes? BTW I am not sure if this rubber was originally stapled on or like this or not? DJ do you know about this?

As a side note I guess, one disadvantage to having a two piece belly pan is it that MAY be more prone to road vibrations/rattles especially if a screw or bolt is left out anywhere! My friend Ezio, who is an old retired Ferrari/exotica mechanic, spent some time last summer helping me to locate a rattle on the Scorpion. We found it to be that baffle/heat shield located near to where the water pipes/heater hoses exit out of the tunnel into the engine bay. This baffle comes into contact with the belly pan and it was missing a screw on the fire wall side so it produced a buzzing type rattle when going through the gears. Without looking I think I posted this issue on the board last Summer.

I REALLY like the ease of access but I'm also wondering now if I should spring for a new or used one piece belly pan?

All the best,





Scorpion Tip:

On my first Scorpion I cut a little "trap door" in the belly pan right under the oil filter so I didn't have to remove the whole damn thing every time I wanted to change the oil filter. On subsequent cars I cut the pan into 2 pieces with 2/3's being the left side and 1/3 being the right side. I found this to be a better solution to gain greater access. Maybe Timo4 has one of these!

Ed

lots of neat Italian auto & bike books at:

http://www.amazon.com/shops/AWTKPRBN3TUTV

[Darren]

Hi Tim,

That underbelly looks like it's made out of metal. I don't know if the Scorps were different in this respect too, but the Monte's belly pan was made out of a heavy card type material which over time got soggy and full of oil. I've never seen a metal one before.

The Monte Hospital offering is fibreglass. Great idea though to cut it in two for maintenance work - I have a Monte unit ready to go in, as well as a spare original in my stash somewhere - but given the choice, I'd go with what you have.

Just my twopenneth

Cheers

[Timo04]

Hi Tim,

That underbelly looks like it's made out of metal. I don't know if the Scorps were different in this respect too, but the Monte's belly pan was made out of a heavy card type material which over time got soggy and full of oil. I've never seen a metal one before.

The Monte Hospital offering is fibreglass. Great idea though to cut it in two for maintenance work - I have a Monte unit ready to go in, as well as a spare original in my stash somewhere - but given the choice, I'd go with what you have.

Just my twopenneth

Cheers

Hi Darren,

Thank you for your post. This is interesting, there is so much to learn about these cars! Yes the pans I have are metal for sure. Perhaps Lancia fitted the later series Monte's with the pans made from the card material? I really appreciate your opinion and I think you are right. I will continue to re-finish the pans use them on the car.

All the best,

[Frezer]

Hi Tim,

That underbelly looks like it's made out of metal. I don't know if the Scorps were different in this respect too, but the Monte's belly pan was made out of a heavy card type material which over time got soggy and full of oil. I've never seen a metal one before.

The Monte Hospital offering is fibreglass. Great idea though to cut it in two for maintenance work - I have a Monte unit ready to go in, as well as a spare original in my stash somewhere - but given the choice, I'd go with what you have.

Just my twopenneth

Cheers

That's strange. My S2 Monte (not original dutch, don't know the country were it originates from) has a metal one, and I have a spare one originating from a Swiss S1 that is also metal.

Kind regards,
Merijn

[Darren]

That really is strange - I've never come across a metal undertray in the UK no matter whether series 1 or series 2 cars. I wonder if someone else was producing metal undertrays in Europe? I can't believe that Lancia had one undertray for the UK and another for the rest of the world??

[JOHN KERR]

my MY77 has a metal undertray it is a uk car

[Darren]

I'll get me coat then! ;o)

I wonder if then they went to the cardboard type for the later cars as a cost cutting matter? John - how thick is your undertray? Is it the sort of thickness that would quite easier disintergrate with rust or is it a more substantial item?

[JOHN KERR]

Hi Darren.I would say the tray is about 1.5mm.Although mine is rusty, it is repairable when I get around to it

[Darren]

Thanks for that John - I've got a Monte Hospital fibreglass one to go on at some point, and may well try adapting it and I'll keep eyes out for the elusive metal ones! ;o))

Cheers

[DJ]

I'll keep eyes out for the elusive metal ones!


You mean like this one (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LANCIA-BETA-SCORPION-MONTECARLO-engine-air-wing_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1171Q7c66Q3a 2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a0Q7c293Q 3a2Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZite m33503e3c9aQQitemZ220389588122QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5f TruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_500wt_1465)?

[cstorry]

My S2 monte originally from Italy has the cardboard type underbody tray.

Neither of my scorpions had trays - metal or otherwise by the time I got them.

Then again one of them doesn't really have a floor either : )

Chuck