HecklerUndercoating & Rust Proofing
Fall 2026 undercoating schedule is open

Stop the salt before it eats your frame.

Connecticut's road brine goes to work on your undercarriage every winter. Drop it off at our shop or we come to you. We wash, neutralize, knock down rust and seal it.

Get my price Call / text 860-771-0585
Every vehicle, every job
INCLUDEDPressure washUnderbody, frame rails, wheel wells and rocker seams.
INCLUDEDSalt neutralizerBreaks down chloride residue so we don't seal salt in.
INCLUDEDLight rust removalLoose scale knocked down before coating goes on.

Pick your protection

Tap any coating for the technical details.

LifetimeLifetime guarantee

POR-15

from $1,500
Moisture-cured urethane rust coating + UV top coat
Durability Upkeep Prep

Our most durable option. Cures rock-hard over properly prepped rust and seals it off for good. A 2–3 day, prep-heavy process.

Technical details
What it is
A moisture-cure polyurethane, 74% solids. It cures by reacting with moisture in the air, not by drying out like paint.
How it stops rust
It cures into a non-porous shell (0.00 porosity, NACE TM0174) that locks air and water away from the metal. It bonds tightly to prepared, rusted steel.
Salt spray
1,000 hours of ASTM B117 salt fog with no change.
Toughness
Impact over 16 ft-lb, 79% elongation so it flexes with the frame instead of cracking, and zero weight loss on abrasion testing.
Chemicals & heat
Resists gasoline, oils and strong acids. Heat resistant to 450°F.
Film
Two thin coats, about 1–2 mils each, then an opaque top coat. The base coat needs UV protection wherever sunlight reaches it.
Background
On the market since 1978. Used on museum antique cars, professional restorations, government vehicles and farm equipment.
BestMost popular

Cosmoline

from $425
Black OEM-style self-healing hardwax (RP-342)
Durability Upkeep Prep

Lifetime warranty protection on commuter vehicles. Add a yearly protection plan to keep every seam covered.

Technical details
Military history
Cosmoline protected U.S. military equipment from the Spanish-American War through WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam. In WWII it coated rifles and entire tanks for ocean shipment.
What it is
A blend of heavy petroleum oils and waxes. The solvent flashes off and leaves a firm, dry-to-the-touch wax skin.
Military specs
RP-342 has been around since WWII and is modeled after MIL-PRF-16173E Grade 4 Class 1 and MIL-C-83933.
Film
About 2 mils dry, sets in 1–2 hours. Stays slightly flexible over time, so it won't crack, peel or flake.
Salt resistance
Repels water and won't wash off in salt water or salt-laden air.
Upkeep
Inspect after the first year and touch up worn spots. Removable with mineral spirits if a panel ever needs work.
Better

WoolWax

from $375
Black self-healing lanolin softwax
Durability Upkeep Prep

Great protection that creeps into seams. Plan on a fresh coat every 1–2 years.

Technical details
What it is
Lanolin (wool grease from sheep's wool) with more raw lanolin than competing products, per the maker. Zero solvents.
vs. Fluid Film
Noticeably thicker, so it holds on longer and resists wash-off from road spray and snow.
Self-healing
Never dries hard. It stays soft, flexes with the vehicle and flows back over scuffs and chips.
Coverage
Sprayed at 70–90 psi with wands, so it gets inside frame rails, rockers and seams that hard coatings can't reach.
Other
Almost no smell. Made in the USA.
Good

Fluid Film

from $325
Black oil-like lanolin gel
Durability Upkeep Prep

Our most affordable option. Plan on reapplying every year.

Technical details
Navy history
Invented in the 1940s by a West Coast chemist to stop corrosion in the ballast tanks of U.S. Navy ships in WWII.
What it is
Solvent-free, natural lanolin base with under 1% VOC. It doesn't dry, so it keeps creeping into seams and pushing out moisture.
Salt spray
Meets Boeing's 750-hour ASTM B117 salt fog requirement.
Government use
Used by the Department of Defense (MIL-PRF-18458C), the U.S. Coast Guard and NASA, which approved it for use on the Space Shuttle.
Upkeep
The thinnest of our coatings, so it washes off fastest. Reapply every fall.
Restoration grade · lifetime warranty (non-transferable)

POR-15 frame restoration

2–3 daysAn in-depth process. About 75% of the job is preparation, because that's what makes POR-15 last.

For the truck you plan to keep forever, or the vintage car you want looking showroom-clean underneath. POR-15 cures into a hard, non-porous shell that seals rust off from air and moisture. It's the full manufacturer process with hand and wire-wheel prep, and nothing skipped.

Compact cars & small SUVsfrom $1,500
Compact trucks & midsize carsfrom $1,650
Midsize SUVs, minivans & large sedansfrom $1,800
½-ton trucks & van chassisfrom $2,000
¾-ton / HD & large frame SUVsfrom $2,300
Large & commercialCall
Old undercoating removal$110/hr
Welding & frame repair$110/hr

Vintage and classic cars are priced by size too. Plus tax. Drop-off only. Removal and welding are billed hourly and quoted after we inspect the vehicle. Some frames may not be repairable. A deposit is required to book.

