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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Vancouver BC
Posts: 784
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How did the factory paint our trucks?
I'm still working on cleaning up my 69, and I've been machine polishing the various panels. I notice that the paint on the cowl panel is much thinner than the paint on the fenders, hood and doors. Were these trucks painted before assembly? Why would the cowl panel have thinner paint than the other panels? And, should the underside of the engine hood be painted body colour, or black?
The other question I have is what type of paint was used on the inner fenders and rad support? Was it glossy black, semi gloss, or flat black? Any insight into this would be appreciated.
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Rick -69 GMC 910 Long Box, 350 -98 Chev Silverado 1500, 350 Vortec 4L60e -08 Mustang GT Convertible |
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Campbellsville, KY
Posts: 888
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Re: How did the factory paint our trucks?
Black surfaces are most appropriately painted what Krylon used to call "semi-flat black", #1613. IIRC it became "satin" black in more recent times, but the last Krylon I sprayed wasn't worth the cap on top of it so someone else will have to chime in with better options.
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Alex V. ------ 1967 C10 Suburban, 350/NP435, Green/Green, PS, PB, HD cooling, charging, shocks, and springs. 1985 GMC C3500 SRW, Sierra Classic, 454/TH400, white/blue. |
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#3 |
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![]() ![]() Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Mt Airy, MD
Posts: 85,858
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Re: How did the factory paint our trucks?
Panel painted
Black under hood Semi-gloss/satin/low gloss/whatever you want to call it Restoration paint suppliers offer a chassis black. That is right for all these areas. I have used low gloss black engine enamel. Whatever brand Advanced Auto sells, Dupli-Color? The last can I bought they went and changed the name to semi-gloss. I guess it's the same, probably just some marketing BS paint can get thinner on top surfaces because the sun is harder on them and when waxing or polishing there is more pressure placed on them. Edges/ridges go first from that.
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"BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~ |
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Motor City
Posts: 9,200
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Re: How did the factory paint our trucks?
Here are some squarebody assembly pics, which include some of the paint shop:
http://www.73-87.com/7387info/Assembly%20Line.htm '67-72 pickups would have used the same process. The operator is standing beside the vehicle, spraying (mostly horizontally) as required. As a result leading edges and the upper/lower areas get a little less paint coverage than the areas directly in front of him, because it takes more effort to reach high or bend over. Front end sheetmetal was painted separately from the cab/box carrier (in some cases in a different area of the plant). The cowl panel was typically placed on a small fixture that went along with the hood and fenders. K
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Chevrolet Flint Assembly 1979-1986 GM Full Size Truck Engineering 1986 - 2019 Intro from an Old Assembly Guy: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=342926 My Pontiac story: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524 Chevelle intro: http://www.superchevy.com/features/s...hevy-chevelle/ |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Vancouver BC
Posts: 784
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Re: How did the factory paint our trucks?
Wow, thanks for the great replies. The cowl on my truck is definitely coated more thinly than the fenders/doors and even the hood. The sun has damaged the paint on the engine hood more than the other panels, except the cowl, but for 47 year-old paint, it ain't bad.
This truck is not the one I really want, but it is so original, that painting it seems to be the wrong thing to do. The original owner did paint the underside of the hood with a glossy black, not sure why, but wish he had left it alone. Still trying to decide which way to go on this.
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Rick -69 GMC 910 Long Box, 350 -98 Chev Silverado 1500, 350 Vortec 4L60e -08 Mustang GT Convertible |
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#6 |
Special Order
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Location: Mt Airy, MD
Posts: 85,858
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Re: How did the factory paint our trucks?
Keith, how big a batch do they work with in each color?
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"BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~ |
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#7 |
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![]() Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,989
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Re: How did the factory paint our trucks?
That is neat. I wonder if the 55-59 trucks were done the same
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1971 GMC Sierra 1959 GMC 100 |
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Motor City
Posts: 9,200
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Re: How did the factory paint our trucks?
They used to do just one at a time (one of one color, followed by another color) but it got to be cost prohibitive to purge the lines for each color changeover.
In more modern times they batch them in quantities of four or five or six in a row, but there are limits to how many they can do. The UAW does not allow too many of certain options in a row (like A/C, or sunroofs, or manual trans) due to line side work load balance and "color" is one of those items. K
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Chevrolet Flint Assembly 1979-1986 GM Full Size Truck Engineering 1986 - 2019 Intro from an Old Assembly Guy: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=342926 My Pontiac story: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524 Chevelle intro: http://www.superchevy.com/features/s...hevy-chevelle/ |
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Motor City
Posts: 9,200
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Re: How did the factory paint our trucks?
Pretty much.
The process hasn't changed all that much since the 1930's. The manufacturers took advantage of the slow time during the depression to re-vamp the process into the body/chassis build breakup that we still use today. K
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Chevrolet Flint Assembly 1979-1986 GM Full Size Truck Engineering 1986 - 2019 Intro from an Old Assembly Guy: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=342926 My Pontiac story: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524 Chevelle intro: http://www.superchevy.com/features/s...hevy-chevelle/ |
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#10 | |
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Location: Mt Airy, MD
Posts: 85,858
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Re: How did the factory paint our trucks?
Quote:
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"BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~ |
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