Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Proper Fender paint 1970-72

more ambition than brains · 1K+ Club

"Back in the day"

On most GM vehicles underside of hood was left in primer.

Gloss level was somewhere between semi and flat black.

Edge was oversprayed with exterior color, some color would occasionally extend to the edge of first structural contour, just a dusting.

Sometimes they even failed to get full coverage on outer edge.

Hood and fenders were painted separately from body. They were not assembled on car until after frame and body were mated together. Thus no color on core support, wheelhousings or fasteners.

Treatment of fender edges was similar to hood except full coverage was usually achieved on rear inner support and full length hood hinge support.

Some color did make its way to rest of panel, but very little.

Picture in post does NOT represent typical GM paint application.

Looks nice but not "correct"

Emission decal was usually on radiator hold down.

I would appear this paint scheme would please the owner but not reflect original "sloppy, careless" factory approach.

Hope this helps.

Karl

-- Edited by more ambition than brains on Monday 16th of April 2018 08:34:56 PM

SShink · 3K+ Club

As usual, Karl is spot on.

I've used Eastwood Chassis Black for the firewall, inner fenders, and underside of the hood, and it looks good IMO and tough stuff for a spray on paint (careful, it will NOT come off your hands if you get some on you).

My current '71 hood underside was painted by the previous owner the same color of the car, which isn't my favorite. But I will say it's a heck of a lot easier to clean bugs off of versus the semi-gloss black.

When I've painted engine bays, I've masked off the fender lips to keep the body color visible.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

thanks guys,

BLyke · 1K+ Club

So what about the trunk hinges and underside? was it painted with the car and all the body color?

SShink · 3K+ Club

BLyke wrote:
So what about the trunk hinges and underside? was it painted with the car and all the body color?

That's my understanding. Body color on the trunk hinges and underside.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

SShink wrote:
BLyke wrote:
So what about the trunk hinges and underside? was it painted with the car and all the body color?
That's my understanding. Body color on the trunk hinges and underside.

thanks

Lost in the 60s · President

The trunk lid was on when it was painted and they would shoot the hinges and some of the surrounding area, but I've never seen any effort to paint under the package tray or quarter panels. They then shot the spatter paint over what the paint didn't cover, the tray supports and such, but as Karl pointed out, it was sloppy with uneven coverage from car to car and no coverage on the backside of anything.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

okay, next item.. on the fender extensions, assume the the area around the turn signal lights should NOT BE same as the car but silver or n=maybe white??
thanks in acvance

Lost in the 60s · President

The silver isn't very bright, it almost looks like a dusting of Argent Silver.

forgot the pic..

-- Edited by Lost in the 60s on Saturday 21st of April 2018 08:06:11 AM

more ambition than brains · 1K+ Club

A-body.
Lamp pockets on all models were usually the argent as shown in Mitch's photo.
This was when the lamp socket was separate from pot metal housing which was actually an exterior body component. (extension)
The bulbs were mounted in a plastic socket, often part of it's own harness assembly, occasionally socket could be metal.

When the lamp assemblies were separate components such as turnlamps in bumpers, the housing was stamped out sheetmetal, socket was metal and pressed into housing, wiring was part of socket with a plug in connector.
Inside of stamped housing was usually white.

Getting into B-bodies
Above still applies, except some pot metal lamp housing were painted white in lamp pocket.
Example 1968 Biscayne, Bel-Air-and Impala taillamps.
Socket and wire harness pressed into pot metal housing.
2 wire-1 wire, depending on use ground through housing.

Trunk and doors were painted on body shell.
Mitch is correct, lots of bare metal underside of package tray, very poor coverage.
I think on some models trunk latch and striker were already installed and adjusted.
Same as door strikers, depending on year and plant.

faster, quicker, sloppy!

Karl