Topic: 69 Metuchen Mach 1, paint line @ cowl

[Stangman68]

Was wondering if anyone knows where the paint line stops and the black in engine compartment starts.  I've seen black on the part where the windshield wiper harness is grounded and i've seen some painted body color - which is correct???

[fastwayfirebird400]

My original paint Oct 68 Metuchen cowl is is completely black EXCEPT for the outer 6 inches of the cowl (from about the oval rubber plugged hole). The bubble outer side panels (kick panel) was body color, everything forward and on top and down the firewall was semi gloss black. I hope that helps.

[69 black r code]

My Oct 68 Metuchen cowl is is completely black. The bubble outer side panels (kick panel) was body color, everything forward and on top was semi gloss black. I hope that helps.

My 4 69 Metuchen car is the same.

[J_Speegle]

Was wondering if anyone knows where the paint line stops and the black in engine compartment starts.  I've seen black on the part where the windshield wiper harness is grounded and i've seen some painted body color - which is correct???

This is the reason for the following

http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=22.0


When was your car built? As it often confuses the thread as you get responses from all years, models, plants, months..... if you don't provide enough info


fastwayfirebird400 - Does your car have all its original paint?   What day does the Marti report say the car4 was built?

[fastwayfirebird400]

Jeff,

Yes the car did have it original paint (I did take pics before starting the striping) Ordered on 10/22/68, Scheduled build 11/8/68, actual build date 11/22/68. I also have the broadcast sheet, buck tag.

[Stangman68]

car was scheduled for build 12/27/68 and actually built on: 1/13/69 at the Metuchen Plant.

[J_Speegle]

car was scheduled for build 12/27/68 and actually built on: 1/13/69 at the Metuchen Plant.

Sorry took a few hours to look through the pictures I have. Unfortunately I don't have Marti reports for all the cars I have pictures of but lets give it a try with what we have.

Looking through what I have there seems to be a break from body color above the firewall pinch weld around #160,000 for non- Mach I's built at NJ.

I mention the Mach I difference since I have a couple Mach I's built before that VIN  (approx #119-123237) with the area blacked out. So they may have started out blacking out just the Mach I's a bit earlier at NJ that year.

Hope this helps

[specialed]

Trying to doc jan 69 met. #1677xx  as  the cowl around wipers is body color but firewall cowl is blacked out over the bodycolor so not sure & i see another jan car with blacked out cowl just not sure where met stopped the black as dearborn blacked out to windshield area?

[J_Speegle]

Trying to doc jan 69 met. #1677xx  as  the cowl around wipers is body color but firewall cowl is blacked out over the bodycolor so not sure & i see another jan car with blacked out cowl just not sure where met stopped the black as dearborn blacked out to windshield area?

Will go through what I have and report back Ed.

[specialed]

Thanks jeff  plan on painting cowl area next week & just seems like not much info or interest in 69 met. concours restoration since no shelbys or bosses were built in 69 at Met, plant & cant find any unmolested 69 met. cars anywhere i know of as my interest has always been dearborn cars.

[J_Speegle]

Ok looked at around 130 examples and with eliminating repaints and some rattle can jobs came up with some findings. 

Please bare with me as I go through this and consider this is just what I can glean from what I have available.

Challenge I had is that going through the survey I got mixed results until I remembered the hood black out discussion we had on the site a few weeks ago and looked that those pictures which in some fo the NJ examples showed the cowl color.

So going back through the cars I kept four columns. Non Mach with and without black and Mach with and without black.  With this a pattern emerged and shown below.  Reminder - this is only what I found and is limited to what resources I have available at this time. Invite others with unrestored 69 Metuchen examples to share so we can see if the pattern is supported or shows something new.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

69 NJ (non-Mach I) - examples with body color cowl (panel above the firewall to cowl pinch weld that the cowl cover is attached over)

9T102871 - 9T151587


69 NJ (non-Mach I) - examples with black engine compartment paint over body color cowl body color application.

9T1774xx - 9T210602

All of the Mach I examples I found had black applied to the upper cowl above the pinch weld.  9T12323x (also have pictures dated for a car built 10/28/68) -
9T215xxx

Below is a side by side comparison (by VIN range) from two cars one non- Mach the second a Mach I. Did this for the earlier period to illustrate what I found.

9T110000-9T120000



Mach I




9T120000-9T130000



Mach I



9T130000-9T135000



Mach I

[specialed]

Thanks jeff as that confirms it after taking the center cowl body plug out our car (feb 5 met. gt) you can see original body color under the cowl plug so we are going to paint cowl body color. I was looking at a jan 15 met mach1 photos of an unrestored car & cowl was blacked out & thats why i questioned this so unlike dearborn the met plant painted all the mach1s cowl panel black but the other cars all got body color cowls or was that after a certain date like all spring & after 69 dearborns all got blacked out cowls? Wondering if there is a 69 Met. expert out there anywhere as  this is our first 69 met restoration & i now have a list of about 20 things done different on met vs dearborn 69 ?

[specialed]

jeff just noticed in u first photo of red car with hoodscoop that the hood has a round hole cutout under the scoop & u got any more photos of that car or when it was built? Also wondering how the rear valance was painted  hung on car with all screws painted like dearborn?

[J_Speegle]

jeff just noticed in u first photo of red car with hoodscoop that the hood has a round hole cutout under the scoop & u got any more photos of that car or when it was built?

Will look and report back

Also wondering how the rear valance was painted  hung on car with all screws painted like dearborn?

Yes that is what I've found - done like Dearborn as far as the upper attaching screws for the rear valance

[J_Speegle]

jeff just noticed in u first photo of red car with hoodscoop that the hood has a round hole cutout under the scoop & u got any more photos of that car or when it was built?

The hood hole is a bit suspected IMHO but will leave that with you to choose. Hole is not the pie cut when the pictures were taken. A couple of other "sporty" changes were made to the car - Cobra oval air cleaner, trunk mount battery (most likely PO added but could be the one)  and an over the counter Shelby steering wheel (66 - 67 period sort of item)  but not allot more. Vin is 9T01Q1109xx

Round hole may just be an expanded/opened up pie cut or a modification by the PO

Car has a projected build date for Oct 2nd. About a month and a half before I have the San Jose ones documented