Author Topic: Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?  (Read 2690 times)

Offline Brian Conway

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Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?
« on: October 21, 2014, 10:44:35 PM »
     For an early 69, 9/19/68, car the exterior paint primer was what color ? 
Thanks,  Brian
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
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Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2014, 10:50:10 PM »
What I've consistently seen at all plants during the classic period was red oxide followed by a grey primer surfacer to fill the small voids and flaws over it on sheet metal parts. Depending on the painter, year and plant the areas covered (into the trunk for example as well as low on the rockers or rear wheelwells) appears to be one of the differences.
Jeff Speegle

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Offline bryancobb

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Re: Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2014, 07:48:56 AM »
Jeff,

How do you define "The Classic Period?"  Is that 1964 through 1972?
66 Metuch Conv
Nightmist, Std Blu Int
6T08C223904    76A       K         22       15c     21      6        6
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Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2014, 01:42:00 PM »
Jeff,

How do you define "The Classic Period?"  Is that 1964 through 1972?

64-73  though in regards to primer color - only checked my statement above up through 71 at present
Jeff Speegle

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Offline Brian Conway

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Re: Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2014, 04:49:22 PM »
     Thank you Jeff.  I had the rear fender extensions off the other day and saw the primer.  Red oxide primer is what I had heard was the original assembly line color and what I expected to see.  Another not seen before curiosity was these small letter/number codes for the rear taillight panel.  Actually I don't know what that piece is called ?  Brian
« Last Edit: October 22, 2014, 07:17:09 PM by Brian Conway »
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
San Diego, Ca.

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2014, 08:51:16 PM »
     Thank you Jeff.  I had the rear fender extensions off the other day and saw the primer.  Red oxide primer is what I had heard was the original assembly line color and what I expected to see.  Another not seen before curiosity was these small letter/number codes for the rear taillight panel.  Actually I don't know what that piece is called ?  Brian


Appears that sometimes not allot of gray was applied everywhere and other times a light coat over the red oxide produced an odd pinkish final look

You'll (or should) find the same light grey primer as the top coat, if you remove your rear valance, along the bottom 3/8" or so of the taillight panel where the valance created a shadow.



Haven't noticed the stampings in that area - not sure how long they (stamping plant) did that - now I'm going to have to go through a bunch of pictures again :)
« Last Edit: October 22, 2014, 10:16:47 PM by J_Speegle »
Jeff Speegle

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Offline Brian Conway

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Re: Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2014, 10:47:11 PM »
Great picture Jeff thanks.  The quarter panel extensions on this car are fiberglass.  Brian
« Last Edit: October 22, 2014, 10:58:06 PM by Brian Conway »
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
San Diego, Ca.

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2014, 11:07:37 PM »
Great picture Jeff thanks.  The quarter panel extensions on this car are fiberglass.  Brian

Not always easy to find examples that match the OP's cars ;)

Early car - makes sense
Jeff Speegle

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Offline drummingrocks

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Re: Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?
« Reply #8 on: October 24, 2014, 12:30:14 PM »
Great picture Jeff thanks.  The quarter panel extensions on this car are fiberglass.  Brian

I had no idea that the early cars got fiberglass extensions.  That's a neat little detail.  I'd be curious to know why they even experimented with fiberglass in '69, seeing as how the headlight buckets and extensions from earlier years were pot metal.  Seems like an example of "If it's not broke, don't fix it."
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Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Metuchen Ext. Primer Color ?
« Reply #9 on: October 24, 2014, 02:07:56 PM »
I had no idea that the early cars got fiberglass extensions.  That's a neat little detail.  I'd be curious to know why they even experimented with fiberglass in '69, seeing as how the headlight buckets and extensions from earlier years were pot metal.  Seems like an example of "If it's not broke, don't fix it."

I don't know if I would call it experimenting - consider that Corvette had been using the process (or a similar one for years) and you have allot of the 68 Shelby parts. Don't think (but not sure) that Ford was making them - another outside vendor on contract likely
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)