Topic: 69 San Jose Cowl to Engine Bay Paint Break

[Aussiemach]

With a build date of February 26 1969 at San Jose, I understand that body color was applied from the engine bay/cowl pinch weld back to the lower windscreen opening (which the lower windscreen opening was then blacked out).
Where was the transition to engine bay flat black, did it follow the line of the top inner fender corner (yellow line) or did the body color go to the edge of the lap joint just behind the green line, or was it just further back from there inline with the pinch weld?
Unfortunately this detail was lost when I stripped the car

[J_Speegle]

Here are three examples from 9R01F140256, 9R01L140258 &  9R01T146511

Look consistent IMHO - hope it helps

[Aussiemach]

Thanks Jeff, they all seem to be flat black from the firewall pinchweld to the cowl panel?
do any of the following 5 pics show what is described in the 69-70 FAQ's ?
in particular pic number 5 where the body color seems to be in line with the pinch weld.

1

2

3

4

5

[J_Speegle]

Thanks Jeff, they all seem to be flat black from the firewall pinchweld to the cowl panel?
do any of the following 5 pics show what is described in the 69-70 FAQ's ?
in particular pic number 5 where the body color seems to be in line with the pinch weld.

The FAQ refers to the fact that the early cars (at San Jose it appears to be very very early cars) seem to have body color from the cowl pinch weld up and rearward while the later cars had that area covered (over the body color) with the engine compartment black. The article makes reference to the lack of a specific date for each plant.

None of the pictures you posted appear to be original cars so it does not surprise me that they might not match the historical truth. IMHO its apparent to me that on the date that your car was built and at that plant that the painter was applying the engine compartment black up to a point under the cowl cover.

I do hold open the possibility that that black out pattern may have been used earlier on Mach I's - further research will tell


Your #5 looks nothing like the original San Jose cars I've seen

[Aussiemach]

Thanks again Jeff, my perception of early was not early enough!

[Sluggo]

My 5/13/69 San Jose Mach.

[J_Speegle]

 Yes I know this is an eight year old thread but it appears there is no reason to start a new one with new information and leave this one out there without a followup so this will work to address both

Doing more recent research on the subject I've found that it appears that San Jose may have started blacking out the visible section of the cowl above the firewall to cowl pinch weld earlier than expected. And may have done it from the beginning of 69 production there - different from the other two plants. As of right now I have documented cars with VINs as early as 9R103xxx with blacked out upper sections. Under the cowl cover these earlier cars are not blacked out all the way to the windshield opening (that appears to be a later change) but instead what looks to be a single spray gun pass across the leading edge.

Hope this up date helps others in their endeavours