Underside of Hood and Fenders Paint Question
 

My 1971 Jimmy keeps inching closer to the paint booth. The shop called to see what color I wanted on the underside of the hood and inside the front fenders. I think I know that these were flat black from the factory, but I have seen some restorations where they were painted body color. Any thoughts or pictures either way? I am going for a mostly stock look on my truck but the body color innards that I have seen look nice also.

Re: Underside of Hood and Fenders Paint Question
 

I like it how the factory did it. Satin black I believe?

Re: Underside of Hood and Fenders Paint Question
 

Factory would be flat black primer with body color overspray around the periphery of the backside. I wouldn't want that on my own restored truck unless I was going for a concours restoration. I would either tape it off so there's a clean break or completely cover the backside with body color.

Re: Underside of Hood and Fenders Paint Question
 

Like this Keith?, Crappy picture

Re: Underside of Hood and Fenders Paint Question
 

I like body color as it just looks nicer. But I am not a guy that is into completely stock reproductions. I like the factory look, but just a little better.

Re: Underside of Hood and Fenders Paint Question
 

Looks like it; the hood would have been hanging vertically from the front edge and the fenders in vehicle position supported under the catwalk.

Some of the hard-core restorers will even replicate the missed areas of color caused by the hanger.

Re: Underside of Hood and Fenders Paint Question
 

Fwiw - the insides of my fenders and undersurface of my hood were sprayed chassis black this week together with the frame.

Related question for Keith - I'm trying to imagine how the tailgate was painted in the sequences of things. The tailgate trunions and attachment bolts are painted body color - I don't see how these and the tailgate could be sprayed with the tailgate already installed.

Re: Underside of Hood and Fenders Paint Question
 

I appreciate the responses. I am going with satin black on the underside of the hood and body color on the visible part of the underside of the front quarters. I want just a bit of sheen on the hood bottom so I can wax it up.

Re: Underside of Hood and Fenders Paint Question
 

Since the individual components were already e coated then we didn't have to worry about corrosion, so the tailgate just rode through the ecoat tank and color spray booth in position.

http://www.73-87.com/7387info/Assembly%20Line.htm

In hindsight, perhaps we should have gone with a polyurethane or delrin trunion so that corrosion and noise would never be an issue.

K

Re: Underside of Hood and Fenders Paint Question
 

Thanks Keith - big help. Pete