Topic: Pinch weld black out?

[DeadStang]

Picking nits, but...  I have a nicely painted '69 Mach and the pinch weld is just as shiny and green as the rest of the car and it bugs that heck out of me.  Is it just a simple masking along the bottom of the rockers and spraying the weld black?  What paint to use?  Thanks.

[J_Speegle]

IF your car is together its going to be difficult to do like original since the overspray traveled pretty far inwards (covering allot of the front frame rails and outer section of the floor pans (your fuel line and floor pan plugs were not installed yet

The edge was typically a "soft edge" so some will use foam tape or use backwards masking (not the old "hide words on the LP behind the music" sort of thing

Some will use a small can of rattle can semi-gloss (incorrect application is sometimes noticable  since the spray pattern is so small) black or others will use a spray gun. Remember that this was applied before the front fenders were installed so the paint was above and behind both front fenders.

If you'll provide when and where your car was built we might be able to post examples from  that plant and time period though most are pretty similar from plant to plant and year to year. One of the few things that is - though there are some noticeable differences but none I've documented so far in 69

[cobraboy]

I had the same problem. following advice here I used a rattle can of semi gloss, I was careful to apply as jeff had directed regarding the front fenders.
I did not mask at all, after practicing on a piece of card I held the can about 3" away and in one steady movement sprayed from one end the the other. Ended up with a soft edge and it looks great.
My car is undercoated black so no overspray to worry about.
Mark

[DeadStang]

If you'll provide when and where your car was built we might be able to post examples from  that plant and time period though most are pretty similar from plant to plant and year to year. One of the few things that is - though there are some noticeable differences but none I've documented so far in 69

San Jose, 03/06/69.

Thanks.

[J_Speegle]

Unfortunately I often don't take allot of pictures of details that seem to be so normal and areas where I don't get allot of questions on but here are some examples from that year and plant. You will see a variation as to how far out on the rocker the "edge" is"  and understand that because of age, cleaning and time about 50% of the overspray (the lighter stuff) has disappeared over time

You can see there the surface of the body was close to the gun it produced heavy runs where those further in distance just a spray. Allot depended on the worker and how close they held the gun and the angle

Last note - Stating and stopping the gun once it passed into the rear wheelwell (front and rear of wheel well) produced larger amounts of overspray to be applied into the back of the wheelwell and frame areas visible in that area over the body color. Didn't cover a large area but can be seen in most original paint car examples

Hope this helps - Makes a really big improvement as to how the finished car looks and once you've paid attention to this detail all the cars you see without it will look unfinished. Even got the resto mod guys around here to copy the idea - though they are allot neater with its application LOL

[DeadStang]

WOW!  These pix are great--thank you so much!  I've seen those runs for years and not known what I was looking at.  I went to the IMM34 in Bozeman over Labor Day, and there was a B9 talk where this detail was pointed out...  And it was a total epiphany for me.  Now all I can see are body colored-pinch welds, which do look unfinished and ugly.  I very much appreciate the help.  Thanks again.   

[Brian Conway]

I guess the red is not as eye catching ?  Kinda neat to still  be able to see the sheet metal stamps.  Brian

[rockhouse66]

Brian - no doubt in my mind your car should have had the pinch weld blackout.  Must have been a Metuchen thing 

Here is my red 3/69 built San Jose car;

[Brian Conway]

     This car has been repainted and somebody actually got down on his/her knees and shot the paint up.  Coverage is pretty good but the other side does show some traces of black.  Jim, what's all that crud on the bottom of your California car ?  You know I am kidding, right ?  Brian

[J_Speegle]

     This car has been repainted and somebody actually got down on his/her knees and shot the paint up.  Coverage is pretty good but the other side does show some traces of black.  Jim, what's all that crud on the bottom of your California car ?  You know I am kidding, right ?  Brian

Yep plenty of examples of NJ doing the same process (painting the pinch welds) do see a few (very few) were the worker missed the section behind the rear wheel well on one side or the other - Not something I would duplicate unless documented on a particular car

[jtfx6552]

Is there a consensus on how shiny the pinch weld black out paint was? Specifically trying to decide what to put on the car described in my signature.

[J_Speegle]

Is there a consensus on how shiny the pinch weld black out paint was? Specifically trying to decide what to put on the car described in my signature.

Seen enough to believe that it was not flat - and glossy would pull your eyes to the edge which is not what Ford would have wanted. I believe that it was semi-gloss. The guns might even have been hooked up to the same source as the engine compartment black since they were both at the tail end of that sequence

[Mike_B_SVT]

First time I noticed mine it was due to the black paint peeking out through chips where it had been painted over in body color.  Had me wondering... "why is there black paint underneath the comp gold paint??".  LOL!

[jatkinson]

Not to take over your post, but what about 1970 Mach 1? Mine is a NJ car is the blackout still the same as 1969?

[J_Speegle]

Not to take over your post, but what about 1970 Mach 1? Mine is a NJ car is the blackout still the same as 1969?

Believe there are differences - 70 NJ cars are a bit more difficult to find in good condition for examples but start a thread and we'll try and help