At first I thought that the protective layer underneath the car which covers fuel hoses and wires and such was ridiculously weak sheet metal. Then today, when I was poking around underneath I remembered that someone had told me that Volvo used an environmentally friendlier coating on the underparts in '85. The protective covering does not feel like metal, and breaks like a s'more: crunchy on both outsides but then gooey and stretchy on the inside. My question is this: am I dealing with sheet metal which has been rusted beyond recognition, or is this some sort of cardboard-like material. This he got me thinking because it would be much more likely to be stickerable if it was a radical cardboard product in good shape than if it's a piece of sheet metal in gruesome shape. All floorboards are in good shape and the frame is shiny metal just 1/8th inch down, but this same bizarre black substance covers almost all of the underparts. When I chip it off, it goes right down to shiny metal with paint on it. Would Volvo really prep the metal, paint it, then cover it with some crap?