  1. Strip old coatingsAny existing wax, oil or rubberized undercoating removed first. POR-15 won't bond over it. ($110/hr when needed)
  2. DegreasePOR-15 Cleaner Degreaser, agitated and fully rinsed.
  3. Mechanical rust removalLoose scale and rust taken down by wire wheel and scraper.
  4. Metal Prep etchPOR-15 Metal Prep kept wet on every surface, rinsed, then dried completely.
  5. Two coats of POR-15Thin coats, the second laid on while the first is still tacky so they bond as one.
  6. UV top coatSatin Chassis Black top coat included. POR-15 needs an opaque top coat anywhere sunlight hits it.

Coating goes on only in dry conditions (humidity under 75%), then cures before pickup.

Top coat color upgrade · +$200 · Gloss Black for a showroom finish
Gloss Black Gloss White Silver Flat Gray Safety Red Safety Orange Safety Yellow Safety Blue Safety Green Red Oxide

Price sheet

Starting prices by size
Fluid FilmGood
WoolWaxBetter
CosmolineBest
Compact cars & small SUVsCorolla, Wrangler, compact crossovers
$325
$375
$425
Compact trucks & midsize carsRanger, Tacoma, Colorado, Camry
$350
$400
$450
Midsize SUVs, minivans & larger sedansSienna, larger Mercedes / Audi / Lexus
$400
$450
$500
½-ton trucks & van chassisF-150, Silverado 1500, Ram 1500, cutaway vans
$450
$500
$550
¾-ton / HD trucks & large frame SUVs2500 / 3500 series, Suburban, Expedition
$500
$575
$650
Large & commercialRVs, tractor trucks, dump trucks, flatbeds, trailers. Per linear foot.
$25/ft
$28/ft
$31/ft
POR-15 frame restoration2–3 day, prep-heavy process. Priced by vehicle size, daily drivers to vintage cars. Lifetime warranty, non-transferable.
$1,500starting at
Rocker & cavity wandingCoating fogged inside rockers, doors, tailgate and cab corners
+$75
Wheel-well liners pulledLiners removed so we coat the hidden fender pockets
+$85
Plow frame & mountPlow A-frame, push plates and truck-side mounts
+$75
Hitch, receiver & spare hoistParts that rust solid and fail when you need them
+$35
Heavy scale & rust converterWire-wheel scaled frames, convert and prime before coating
$110per hour
Old undercoating removalRequired before POR-15 on any vehicle already coated. Quoted after inspection.
$110per hour
Welding & frame repairRotted panels, rockers and frame sections cut out and replaced. Quoted after inspection.
$110per hour
POR-15 top coat colorSwap the included Chassis Black for any opaque POR-15 color
+$200
Mid-winter brine flushStandalone underbody wash and neutralizer, any time
$79
Undercarriage photo reportBrake lines, fuel lines and frame, photographed and texted to you
Free

Prices plus CT sales tax. Final price depends on condition.

Yearly protection plans

Per vehicle, per year. Works with any coating we apply. Large and commercial vehicles quoted by size.

Silver

$199/ year
  • Yearly undercarriage inspection
  • Touch-up of worn and chipped areas
  • Undercarriage photo report
  • Priority fall booking

Gold

$299/ year
  • Everything in Silver
  • One mid-winter brine flush
  • 10% off rust repair and mechanical work
Best value

Platinum

$449/ year
  • Everything in Gold
  • Two mid-winter brine flushes
  • Rocker & cavity re-wand every year
  • No travel fee for mobile visits
  • 15% off rust repair and mechanical work

Drop it off or we come to you

Drop-off at our shop

  • Drop off in the morning, pick up same day on most vehicles
  • No travel fee

Mobile service

  • We bring the wash and spray rig to your driveway, lot or yard
  • Travel fee is waived for 3 or more vehicles at one stop
  • POR-15 is drop-off only. It needs 2–3 days and low humidity to cure.
Within 20 milesNo fee
20–35 miles+$40
35–50 miles+$70
Over 50 milesCall

Get your price & book a spot

Your vehicle
How do you want it done?
Add-ons
Have photos? Tap Send request below, then attach them to the text before you hit send.
Starting estimate $500
Plus CT sales tax. Wash, neutralizer and light rust removal included.
Your request, written for you
Send request

Text it to 860-771-0585 with photos of any rust or damage attached. We reply with a date, usually same day.

Our parent shop

Heckler Automotive & Diesel Repair

Rust repair, welding, mechanical work, heavy equipment, tuning and custom fabrication, all under one roof.

Contractors · landscapers · towing · municipalities · dealers

Fleet & commercial: we come to your yard

Mobile undercoating on your schedule, so your trucks don't sit at a shop. No travel fee for 3 or more vehicles, volume discounts, a yearly protection plan for every truck, one invoice for the whole fleet, and US DOT annual inspections for trucks over 10,000 lbs. Dealers: ask about wholesale pricing on lot inventory.

Call 860-771-0585

POR-15

Lifetime guarantee
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Cosmoline

Most popular
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WoolWax

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Fluid Film

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