Underfloor painted car color in lieu of red oxyde primer??

[gtcs1]

Hi,

I'm starting to do clean up/detailing of my car, a really fun way to spare few hours at night and week-end.

Looking at the undercarriage, I started cleaning her up. I always thought that they were painted red oxyde primer with a bit of black spray on the side.

When I clean it up, to my surprise, it is painted the car color (highland green) and this paint is all original (in pretty good shape in fact, still seeing the metallic effect in the paint). There is a strip of black paint overspray running along the edge, I would say about 4 inches wide, which look to be meant to hide the green paint if looking at the car from the side.

Is that right? Was it typical of san Jose cars?

 

[somethingspecial]

To the best of my knowledge, and research, the San Jose cars were red oxide underneath. You will have a certain amount of body color overspray on the undercarraige, which will be real pronounced at the outer edges and fade toward the transmission tunnel. You should be able to see red oxide on the edges facing away from the outer edges, as overspray didn't hit those areas. Some cars even had the trans tunnel painted a dark brown/purple color. The black overspray, I am assuming, is the black put on the pinch weld below the doors. This was typical on light color cars, but not on the dark color cars. I have not seen this on Highland Green cars, but it could be. You never know who was working in the paint shop that day, and maybe all the pinch welds got painted that day. Dealers also did alot of changes as well, ie. Under coating, etc. If the car is untouched/original, you should see red oxide on the lower end of the engine compartment as the engine bay was painted black from the top down, and the under side never got paint. It is my understanding the body color was painted first, than the engine bay, so there would be no body color overspray in that area.
I hope that helps. Anyone else have any thoughts. Does your HG car have the black pinch weld? Mike

 

[di81977]

I just re-did my interior, replacing the carpet, seat covers, dash, etc. My car is candyapple red. I am not the original owner, but everything appeared original.

Hope this helps.

BTW, I have no idea what the 5 on the floor pan represents.

david

 

[di81977]

Forgot to upload the attachment.

david

 

[gtcs1]

I just re-did my interior, replacing the carpet, seat covers, dash, etc. My car is candyapple red. I am not the original owner, but everything appeared original.

Hope this helps.

BTW, I have no idea what the 5 on the floor pan represents.

david

The color I was talking about is the underside of the car.

The inner surface of the floor, under the carpet, in all the cases I've seen is always car color .

Thanks anyway for the photo.

 

[di81977]

Oops, reading too fast, sorry. I think this has been discussed before. You might want to use the search button and see what is out there.

david

 

[RedGTvert]

The color I was talking about is the underside of the car.

The inner surface of the floor, under the carpet, in all the cases I've seen is always car color .

Thanks anyway for the photo.

Not my '67 Metuchin built FB.

 

[gtcs1]

Not my '67 Metuchin built FB.

Opps. Nice to see that. Mine is San Jose. Me be there is a pattern there.

Thanks for those pictures.

 

[PNewitt]

WOW.

A lot of very intriguing photos! Thanks for posting those.

I think we need to get Jeff Speegle in on this one, and get to understand the procedure at the factory. i.e.: "bare metal, dunk into tank, primer, paint, etc..."

By understanding just how it was done--and in what order, it makes restoration more understandable--and approachable, too.

This is exactly what I have in mind for the "concours restoration" section in the book. Like a very large (1:1 scale) model kit of a GT/CS. Parts with notations of what color, detials, etc..all on one of several diagrams.

With--the San Jose differences, too!

Paul N.

BTW--just visited a (very helpful) automotive paint store, and will be getting lots of help with paint codes, matching numbers, specs for detail parts paint, etc... So--I'll have it all there for you to go for when you do your restoration project.

 

[J_Speegle]

Ok let’s give this a try (but not too wordy... we'll save that

1. Mustang's being the cheaper cars they were not dipped like the bigger and more expensive cars. They were sprayed

2. As we understand it the "primer" was really an epoxy primer (better sealing properties)

3. Starting in 68 at San Jose we start seeing a reuse of left over exterior colors from earlier in the day- in most cases light colors- that could tint some of the red oxide areas, such as the floor pans, a slight dusty pink.

4. As the cars were painted with exterior color (unibody with doors, trunk lid and rear valance somewhat in place) overspray could be a little or allot. Normally while painting the rocker panels the exterior color overspray would coat (from heavy to a light mist) the outer areas of the floor pan.

5. On top areas inside the interior could receive allot or a little. Depending on the aim and angle of the worker applying the paint.

We'll cover what came first, second and so on in the book

Hope this helps