Topic: Hello and Ford Red Oxide Primer Source

[gaertner_jan]

Hey Folks,

My first post on this forum. I'm somewhat active on a few others but I thought this forum might be a good source for various knowledge concering correct restoration details. For my first question here: I'll be applying red oxide primer at some time in the future and would like to use the right color as well as correct component for the later paint stages. A body shop and painter I know found an old can of original ford primer from waaay back when. Does anyone know if and where this stuff can be obtained???

thanks, J

[CharlesTurner]

Welcome to the forum.  Concerning red-oxide, there really isn't a correct formula as it could vary from plant to plant and during a production year.  Red-oxide wasn't the only primer color used and a single car could have multiple colors/shades of primer as it went through the coating process.

Best thing to do is post when/where your car was made to get the best feedback.  Of course, if the underside of your car is original, all you need to do is clean some areas like up in the transmission tunnel to get a good sample to color-match.

As far as the type of primer, if you're having a shop do paint/body, you would need to discuss with them.  If you're doing it yourself, there are several options out there with epoxy primer being a common recommendation, something like PPG DP-74LF.  Of course, where you live may influence the type of paint/primer available for purchase.

One last thing... be sure to use the search tool.  Lots of previous discussions about this topic here.

[jwc66k]

In doing the underbody on my 66 Mar San Jose built Fastback, the original paint needed cleaning and only a couple of spots needed touch-up. I used rattle-can Krylon red primer (I don't remember the paint number) for touch-ups, but it was a PERFECT match. I scraped off the sealer at the pinch weld and it still matched. (The sealer was replaced.) There are too many variations within one plant, possibly in the same day, so "close" counts. Sometimes you get lucky.
Jim

[midlife]

The can in the picture states it is weld-through primer...I'm not sure that is the same as the general primer used for the underbody.  Weld-through primer is likely formulated a bit differently.