Topic: Paint and Resto Question on 68 Shelby 500KR

[dwdshelby]

Hi, I am in the middle of a paint and restoration of a 1968 Shelby GT500KR Conv. It was built on June 3, 1968 at the Metuchen factory.

In particular, I am in the process of figuring out the proper painting for the doors, hood and trunk and the associated hardware. I think the hood is painted body colour (inside and out but excluding the ram air plastic effort) but the hood springs, hood lever mechanism and attaching hardware are not painted. On the doors, it is my understanding that the mounts (with hardware attached to the door) are painted body colour but the attaching bolts to the body are not. The door closing mechanisms and their attaching hardware are not painted body colour. On the decklid or trunk, the spring bars, trunk lever mechanism and attaching hardware are painted body colour as is the complete decklid inside and out. As a final, note it is my understanding that the attachment points and bolts on the inside upper brace and lower brace for the front fenders are not painted body colour as the painted fender was attached to the painted body late in the manufacturing process.

Can anyone confirm that I am on the right track? Thanks for your assistance.

Dave

[CharlesTurner]

I can't say for sure on the bottom of the hood, but regarding other areas:

Previous to the exterior color being applied at the factory:
-Doors were installed with no internals, just the bare door shells
-Trunk lid and hinges were installed, but your Shelby would have had the trunk lid added at AO Smith, so the bolts that attach are not painted.  The striker hardware was not installed prior to paint.
-Rear valence was installed but the bottom corners not attached.  This means the rear bumperette brackets that attach behind the valence would have been installed.  They would be painted black and could possibly have a little body color speckling from painting, but usually not much.

You are correct on the front fender brackets, they were installed after the car was painted, but prior to the fenders going on.

There are lots of little details to contend with concerning the Shelby fiberglass parts, so keep that in mind when going forward.  From your current perspective, though, it is best to concentrate on how the car would have been built at Metuchen and then worry about the Shelby-unique additions later.

[J_Speegle]

Hi, I am in the middle of a paint and restoration of a 1968 Shelby GT500KR Conv. It was built on June 3, 1968 at the Metuchen factory.

In particular, I am in the process of figuring out the proper painting for the doors, hood and trunk and the associated hardware. I think the hood is painted body colour (inside and out but excluding the ram air plastic effort) but the hood springs, hood lever mechanism and attaching hardware are not painted.- On the doors, it is my understanding that the mounts (with hardware attached to the door) are painted body colour but the attaching bolts to the body are not.

The door closing mechanisms and their attaching hardware are not painted body colour.

Doors (empty no latches or internal parts) were painted on the car so hinges, bolts, big spring are all body color

On the decklid or trunk, the spring bars, trunk lever mechanism and attaching hardware are painted body colour as is the complete decklid inside and out.

Mounting bolts would not be painted - hinges in place (bolts from them to body painted) and painted with body

[dwdshelby]

Thanks fellas.

Best
Dave

[TLea]

Plenum on underside of hood not painted but not really able to do correctly without removing the plenum. Hood was completely painted then plenum was attached with interesting color adhesive.
I'm not sure what level of detail/correctness you are looking for but based on your questions I would say take a step back and talk to someone who can guide you more accurately if you are planning to take car to concours level. You'vr got the big basics but lots of little details like door transition line, trunk light overspray, fiberglass color/overspray etc, etc, etc that you would need to cover. Its a bi**h if you have to go back and correct

[dwdshelby]

Thanks for the advice Tim.

I was not planning on taking it to that level .... the goal from the outset was to return it to its proper colour (WWhite versus Red) and make sure the basics are correct and that all the correct parts are on the car and working properly as per the Marti Report.

Notwithstanding that basic goal, it would be nice to speak to someone in more detail to ensure that I am getting 97+% there. I have been using the Coral Snake (Peter D) as a reference and the registrars at the Shelby American Club plus the various original manuals but as you suggest there are a lot of details that are not well known.

Best regards
Dave

[J_Speegle]

Would suggest that "taking it to 97% level" is taking it to that level

Right now (including what is posted in this thread) it sounds  like your more like 45%

Documents are ok but if your using the assembly manuals and the AO Smith stuff they are ill prepared to show you what was done at either factory in relationship to the unibody preparation and paint. Consider that your already doing the work and applying paint - the extra effort it takes to do it to today's standard (which if history is our guide will be 95% within a few years )  is only a small amount of extra effort.   

IMHO your greatest resource are the current field of national judges that participate at all three  national venues.

Just trying to help guide to a successful conclusion as well as everyone else here

[dwdshelby]

Hi, thanks.

Couple more questions on the 1968 Shelby GT500KR (June 3, 1968 Metuchen, NJ).

Does anyone have pictures of how the seam sealer in the trunk, etc looked on these cars from the factory? As well, any pictures on how the door line was handled re: body colour and the black interior colour interface?

