Topic: December 1965 Dearborn Rear Rail/Crossmember Finish

[Building 3]

Last week the painter who will paint my car and I reviewed all of the entries on this site pertaining to the painting of the December 1965 Dearborn build. We think we understand everything except at the very back of the car.
Question 1.What should be the finish of the rear rail (cross member) from underneath the car and from the rear? From what we understand, the spray from under the car was supposed to stop right about at that rail.  So some cars may have had no underbody paint but some may have had a lot as the process was not precise. Is this correct?
Q. 2. The rear facing side of the cross member was protected so to speak by the taillight panel and the rear valance which was hanging down loosely from the taillight panel. So we are thinking that that portion of the rail received overspray from the read oxide primer, then the gray sealer/primer and then the final top coat of paint. Is that correct?
Q. 3. If the rear valance panel was primed with red oxide primer from a supplier and then attached to the car when the car came out of the body shop, then it would have another coat of red primer applied at the assembly plant, gray sealer primer, and then the top coat. The backside of the valance panel would be red oxide with some overspray of gray and top coat paint. Is that correct or was the valance put on after the rest of the car received the red oxide?
Q.4. If the rear valance was installed right after the body shop, then the flange on the taillight panel where the valance is attached with screws would not receive good coats of paint, but rather only over spray of the red oxide, gray primer and top coat.  Is that correct? I have never seen rust in that area so somehow this does not seem correct to me? Perhaps the rear valance was installed after the red oxide? Thank you.

[J_Speegle]

Last week the painter who will paint my car and I reviewed all of the entries on this site pertaining to the painting of the December 1965 Dearborn build. .......

Question 1.What should be the finish of the rear rail (cross member) from underneath the car and from the rear? From what we understand, the spray from under the car was supposed to stop right about at that rail.  So some cars may have had no underbody paint but some may have had a lot as the process was not precise. Is this correct?

The rear cross member like so many of the others was galvanized before it was attached to the body. Anywhere the paint didn't cover would have would have left this coating visible originally. Like the dolly mark areas - another example 

Haven't seem anyone go this far yet but sure its coming - as most simply paint the undercarriage color all the way back to behind the valance

Q. 2. The rear facing side of the cross member was protected so to speak by the taillight panel and the rear valance which was hanging down loosely from the taillight panel. So we are thinking that that portion of the rail received overspray from the read oxide primer, then the gray sealer/primer and then the final top coat of paint. Is that correct?

The rear valance was not added to the body until after the light gray primer/filler was applied so the rear surface could have had some overspray from that application though it sits back under a fair amount to get much coverage. Normally after all these years that paint is long gone

 

Q. 3. If the rear valance panel was primed with red oxide primer from a supplier and then attached to the car when the car came out of the body shop, then it would have another coat of red primer applied at the assembly plant, gray sealer primer, and then the top coat. The backside of the valance panel would be red oxide with some overspray of gray and top coat paint. Is that correct or was the valance put on after the rest of the car received the red oxide?

The back side would be red oxide like you understand. Since it was allowed to hang downward the paint overspray would have entered from the ends and maybe a light dusting from the back side from the trunk painting - but no more than a dusting since there is no direct line of sight other than the application of paint to the rear trunk surface
below the taillight panel

Q.4. If the rear valance was installed right after the body shop, then the flange on the taillight panel where the valance is attached with screws would not receive good coats of paint, but rather only over spray of the red oxide, gray primer and top coat.  Is that correct? I have never seen rust in that area so somehow this does not seem correct to me? Perhaps the rear valance was installed after the red oxide? Thank you.

No as mentioned that thin lip where the valance attached received red oxide then gray primer before the valance was attached. Plenty examples as as you have observed there is not normally a thin strip of rusty metal there

Hope this helps 

[Building 3]

Jeff,
Perfect.  Thank you!