Topic: My body primer?

[bryancobb]

 Hey Guys,

I have my 66 Metuchen convertible on the rotisserie and getting the body ready for paint.

After removing my windshield and cleaning 45 years of crap off the frame around the windshield, it appears to have ZERO red oxide
primer on the windshield enclosure.  There is a a distinct tape-line and it appears to have been primed with a grayish epoxy
that is VVVVERY durable and hard.  Has anyone seen this?

Also, I read that Maple Hill Resto primed the rear crossbrace on the teal convertible they are doing,  this  same color of gray I am seeing around the windshield.


I'm thinking this was the way my 66 came too?  My undercarriage was definitely red-ox from the factory.

ANOTHER PRIMER QUESTION.

The steel on the interior, behind the rear seat and the upper halves of the interior quarters facing the rear seat back (where the window handles and quarter trim go)
have a very very dark brown primer.  Maple Hill Resto has done the last 2 convertibles the same way.  Does anyone have an idea why a darker primer was used here
instead of the same stuff as on the belly of the car?

[CharlesTurner]

What you need to understand is not all of the primer was shot at the same time and the same methods.  The undercarriage, from a line straight down starting at the firewall, would have been sprayed with jets as the car rolled by.  Workers would then do the front underneath and possibly in the back where primer may not have covered.  Somewhere else, workers applied primer to the outside of the car and possibly the interior and trunk at the same time.  Once that was done, a gray sealer primer was typically sprayed only on the exterior facing surfaces.

As far as primer and paint on the interior, I have seen varying usage, some cars have the rear convertible structure mostly covered in paint, fading to the floor.  Seems there is a lot of variance.  If patterns are noted for assembly plants and production times, then by all means reproduce it.

The rear area shot of Jeremy's car has me scratching my head a bit though.  He has body color sprayed on the bottom edge and coming in from the side, but with no apparent body color over-spray on the bumper guard bracket.  I'm used to seeing the rear valence attached before the exterior of the car is painted, so they install the rear bumper guard brackets before the valence goes on.  Would typically only see some over-spray on the edges and maybe a little speckling on the bracket.  Maybe there was evidence that this car did not have the valence installed when it was painted originally?

[bryancobb]

Thanks again for your help, Buddy.

[J_Speegle]

I have my 66 Metuchen convertible on the rotisserie and getting the body ready for paint.

After removing my windshield and cleaning 45 years of crap off the frame around the windshield, it appears to have ZERO red oxide
primer on the windshield enclosure.  There is a a distinct tape-line and it appears to have been primed with a grayish epoxy
that is VVVVERY durable and hard.  Has anyone seen this?

I'm thinking this was the way my 66 came too?  My undercarriage was definitely red-ox from the factory.

Have never seen grey epoxy primer used on the exterior of any early Mustang. Its always been the typical primer surface coat over the red and not a masked line around the windshield opening - could this be from an earlier repair or paint job? Example shows red oxide base, grey primer surfacer and body color

ANOTHER PRIMER QUESTION.

................ Does anyone have an idea why a darker primer was used here instead of the same stuff as on the belly of the car?

Wasn't always darker -I would guess that since it was a different type of paint it might be from a different supplier and in turn a different color. As Charles mentioned remember that unlike other Ford lines the Mustang didn't get dipped in a big vat of paint and was painted in many stages

As for the example of the rear cross member paint - must admit that I've never found an original car that was painted with undercarriage color to the rear frame rail completely IMHO assuring that the floor jets would not allow any paint to rain down on the car behind the one being painted and creating additional work. Remember the floors were not painted by had but by jets mounted below the unibody (that it passed over) and was triggered likely by a simple arm mech.

Likely Jeremy is just looking to protect the car and its finish for years to come - kind of like they way they derust and coat the insides of the frame rail

[bryancobb]

Have never seen grey epoxy primer used on the exterior of any early Mustang. Its always been the typical primer surface coat over the red and not a masked line around the windshield opening - could this be from an earlier repair or paint job? Example shows red oxide base, grey primer surfacer and body color

Jeff, I guess it's the gray primer/surfacer.  I don't think it is where a repair was done.   It just seemed very durable.  In the first pic you can see where I scrubbed VERRRY hard with a lacquer thinner rag to get to the red base primer and to the metal.  The tape line WAS created when it was painted in the mid 80's.  I think the non original windshield (pic 4) was installed at that time.   Not a smidge of rust around the windshield opening.  Good Shape.

[JKWilson]

I haven't really stripped any of my Metuchen fastback down yet. I know it may be apples and oranges, but I have stripped down my Dearborn coupe. It has a black floor pan. I have found red oxide primer in the interior and grey primer surfacer on the exterior. Curiously, when I replaced the cowl assembly I found grey primer inside the cowl. No, it was not overspray. I found the "hat" sections with grey primer and it was a solid layer all the way around. IIRC it's generally accepted the cowl area was not primered, and any coating was the result of overspray.

[J_Speegle]

I haven't really stripped any of my Metuchen fastback down yet. I know it may be apples and oranges, but I have stripped down my Dearborn coupe. It has a black floor pan. I have found red oxide primer in the interior and grey primer surfacer on the exterior.

Agreed we expect to find and do find many differences between different plants and their practices

Curiously, when I replaced the cowl assembly I found grey primer inside the cowl. No, it was not overspray. I found the "hat" sections with grey primer and it was a solid layer all the way around. IIRC it's generally accepted the cowl area was not primered, and any coating was the result of overspray.

Would say this would be the first I have heard about any bottom side fo the cowl being painted well. When you say "hat sections" are you reportign that only the round panels that made up the vent were primered and not the surrounding surfaces? As well as no signs of repair, painting by a PO or such?

Sorry - hope this will not take us away from the thread - if so we can split and continue if we want

[JKWilson]

Would say this would be the first I have heard about any bottom side fo the cowl being painted well. When you say "hat sections" are you reportign that only the round panels that made up the vent were primered and not the surrounding surfaces? As well as no signs of repair, painting by a PO or such?

Sorry - hope this will not take us away from the thread - if so we can split and continue if we want

Agree with a new thread if it becomes side tracked. IMHO Bryan kind of asked a general primer question, so we haven't really strayed far!

I am talking about the circular portions as well as the lower section of the cowl. I took pics of the lower cowl after I removed the top and the "hat" sections, primarily because I didn't think anyone would ever believe me!   There were no signs of repaint or repairs on the car. Add to that the cowl top would have had to be removed in order to prime the areas I found primer in. Also, due to the high level of coverage, it would rule out just overspray. Here's the pics I shot:









You can clearly see where the primer was starting peel up on the lower cowl. The original exterior color is Antique Bronze.


p.s. You can probably guess from the pictures WHY I had the cowl top off!!
 

[J_Speegle]

Have to see if I can find another one - will keep an eye open for an opportunity