Topic: Blue Primer under sound deadener outer front fenders San Jose 1968

[bullitt68]

Just curious if is was normal practice to paint blue primer under sound the deadener in outer front fender area on San Jose cars in 1968. I found much evidence of this when stripping paint in the wheels wells and on the metal fender skirts between the fenders and the doors

[J_Speegle]

Just curious if is was normal practice to paint blue primer under sound the deadener in outer front fender area on San Jose cars in 1968.

Nope and that does not look like blue "primer"

Isn't that a splash shield rather than a front fender?

If that is on the splash shield, did you find this on the front or rear (once mounted) surface or surfaces?

[ruppstang]

Possibly a repaint at some point?

[bullitt68]

Nope and that does not look like blue "primer"

Isn't that a splash shield rather than a front fender?

If that is on the splash shield, did you find this on the front or rear (once mounted) surface or surfaces?

Jeff that is correct they are splash shields and the blue paint was under the sound deadener and under a coat of black paint. I also found that same paint method on the number brackets and front frame rails. Since it is right on top of the bare metal I assumed that it has to be a primer of some kind. It could be grey with a blur tinge I suppose. Also it was on both sides of both fender skirts, but definitely the first layer of paint on most of the interior front end metal

[J_Speegle]

Jeff that is correct they are splash shields and the blue paint was under the sound deadener and under a coat of black paint. I also found that same paint method on the number brackets and front frame rails.

Not certain what your referring to as the "number brackets"

So you found it on the front frame rails under the red oxide layer?

but definitely the first layer of paint on most of the interior front end metal

Without either (all of us) of us knowing the history of the car this sort of discussion is difficult. 

There are some possibilities but many would not fit if this or that did not take place in the past.

The area covered by the blue seems large and out of sequence for a factory application but for a repaint after stripping the car down to metal in some sections of the car its possible its a result of that.  Did the bottom of the front frame rails show a nice red oxide color with drips before you stripped it?

Seeing your pictures of the front end there is no going back and checking some of the details at this point.

[bullitt68]

Not certain what your referring to as the "number brackets"

So you found it on the front frame rails under the red oxide layer?

I found it under where the black was painted, nut under the red oxide

Without either (all of us) of us knowing the history of the car this sort of discussion is difficult. 

There are some possibilities but many would not fit if this or that did not take place in the past.

The area covered by the blue seems large and out of sequence for a factory application but for a repaint after stripping the car down to metal in some sections of the car its possible its a result of that.  Did the bottom of the front frame rails show a nice red oxide color with drips before you stripped it?

I don't think the paint was under the red oxide of the front frame rails, just above it in the engine bay and on the fender aprons inside and out

Seeing your pictures of the front end there is no going back and checking some of the details at this point.

It seems as though the outer fender aprons had the blue paint under the sound deadener

[bullitt68]

Here are the steering box bolts and washers showing the residue of the blue paint as well

[J_Speegle]

Here are the steering box bolts and washers showing the residue of the blue paint as well

Well since none of those pieces would have been installed in the first half of the assembly its not likely that your seeing a factory coat of paint. No booths in the second half


The sound deadener your referring to could be a coat of owner applied undercoating rather than factory sound deadener

[bullitt68]

Well since none of those pieces would have been installed in the first half of the assembly its not likely that your seeing a factory coat of paint. No booths in the second half


The sound deadener your referring to could be a coat of owner applied undercoating rather than factory sound deadener

Could be. It is mainly on the fender aprons and the dust shields/fender skirt area

[bullitt68]

Here are a couple of other photos showing the blue paint on the front end. It looks like it is between the black primer on top of the metal and the sound deadener. It does seem odd to me. Who would paint a black car baby blue? I guess anything is possible, but why would they paint inside the wheel wheels?

This is the drivers side inner fender where the outer shock covers bolt onto the fender apron. The second photo is on the passenger side near where the tilt-a-way canister mounts. FYI no sign of any red oxide primer in this area, only under the car

[J_Speegle]

Here are a couple of other photos showing the blue paint on the front end. It looks like it is between the black primer on top of the metal and the sound deadener. It does seem odd to me. Who would paint a black car baby blue? I guess anything is possible, but why would they paint inside the wheel wheels?

Likely so they didn't have to mask off the area.  Doubt they were not trying to replicate the factory practice of painting the rear wheel wells or front ones like Dearborn did partially. Likely just lazy

[bullitt68]

Very strange indeed that a black car would get repaired baby blue or whatever color it is and then get sound deadener painted on top of it inside the wheel wells. No evidence of a color change anywhere else on the car anywhere. Looks black through and through. You would think if they did a color change on it and didnt tape off the wheel wells that there would be overspray under the car, but no sign of it anywhere

[midlife]

A weird possibility: is the car's front clip original or grafted onto the rest of the body?  If the front clip was originally blue, the owner re-did everything to make it match the black rear body.  A Marti Report based upon the Fender VINs might be very instructive in this regard.  If the fender VINs appear to be tampered with at all, that would lend credence to a front clip replacement/grafting.
Just a wild thought...

[J_Speegle]

Very strange indeed that a black car would get repaired baby blue or whatever color it is and then get sound deadener painted on top of it inside the wheel wells. No evidence of a color change anywhere else on the car anywhere. Looks black through and through.

If I understand we're not starting with an unrestored car so no telling and we can't go back in time to watch what took place

You would think if they did a color change on it and didnt tape off the wheel wells that there would be overspray under the car, but no sign of it anywhere

Depends on the angle of the spray gun especially if they were using less pressure, narrow pattern or a more modern style gun

[bullitt68]

A weird possibility: is the car's front clip original or grafted onto the rest of the body?  If the front clip was originally blue, the owner re-did everything to make it match the black rear body.  A Marti Report based upon the Fender VINs might be very instructive in this regard.  If the fender VINs appear to be tampered with at all, that would lend credence to a front clip replacement/grafting.
Just a wild thought...

All of the sheet metal looks untampered with. I stripped all the paint on the front end and there is no evidence of any replacement sheet metal and the VINs match. I am currently in the process of doing a search for previous owners and hope that that may shed some light on the subject as it does seem odd indeed, but perhaps explainable