Thanks for all your generous help.

Best regards
Dave

[TLea]

Hi, thanks.

Couple more questions on the 1968 Shelby GT500KR (June 3, 1968 Metuchen, NJ).

Does anyone have pictures of how the seam sealer in the trunk, etc looked on these cars from the factory? As well, any pictures on how the door line was handled re: body colour and the black interior colour interface?

Thanks for all your generous help.

Best regards
Dave

I'll let you post pictures jeff. It would take me an evening of typing to explain 

[J_Speegle]

Will post pictures then we'll address any questions  Have more if you need them

Bumper bracket to floor sealant in trunk- Squeezed out and not spread much at all. Just let it lay. Looks like one or two passes with the applicator depending on how much product was applied in the first pass








Taillight panel to floor sealant




Bottom of door - interior color first then body color. Arrows indicate the edge of the interior color





Floor to trunk drop and trunk drop to wheel housing. Nothing like 69 Dearborn    Squeezed on then wiped/spread





And an extra related to the seat belt anchor sealant since we discussed that also

[dwdshelby]

Thanks again Jeff.

Best
Dave

[dwdshelby]

Hi Guys,

After meeting with my painter builder we had couple more questions on the unibody prep/finish:

1) In the last picture above, it shows brushed on seam sealer on the inner rear seat belt mounts. Is this same treatment used for all the seat belt mounts (ie) front/back both sides?
2) What seams on the underbody of the car should be sealed (ie) the rear tub joins in the rear wheel wells, the pinch welds on the back of the quarter and the trunk side, the body join just above the rear seat belt mounts (see last picture above), etc? Are those black? Are they buried in the red oxide or left visible? In certain restored car pictures from reputable sites, we don't see any obvious seam sealer on the underbody that is visible through the red oxide and overspray...
3) On the first two pictures above, there are black round filler pieces (pot metal of some kind) that fill in the holes in the stock mustang rear panel (where the taillights are fastened) as the Shelby has a unique rear taillight feature that doesn't use the stock holes. Are those suppose to be black? They look like there is black seam sealer used in those as well.

Thanks again for sharing.

Blessings
Dave

[J_Speegle]

Hi Guys,

After meeting with my painter builder we had couple more questions on the unibody prep/finish:

1) In the last picture above, it shows brushed on seam sealer on the inner rear seat belt mounts. Is this same treatment used for all the seat belt mounts (ie) front/back both sides?

Inners only front and back - sometimes rear outboard will be coated with sound deadener when the worker gets out of the wheelwell a bit

2) What seams on the underbody of the car should be sealed (ie) the rear tub joins in the rear wheel wells, the pinch welds on the back of the quarter and the trunk side, the body join just above the rear seat belt mounts (see last picture above), etc?


Are those black? Are they buried in the red oxide or left visible? In certain restored car pictures from reputable sites, we don't see any obvious seam sealer on the underbody that is visible through the red oxide and overspray...

The last picture only shows sealant around the inner rear seat belt anchors

From the bottom none of the other seams are sealed (though restored car have copied older restorations for years and its been hard to break. Normally little overspray from the body and pinch weld reasches the inner seat anchors or the seam along the rocker since the rocker produces a shadow

3) On the first two pictures above, there are black round filler pieces (pot metal of some kind) that fill in the holes in the stock mustang rear panel (where the taillights are fastened) as the Shelby has a unique rear taillight feature that doesn't use the stock holes. Are those suppose to be black? They look like there is black seam sealer used in those as well.

Those are stamped steel (sheet metal) panels attached over the cut out holes for the Shelby (tbird tailight assy)   Best to use 3M black strip chalking

[dwdshelby]

Thanks again Jeff:

Just so I don't misunderstand other than the inner front and back seat belt anchors there is no seam sealer on the undercarriage in any place.

On the Shelby sheet metal round pots on the back tail light assembly, they are painted black and sealed with a 3M black strip seal and would they be painted body colour on the exterior side? Do they remain black on the trunk side?

Thanks
Dave

[J_Speegle]

Just so I don't misunderstand other than the inner front and back seat belt anchors there is no seam sealer on the undercarriage in any place.

And along the rocker panel to the floor seam - on NJ in 68 the rear end of the bead can travel inward along the front edge of the rear spring forward panel to floor seam also

On the Shelby sheet metal round pots on the back tail light assembly, they are painted black and sealed with a 3M black strip seal and would they be painted body colour on the exterior side? Do they remain black on the trunk side?

Think of it this way

Body was painted at NJ - when the car got to AO Smith the round holes were cut in the taillight panel - sealer was placed on the semi-gloss black individual plates and then installed to the taillight panel. So they are black both side and the taillight panel (sheet metal, attached to the Mustang body - not the fiberglass Shelby panel that goes over it ) remains body color