Topic: 69 Dearborn Mach 1 S Code Engine Bay

[G Wood]

I am in the process of stripping the engine bay of my 69 Dearborn Mach 1 S Code and I have a few questions:

1)  The car has a number of layers of paint (including white), I know from reading a number of posts that the primer should be red oxide but it appears mine may be grey. The car engine bay may have been stripped before and that is where the grey came from.

2) When I apply the new red oxide, is it from the firewall forward including under the frame rails or are the bottom of the frame rails slop grey?

3) Suggestions for brand and type of red oxide?

4) Suggestions for brand and type of black? (Mustang Magazine listed Dupli-Color Engine black as their recommendation in their most recent magazine)

5) Any photos or tips would be welcome.

Thanks

[cobrajetchris]

1)  The car has a number of layers of paint (including white), I know from reading a number of posts that the primer should be red oxide but it appears mine may be grey. The car engine bay may have been stripped before and that is where the grey came from.
First off red oxide was not used on all the cars, it's just the most popular. It all depends on the plant and time it was assembled. My dearborn car had the original black engine bay and the color under that was a metallic blue/grey color that was found hit and miss on the entire floor and inner and outer aprons. I would check the color of the floor pans and if it's the same as your engine bay it's most likely original.

2) When I apply the new red oxide, is it from the firewall forward including under the frame rails or are the bottom of the frame rails slop grey?

My October built dearborn 69 had the mentioned blueish grey metallic and the engine black out was applied very sloppy (probably one wet coat) and the coverage ranged from runs to no coverage at all in the hard to get to crevices and that showed the blue color and bare metal. the front of the radiator support was blacked out along with the inner aprons and the black faded into the tunnel and lower frame rails.

Suggestions for brand and type of black? (Mustang Magazine listed Dupli-Color Engine black as their recommendation in their most recent magazine)
I would avoid aerosol spray can paint as much as possible in the engine bay as it is not near a durable as a two part catalyzed paint. I like STANDOX ralley black, its easy to use and extremely durable and looks correct. There are several other brands as well.

I will upload a couple photos of mine, however going back with my car I chose to do a little nicer job.

[cobrajetchris]

photos of engine bay/aprons

[J_Speegle]

I am in the process of stripping the engine bay of my 69 Dearborn Mach 1 S Code and I have a few questions:

1)  We've seen a few (cobrajetchris provided and example)  most I've seen were at or near the end of the production year)  More typical IMHO was the red oxide base. When was your car built?


2) We understand that the body from the firewall forward was shot by hand - the reason for different colors/finishes when compared to the floor


3) Most stick with the epoxy primer sealer in the PPG line - DP 74 ? (can't recall the specific number - hope that is correct for the red)


4) Seems there are different preferences for almost each restorer. Also not all of us can purchase of use the same products as everyone else due to local laws
 
Would be glad to post but Photobucket is suffering from issues with their new site and the new Foxfire ed

[G Wood]

Chris & Jeff:

Thanks for your input. The car was built in January.

[J_Speegle]

Chris & Jeff:
Thanks for your input. The car was built in January.

Have some nice pictures from a car in the 143xxx range that should put it in or about (don't have the Marti Jan 69

Body color from the exterior coverage at the rear, over red oxide.

I think the color at the front of the inner fenders (that often gets covered by the engine compartment black) is from the painter clearing the gun before he applies the paint to the body. Only plant that I find these runny dots at 

[G Wood]

Jeff:

My car was built Jan 27, 153xxx.

Any chance of you emailing the photos to me?

By the way, I saw the 69 GT350 in Bellevue this past summer that you worked on and would like to pass on how exceptional it was.

Regards

Garth

[G Wood]

I have finally gotten to this task and I have red oxide under the black. Between the shock tower and the door, it appears to be red oxide primer with light gray primer over the red then the winter blue final color. Does that seem correct, using the gray primer for the light blue final color?

[J_Speegle]

I have finally gotten to this task and I have red oxide under the black. Between the shock tower and the door, it appears to be red oxide primer with light gray primer over the red then the winter blue final color.

I take it that your describing the wheel side of the inner fender panels or the wheelwells

Can't report I've ever seen gray primer that far forward - but maybe on this one car the painter got more aggressive and went further forward that usual

Does that seem correct, using the gray primer for the light blue final color?
[/quote]


Gray primer IMHO used to fill small imperfections in the body and prior body work that the red oxide didn't catch, was typical on all cars on the outer body surfaces

Thanks for checking and getting back

[G Wood]

Jeff:

Yes on the wheel side. The gray extends approx 12" from the door (forward).

Thanks for your input.

Garth

[J_Speegle]

Jeff:

Yes on the wheel side. The gray extends approx 12" from the door (forward).

Would love to see a picture or two - will continue to look for another like yours

[G Wood]

Jeff:

Excuse the quality but here is what I have found. Photos earlier in this post seem to have disappeared. The entire area had been painted over in flat black and I stripped it this weekend.

I took some of the Winter Blue off in the cleaning process, but it can still be seen over the gray.

I have a question regarding the top of the cowl photo. The black grill pattern does not rub off like the flat black that I removed. Would this have been applied in the factory? If not, it seems to be similar quality and has been there for quite some time. 

Also see the photo where two brackets or other were left on the cowl during paint.

One last question. Does the pocket in the cowl where the wiper motor and mechanism sit remain black?

Regards

[J_Speegle]

I took some of the Winter Blue off in the cleaning process, but it can still be seen over the gray.

Sure is a nice color. I'm pretty sure you cleaned off a fair amount of body color with the black- don't that a number of times on cars.

I have a question regarding the top of the cowl photo. The black grill pattern does not rub off like the flat black that I removed. Would this have been applied in the factory? If not, it seems to be similar quality and has been there for quite some time. 

That early of a car typically didn't get the top of the cowl blacked out at Dearborn

Also see the photo where two brackets or other were left on the cowl during paint.

Found them on the passenger side as well as the drivers side of the cowl. Oddest place was on the rear window ledge on one car.

One last question. Does the pocket in the cowl where the wiper motor and mechanism sit remain black?

Would be body color IMHO

Thanks for the pictures

[G Wood]

Jeff:

On the red car, the transition from red/black near fender/cowl panel seems to differ from the green car. Where should the transition from body color to black occur on the metal that transitions from the inner fender to the cowl? O nthe green car, there seems to be more black than the red car.

Thanks

[J_Speegle]

Jeff:

On the red car, the transition from red/black near fender/cowl panel seems to differ from the green car. Where should the transition from body color to black occur on the metal that transitions from the inner fender to the cowl? O nthe green car, there seems to be more black than the red car.

The green car's pictures were to illustrate/respond to the part of the question about the wiper motor area - should have split the response. If you notice in the same picture below you will notice that that part of the black (another coat) was applied likely by a previous owner since it was done after the fender was installed





Here is another unrestored early 69 Dearborn car (this case from the 150000's) with no black above the firewall pinch



Hope this helps explain what was typically done