Putty Rub ('69): what is it/modern equivalent?

[Steven C.]

My '69 has much of its original tuxedo black paint. I am reworking the hood surround, and stripping where I need to with a razor blade. I'm exposing the reddish brown coating, and also can see it in some other bare areas on the car. I believe this is the "putty rub" that Bizzoco and others describe.

It seems like a highly durable material, and I'd like to use it on the touchup and on the bare black galss fender portion and front valance that I am replacing.

Is it "spot putty", a high-build primer, a polyester body filler, or something else? Is there a modern equivalent that might be compatible with the exisiting material below and lacquer primer/topcoat above?

I'm hopping to paint just portions of the car to preserve as much original paint as possible, and I'm going to try to build the same finish: putty rub, red primer, gray primer, black lacquer.

Thanks in advance,

Steve

[Chuck S.]

Re: Putty Rub ('69): what is it/modern equivalent?

Without pictures or a better description, I would have to say that is red oxide primer...the entire body is painted with it as the first coat. You should have gone through the color coats, and a sealer coat (gray on a white car) before you got to the red oxide. Below the red oxide primer is bare fiberglass.

Maybe "putty rub" is a 69 thing...when I stripped my 70, the exposed seams were bonding adhesive ground to contour; didn't see any "putty rub".

[Steven C.]

Putty Rub ('69): Not red primer

Thanks, Chuck.

I think the putty rub was something else, that looks like red oxide primer. I'm pretty sure that it was used for a number of years to include '70. It may be a red oxide putty, but I don't think it was sprayed on.

Bizzoco describes putty rub, red primer, gray primer (sanded off as a guide coat), gray primer, color coats.

I'm convinced the putty rub is what we see when paint is nicked or bubbled, the color/primer coats "let go" pretty easily under a razor blade, but this reddish-brown stuff is left.

[John H.]

Re: Putty Rub ('69): Not red primer

Steve -

"Putty Rub" was a special 2-part polyester pit/scratch/gouge filler, applied by hand, and was used starting in 1953 to fill surface imperfections prior to the grind booth; photo below of it being applied in 1963.

[Steven C.]

Thanks, John - Is it currently available,

or is bondo the closest thing.

Thanks,

Steve

[Lyndon S.]

Re: Thanks, John - Is it currently available,

3M makes a tube of the red and you should be able to find the red tube of bondo at the parts/paint store.

[Steven C.]

Thanks, Kelly *NM*

[Anthony F.]

[Steven C.]

Tony...great stuff, was it reddish, few more ??

Tony,

Now we're getting somewhere! What a wonderful memory you have, thanks for answering in such detail.

I get the total body putty rub from Bizzoco's '69 book, as well as from http://www.corvette.net/paint-4.htm: "PRIMARY SANDING - All body panels and bonded joints that received acrylic lacquer are dry sanded to prepare surfaces for painting. A filler material (called putty rub) is applied to the entire body to fill minor imperfections."

I don't know whether I'm looking at "putty rub" or red primer after the razor blade, but it seems thicker than sprayed primer, and separates easily from the paint. Your description sounds like a process that could be used to "rub" the whole car.

I really don't think it is the bright red, 1-part, spot putty commercially available...that seems to dry hard and brittle. Likewise, I don't think you were describing a 2-part polyester filler.

Thanks for responding.

Steve

[Michael M.]

Re: Tony...great stuff, was it reddish, few more ?

Hi, What I haven`t seen mentioned was Lacquer glazing putty usually in red oxide but sometimes gray use to be made by Dupont in the 60`s. Had to be applied in thin coats or wouldn`t dry well. I sold tons of it to body shops in 60`s and early 70`s. Probably not exactly what was described by a lot was used to fill ptn holes back then.

[george romano]

I remember Nitro Stan.

We used it to fill scratches and pin holes. It used to shrink like crazy after a short time and the scratches would be visible once again.

George

[Michael M.]

Re: I remember Nitro Stan.

You are exactly right. I forgot how bad it would shrink. 3M now markets a "Acryl-Blue and Acryl-White finishing putty . Probably comes in other colors maybe red. I sell the white and blue in the marine market now. It states it is fast drying and low shrinkage and sands easily. It is probably close but hopefully improved from the old Dupont product. Parts numbers are 05964 for blue and 05962 for white.

[george romano]

Thanks for the info Mike.

I'll give it a try on my next project!

George