Topic: 1970 Dearborn R Code Front Wheel Wells

[sbted95]

Hi guys.  I am starting to second guess myself somewhat.  I would love your input as to be being right or wrong.  I have my front end torn apart on y 1970 R code January 69 built 1970 Mach 1.  Everything is sanded down and ready for paint.  When I am finished and looking in my wheel well, I should see body color from approximately the start of the shock tower towards the back end of the car, semi-gloss black from the end of the shock tower towards the front of the car and red oxide in the shock tower zone itself?  I am 95% sure I have the body color and the black areas correct.  But, I have seen some "finished" shock towers black and others red oxide.  Please help.  Lastly, I will be painting my shock tower shields "slop/batch" gray, correct?  Thanks in advance. 

 

[J_Speegle]

Hi guys.  I am starting to second guess myself somewhat.  I would love your input as to be being right or wrong. ............ I am 95% sure I have the body color and the black areas correct.  But, I have seen some "finished" shock towers black and others red oxide.

First - IMHO stop looking at pictures of other peoples "restored" cars!!!    Especially just random ones in magazines and the web

I have my front end torn apart on y 1970 R code January 69 built 1970 Mach 1.  Everything is sanded down and ready for paint.  When I am finished and looking in my wheel well, I should see body color from approximately the start of the shock tower towards the back end of the car, semi-gloss black from the end of the shock tower towards the front of the car and red oxide in the shock tower zone itself?

Guess you meant to type January 70 built 1970 Mach I  or is it built December 19th, 1969 as you posted in another thread. Not a great big difference but thought I would ask.

I would suggest that for your year and plant you look at the front wheel wells like this. 1/3 is from the firewall section around to the back edge of the shock tower. 1/3 is the interior of the shock tower and the last  1/3 is from the front/leading edge of the shock tower to the radiator support

Typically the rear 1/3 is basically direct application of the body color fading out on the leading edge where the painter stopped. Sometimes this front "edge" can be found angled back wards as it travels downward possibly due to the painter not wanting to bend over  for something that really made no difference at that time and place

Typically the front 1/3 was either direct application of engine compartment black as that painter applied to the face of the radiator support and wrapped around the front two corners onto the front of the wheel well. Again the rearward edge an be fairly straight down or angles forward at the bottom of the pass. Often no attempt was made on the passenger side to paint under the bump for the battery leaving the bottom surface the same color as the wheel well before the other paints were added and the same color as the front frame rails.

Now the center 1/3 can be found to be either that same color as the frame (uncoated but either the body or engine bay colors other than misty overspray)  or body color or black depending where each stopped. I tend to find them (inner shock tower areas) either the frame color or body color as it seems the engine compartment painters rarely or never choose to apply the black over one or all of the other colors in that area.

Sorry for being wordy - hopefully the idea or  picture will get across

You did mention red oxide but for 70 Dearborn I would not be choosing that for the front frame rails or the base coat for the front wheel wells unless you have documented that your car came that way. That was mentioned is a prior thread you participated in

http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=7910.msg45354#msg45354


Also consider that approx 80% of these surfaces will be hidden once you apply the sound deadener of them later during construction of the car

Lastly, I will be painting my shock tower shields "slop/batch" gray, correct?  Thanks in advance. 

Correct along with the shock tower supports, battery tray, inner front bumper brackets and hood latch support. Different tones would be a really nice touch

[sbted95]

Man, you are a rock star!  Thanks.  I cannot believe how good you are with details and research!  You are right, the car in question was produced on December 19th.  I have another "project" car that is a January car.  I mixed them up in my initial post.  Great spot!

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading through many of your posts along with the posts of others in completing my R code.  Thank you.  This site (and others) have helped me tremendously.  While I am sure there have been many errors that I have made along the way, I am feeling pretty good about the current state of my restoration. 

Thanks again for your time and input! 

[J_Speegle]

Your welcome - that is what the site and members are here for

Good luck with your project and ask, ask, ask before not after

[sbted95]

In regards to the middle 1/3...you mentioned sometimes it is frame color or body color.  In my case, my underside color is slop gray.  Does that mean the inner 1/3 "could" be slop gray or, in my case, Candy Apple Red?  Thanks!

[J_Speegle]

In regards to the middle 1/3...you mentioned sometimes it is frame color or body color.  In my case, my underside color is slop gray. 

That is what I've found on other 70 Dearborn Mustangs in that area The slop gray used on the firewall forward may be a different tone or tint than what was found on the floor (firewall rearward) but the ones I've seen the difference is not a great one like it would if the floor was a greenish and the front a blueish timt - haven't see that big of a difference.

Does that mean the inner 1/3 "could" be slop gray or, in my case, Candy Apple Red?  Thanks!

If you do it in red make sure that it makes sense - that there is no break in the pattern from the cowl, around to the rear inner panel and then to the shock tower area. Needs to make sense.  At the same time - so much of this is going to disappear later with the sound deadener but it will look better and more correct as you take pictures of each step you pass through


Good luck

[sbted95]

Perfect!  Thanks Jeff! 

[Crgjohnson]

Thanks Jeff for this thread. After being told by a very knowledgeable B2 guy that my front inner fender well on my Dearborn 10/69 B2 should be body color, red oxide  behind spring area and semi gloss black forward of that I had serious questions when I saw no evidence of the red oxide. Reading this thread answered my question of the correct color for behind the spring. You have taught me a great deal.

[J_Speegle]

First welcome to the site (good to see you here) hope you find it useful. We have a somewhat narrow focus but we're OK with that

Thanks Jeff for this thread. After being told by a very knowledgeable B2 guy that my front inner fender well on my Dearborn 10/69 B2 should be body color, red oxide  behind spring area and semi gloss black forward of that I had serious questions when I saw no evidence of the red oxide. Reading this thread answered my question of the correct color for behind the spring. You have taught me a great deal.

Your welcome. They are not all the same and 70's, with the introduction of the batch forward of the firewall can add a tricky and new feature to what people normally see on Dearborn built cars  prior to 69-70