Topic: Best way to strip radiator support to find factory markings

[Fullbasement]

My radiator support has been painted several times in its sad life. I'm replacing it since it's taken a hard shot to the cross member. If I use paint stripper to remove the layers is there a good chance the assembly line grease pencil marks or paint marks will survive enough that I can see them? Or is there some other process where I might uncover them with melting them?

[rockhouse66]

Soda blasting will remove the paint and leave the markings visible.  Or at least it did when we stripped my '66 car.

[DM_1964]

I used paint stripper with success...

[rodster]

Just carefully sanded the area on mine.

[Fullbasement]

Rodster,
Yours looks like it was under the chassis black, while DM's looks to be on top. I assumed these were over the chassis paint.
And what color are these usually. I have a 195 in white grease pencil that is crossed out with a wavy line on my cross member, but the numbers you guys are showing look to be a wide brush or marker.
I don't have my specs with me, but pretty sure this is a Metuchen car, C code 1966 convertible, delivered to ATL.

Thanks for the pictures

[rodster]

My understanding is the markings are found under the chassis black paint. Sometimes they are slightly visible depending on the angle you view it but I don't recall anyone finding these radiator support markings over the paint.  Not sure about DM's picture, looks to be blue paint on the rad support?

There are some smaller grease pencil markings found on the lower rad support.  Sounds like what you found in white grease pencil.

Can you post a picture?

[CharlesTurner]

DM's picture is showing aging of the markings, which can come up through the paint as the metal rusts.  Whatever was used to make the markings didn't allow the paint to bond like the surrounding metal.

[Ivygreen65]

The radiator support markings should be under the black paint



The number on the crossmember is probably the rotation number written in grease pencil after the black paint was applied


Are you sure yours is a Metuchen car and not a Dearborn car?  I would have thought that a Metuchen car would have a buck tag, making the radiator support markings unnecessary.

[J_Speegle]

Yours looks like it was under the chassis black, while DM's looks to be on top. I assumed these were over the chassis paint.
And what color are these usually. I have a 195 in white grease pencil that is crossed out with a wavy line on my cross member, but the numbers you guys are showing look to be a wide brush or marker.

If you check older threads there are marks applied to bare metal (done in the first half of production - body & trim) and those applied over the black and other colors during the second half of production. Each with similar or different writing tools

Most of the ones posted are the ones applied to bare metal with a wax/oil based large crayon that (as Charles mentioned) bonded into the metal making it difficult, over time, for the paint applied over it to adhere to that spot

Your #195 was likely your cars second rotation number and may be found in other parts of the car.

As for the original request - normally the more forceful methods of stripping paint have the greatest chance to removed especially those makrs applied over paint. The ones under paint (if you car even received those - not all plants and years did) seem to last the best since they are "in the metal"  rather than on it

[Stangly]

Not to get off thread but what exactly do the rotation numbers refer to.

[Fullbasement]

Yea, it has a buck tag, so perhaps it doesn't have marking under the chassis black. That's why I'm here, to learn. It does have a grease pencil rotation number.
Hey Jeff, I have a paint mark detail sheet you made up for me many years ago that I will be using as a guide.

[J_Speegle]

Not to get off thread but what exactly do the rotation numbers refer to.

But you are getting off thread - just this one time

Since the cars were not built in sequential order, workers needed to identify the cars in some way so they (bodies or cars) were assigned a number before the build was started. After the first half of the build the cars moved into a holding area where they were reorganized (new order assigned) in order, new number assigned, with focus this time given to difficulty of assembly (number of options and engine size) so that the line could be kept moving at a reasonable speed.

Once the end of the numbering system (most years and plants 001-999 were used) the numbers started over again. Neither the smallest or largest number  normally coincided with the beginning/end of a day, shift or any other point in time - just a way of tracking cars in a particular order.

If your car came from a plant and year with a buck tag the first rotation number can be found there, for the second half of the build that rotation number can be found on the buildsheet > Both numbers can be found, sometimes, still on certain parts or locations of the cars after all these years

[Stangly]

Pretty cool thank you,  I hope to discover this on my new project.

[specialed]

jeff on a Dearborn car should # on lower rad support match the buildsheet or bucktag?

[J_Speegle]

jeff on a Dearborn car should # on lower rad support match the buildsheet or bucktag?

Buildsheet - its the second rotation number