Thank-you for this, some good shots, many line up with what I could see on my car during tear down. I have many other pictures as well, but I get a little perplexed as to the process for reapplying all sound deadeners, paint etc. Relying solely on a restoration shop that albeit, does good work , is not a sole source Mustang/Cougar shop.
Not unusual and its common for shops to not possess nor have the time to research all the little/important things that owners want. IMHO its a good shop that can accept help and input to get those additional details to make the car more correct. Not all of them are that accepting.
You mention about the sound deadener being applied to under the car with a standard interior; does that mean generally this should not have occurred? I would have thought possibly, the opposite, given that the standard interior would more than likely mean that the sound insulation was weaker to begin with throughout the interior, hence increase or apply the underbody sound deadener? In any case and you confirmed, it was clearly applied to this car at the factory.
You pictures show that they apparently did add the additional sound deadener to standard cars that year. Not the case in other years as it normally (in those examples) came with a higher level interior or option package at additional cost. We do have some cases where they don't match - just still trying to figure out all the details so that we help others
......"typical sound deadener applied (before exterior color) applied to the inside of the quarter panels - staying back from all four edges by at least a few inches and in most cases away from the marker light so that it would sit flush with the surface ones installed."
Is this the only area in the trunk that would have seen the spray on application of sound deadener? My trunk was in really rough shape...
Yes
I am sorry, not familiar with the word "zonotone", but am I correct to assume this is the spray on dark/grey speckle paint? If so, am I then correct to assume that the application of this product would be the complete trunk floor area, the lower trunk drop offs, the 1/4 panel interiors (similar application, but over top of the initially applied sound deadener), the top of the inner wheel well areas (not to far upwards as shown in the red vert picture below), but, not the inside of the rear tail lite housing?
Taillights, markers, filler neck or at least the rubber seal and no interior in the car yet. A painter would have tried to paint all visible surfaces (standing up as an owner would do viewing the trunk) inside the trunk area. They would have needed to stay away from things like the top upper edge of the taillight panel so that they would not blow paint back towards the next car following the one being painted or as seen in the example all the upper surfaces and forward corners generally So yes all of the sealers and sound deadener would have been covered by this last coat. While we're on it you might want to talk to your paint shop and see if they are going to top coat the Zonatone or what ever paint their using. The products can be a bit dedicate and some typically top coat it with a clear to make it hold up better - I did. Just see what their experience, with the product they are using has been
With respect to the front wheel well areas, your confirmation below would confirm that in these areas, there would be no paint application of any kind after the spray application with sound deadener, unless you have further comments in this regard?
"Of course this sound deadener would have been applied (like other years) after the car was completely assembled but likely with the front wheels and tires off or at least that will make it allot easier for you applying the product today"
Correct - sound deadener was the last spraying that was typically done in the front wheel wells
As I think about the final paint application, a couple questions come to mind:
This may seem like a dumb question, but in general, what areas of the car received the final paint application (in this case the pastel blue)? I am not familiar with the assembly line practices, but as far as I can tell the car received the factory paint in the following areas:
- complete exterior...
- the interior, but not inside the doors (bare metal, which I will not leave bare this time around, will incorporate at least a primer of sorts for metal protection)
- various overspray under the car based on the employee applying...
- inside of the front fenders?
Since you have a 71 its slightly different than other years. The interior was pretty much covered with either the base red oxide with a little or allot (depending on the where the surface was in comparison with the exterior panels where paint was being focused on) or if it was a vertical or horizontal surface and how those would have "caught" any overspray pushed into that surface. You may have found some sections where a light gray primer surfacer is visible but mostly the exterior color. Interior side would normally have a pretty good paint job on them from painting the jambs and such. Really not sure if they were still hanging the rear valances before the paint process but would guess they were like all the earlier years. This means that all of the screws were attached to the taillight panel and the valance just hung at the bottom to be pulled into the bottom after the paint process
The doors and trunk lid would have been installed when the exterior color was applied so all the hinges, springs and mounting hardware would have been body color
At this point I guess I should have asked if you car had the bottom argent or black detail. This makes a difference as to how the lower part of the body of the car was painted, and what the undercarriage overspray would have looked like
Inside of the front fenders would have normally been like all the other year Mustangs. Take a look at all the other posts in the other years to get an idea of what was done. Basically a little or allot (nice paint job) of body color. If a little overspray should be in those logical locations directly behind those surfaces that were important on the exterior of the fender and at the door jam
Guess I need time finish all those "How the cars were painted" articles for the site.
