Topic: Correct paint/color for underside of car? -Feb 65 San Jose

[MustangAndFairlane1867]

My fastback is in for paint (finally) and my painter and I have found mild surface rust on the underside of the car (San Jose/2.16.1965).  It also appears that the car's underside received a light coat of primer from the factory and the only paint that shows is where the Rangoon Red exterior color landed on the edges of the underside as overspray.  We are going to get rid of the surface rust with a mild wire wheel and then apply a primer to the metal.  But after that, what is the correct color to apply over the primer?  My painter wants to go with a "satin" black similar to what was applied to the car's engine compartment at the factory.  I have no problem with that IF that's the correct color for a car that I am restoring as close to original as possible.  So the question of the moment is: what is the correct color to apply to the car's underside after we remove the surface rust and apply a coat of primer?  Many thanks for your suggestions.  Ron

[J_Speegle]

First did you see the 66 San Jose undercarriage article that was announced in this section and posted in the Library?

To be more specific to when your car was built (as close as we can with 65-66 cars) is the car in question around 5R186xxx?

Remember that the front (firewall forward) and rear (firewall rearward) can have very different or very similar colors/tints but in a red oxide coloring

Get back to me on the VIN and I can narrow down what was being used on others around that same time in pictures or scans of floor sections I've collected

[MustangAndFairlane1867]

Hi Jeff: 

My 1965 Mustang is a San Jose car with a scheduled build date of February 16, 1965.  And for what it's worth, the date on the original "Owner Card," aka "Warranty Card," that I got with the car 25 years ago shows "02 23 65."  Not sure if that indicates the actual assembly date; or the date the new owner took possession of the car in Santa Ana, CA., or the date the warranty kicked in, or ?.  Thanks for your efforts in helping me nail down the appropriate under-carriage color.  Ron

[J_Speegle]

Well that range makes it pretty easy since I own a car from that period and at one point matched the floor color.

Will look through my picture files and my samples and get back to you

Here are some samples- remember digital pictures on the internet/you monitor are often terrible at reflecting because I've matched what I found I'll PM with some assistance. The formula is not longer useful (took about 30 tries) since they have changed the base products and it was done about 25 years ago.

For the firewall forward I would shot the Ditzler/PPG red oxide epoxy primer out of the can the way it is. You can take the rest of the container and tone it for the firewall rearward.

If you haven't already you should at least take a look at the 66 San Jose Undercarriage Paint article int he Library. The basic painting steps and coverage will apply to your car.  Though it might surprise your painter if you print it out and take it down and show him/her.

Saw your post over on VMF 

[J_Speegle]

Reread and correct the prior post.  I also went through my collection of stuff and it appears that the car would have likely been built at the tail end of the dark charcoal floor (firewall rearward) period. This color usage went on for about 3 months out of the production year for some reason and like some of Dearborn periods appears to be very close to black but off a bit when compared to a true black so best described as a dark charcoal or very very dark gray

You would still have body color overspray over this and pinchweld black out over that

A couple of examples from my collection

[CharlesTurner]

With the black undercarriage, it still would have red-oxide on the bottom of the front frame rails, starting from about a line with the firewall forward.