Topic: 1968 San Jose GT 390 Fastback Factory Red Oxide underside drips

[bullitt68]

I just had my car media blasted and the underside drips and runs were so thick that the blaster could not get them off without being overly aggressive. The good news is the body of the car is perfect with no so much as a pin hole of rust. However the drips appear to have all been popped, as they were originally on the car, as if hollow inside. My concern is if I just paint over them that they will not look like fresh drips. Would it be better or more desirable to have sloppy looking drips like the factory or in keeping with a fresh restoration to have a cleaner finish. Some of the more subtle drips are now gone, but some of the really thick ones remain. I am on the fence and would like to know any thoughts or advice.

Thanks

[ruppstang]

I would leave it, you are lucky to be able to save that original detail. Some times the drips popped when drying.

[Hipo giddyup]

+1 , I would think this could save you a step of reproducing this detail. Lucky you!

[Bob Gaines]

Leave it and be prepare to spray a little heavy in that area to help accentuate and build on the original drip residue IMO.

[J_Speegle]

Agree with the rest (too bad you could not save more) and leave them with the hope that they will collect the new paint coat and rebuild or collect in the same locations. Looks like you have any remaining rust addressed. And remember to check and address any damage that might have occurred with an off the road excursion possibly in the past

[bullitt68]

Agree with the rest (too bad you could not save more) and leave them with the hope that they will collect the new paint coat and rebuild or collect in the same locations. Looks like you have any remaining rust addressed. And remember to check and address any damage that might have occurred with an off the road excursion possibly in the past

Thanks Jeff. Part of the reason I decided to strip the underside was because of that very reason. As you may recall a previous owner welded some traction bars on at some point and there were a few dents and small things like that that needed to be addressed, so all of that is taken car of now and I have a fresh slate to start with. While it is true that some of the drips are missing I am hoping that what is left over will yield a good result. Hopefully filling in the popped drips with a fresh application. I was actually expecting all of the drips and runs to be removed with the blasting, so this is actually bonus. Overall I am very happy with how clean and rust free the car is. A very pleasant surprise even though I suspected it was this clean. It's always nice to have confirmation and evidence.

[J_Speegle]

Looks like the blaster used a light hand in the process - good job. You might want to experiment taking a wet pencil eraser on the later drips when the paint is setting up to form a depression. Would take some time to do many of them and the eraser would not be the right side for many of the drips - while the whole surface is setting up - but it may allow you to reproduce the look of some of the drips popping

[bullitt68]

Looks like the blaster used a light hand in the process - good job. You might want to experiment taking a wet pencil eraser on the later drips when the paint is setting up to form a depression. Would take some time to do many of them and the eraser would not be the right side for many of the drips - while the whole surface is setting up - but it may allow you to reproduce the look of some of the drips popping

Thanks Jeff great idea. Obviously no 2 cars were exactly the same and I am sure some cars drips were more pronounced that others and some we much lighter. Not sure what you have documented in your observations to this point.

[J_Speegle]

Thanks Jeff great idea. Obviously no 2 cars were exactly the same and I am sure some cars drips were more pronounced that others and some we much lighter. Not sure what you have documented in your observations to this point.

Since the subject is drips and runs - yes the results are all related to system. How fast the car was moving, condition of the jets, how thick the product was, angle of the heads .......and allot more. Since we expect and accept that there was a variety of results no real effort has been made to see if more runs were (for example) were produced on cars during the winter than hotter months or any other possibilities

[bullitt68]

Since the subject is drips and runs - yes the results are all related to system. How fast the car was moving, condition of the jets, how thick the product was, angle of the heads .......and allot more. Since we expect and accept that there was a variety of results no real effort has been made to see if more runs were (for example) were produced on cars during the winter than hotter months or any other possibilities

Well I took lots of photos of the underside of my car and as far as I am concerned it was a drip fest with lots of running, so they must hav really slathered it on there and it must have been really moving imo for the runs to be so pronounced. Once good thing is the fact that it was put on so think left me with a perfect floor. I guess I am lucky having a California desert car, I am sure our North Eastern  brothers and sisters did not make out so well. I count my blessings and acknowledge that I was very fortunate and lucky to have found such a great example. If my car was original paint I would have kept it as a survivor. For me a survivor needs to be original paint, but I am sure others may have different opinions on the subject.

[jwc66k]

Since the subject is drips and runs - yes the results are all related to system. How fast the car was moving, condition of the jets, how thick the product was, angle of the heads .......and allot more. Since we expect and accept that there was a variety of results no real effort has been made to see if more runs were (for example) were produced on cars during the winter than hotter months or any other possibilities

Or at the end of the day. The last couple of cars to get underside paint may have sat overnight allowing drips to solidify.
This is shot of the underside of my (sold down under) March 28 66 GT Fastback. There are a lot of "drips". It's not limited to a year.
Jim

[bullitt68]

Or at the end of the day. The last couple of cars to get underside paint may have sat overnight allowing drips to solidify.
This is shot of the underside of my (sold down under) March 28 66 GT Fastback. There are a lot of "drips". It's not limited to a year.
Jim

Hi Jim is that all original?

[J_Speegle]

Hi Jim is that all original?

Looks like a over coat/spray of rattle can (Rustoleum) red oxide

Some more examples from 68 San Jose cars built around the same time as yours 8R16xxxxx's. Somewhat deep and slightly shinny as expected. Have a fair number of examples

[bullitt68]

Looks like a over coat/spray of rattle can (Rustoleum) red oxide

I was thinking the same thing?

[jwc66k]

Hi Jim is that all original?

"Most" of that is. I cleaned the underside with soap and water to get the dirt off, then ran a rag with paint thinner over it for tar and grease spots removal. I looked at the results and headed off to Ace Hardware for a rattle-can of red Rustoleum primer (Home Depot didn't carry Rustoleum at that time). I was surprised that it was an exact match, so it became a "touch-up" job. The pinch weld was also "touched-up". I did cut into one of the drips as a test, it was very solid. All this was done in late 2000, early 2001, along with an engine rebuild.
Jim