Original colors of engine compartment ???

[69 air cab]

Does anyone know .......if a 69 truck was red was the firewall red also or black originally? If the firewall was red were the wheel wells and rediator support red or black? I want to paint my truck torch red but really wanted to go with the original chevy orange on the engine....but............that doesn't sound too good. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[shuttermutt]

I believe that the firewall, inner fenders, radiator support and so forth were all 60/40 black from the factory. That being said, I say do whatever you want. With every car or truck I've done, I always find some excuse to go back to the factory schema.

Now, I'm getting pretty tired with going back stock and I'm itching to start my '67 which has absolutely no reason to be stock in any fashion! I'm leaning towards ultra yellow, smoothed firewall, lots of billet, completely custom interior with aftermarket gauges, leather, and all that fun stuff. I've just got to finish my Chevelle and this '68 CST first!

[lukecp]

The firewall should be body color....the rest was some sort of black

[gonebad2]

Originally posted by shuttermutt
I believe that the firewall, inner fenders, radiator support and so forth were all 60/40 black from the factory. That being said, I say do whatever you want. With every car or truck I've done, I always find some excuse to go back to the factory schema.

Now, I'm getting pretty tired with going back stock and I'm itching to start my '67 which has absolutely no reason to be stock in any fashion! I'm leaning towards ultra yellow, smoothed firewall, lots of billet, completely custom interior with aftermarket gauges, leather, and all that fun stuff. I've just got to finish my Chevelle and this '68 CST first!

Not to step on your post but thought I would post this for shuttermutt. Sounds like we are building the same truck. I did a minor smooth job on the firewall. Lots of billet and chrome and leather interior. I didn't go with aftermarket gauges. Mine are stock with a tach and vacuum gauge. Seats are from a 69 Vette. Door panels and headliner are leather also.

Stock paint scheme: Firewall was same as body color, inner fenders and core support were semi gloss black

[gonebad2]

don't want to step on your post but here's #2 for shuttermutt

[69 air cab]

Gonebad2,
Did you paint the underside to your cab yellow too or did it go black?.........nice job by the way.

[gonebad2]

Thanks 69 air cab. The underside was undercoated. I'm trying to figure out a way of building a body rotisserie. It wouldmake it alot easier to work on the underside. Build your truck the way you want..Dare to be a little different than stock. Please post some pics as you make progress

[69 air cab]

Thanks Gonebad2. It is totally apart currently. I have a guy blasting the bare, and I do mean bare, frame this week while I am cleaning and rebuilding the front end and rearend. I will post pictures as I go. I also plan to put leather in my cab. I was moving to paint everything (radiator support, wheel wells, under side of cab) all torch red......frame will be black of course.....but I have been thinking today of going simi-gloss on the radiator shell, wells and possibly undercoating the bottom of the cab.........all only so I can get my cab placed back on my frame before I paint..........what ya think? And say........any pics of your chassie would be appreciated.

[gonebad2]

The inner fenders and core support were powder coated semi-gloss black. The color matches the original GM black perfectly. A buddy of mine powder coated his core support and inner fenders red(to match the rest of his truck). He really hated it after it was done. Seeing the red core support behind the grill just didn't look right. Definatley paint the cab off of the frame. Here is a good tip for you. If you are replacing any panels due to rust such as floor pans, keep the cab bolted to the frame until you have completed the job. A guy I work with cut out the floor pans and welded in new ones with the cab off the frame. When he bolted it back on the frame, it was twead so bad the doors wouldn't even shut.

[69 air cab]

I think you know have me settled on what to paint black. I was thinking the red on the radiator support would not look good through the grill. I also felt that with everything red in the engine compartment that the engine would not stand out.....thanks....I know what to do now from your input.
Great advice on the floor pans. I too have heard of problems like that. I only had about 6 small places with holes. Three of them we were able to just weld up and the other three we cut out and welded new pieces in. The larges of those was about 1 1/2" by 3"........maybe I will be ok on my doors.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

That's gonna be a pimp ride when your done 69 ....How abot more pic's of the dash..