Painting 63 Decklid

[John Farwell]

Does anyone know what was and what was NOT painted on the underside of an early 63...Hardware wise??? Were all the release mechanisms, catches, grommets, latches, cable bolts and cables all painted?

[Jack H.]

Re: Painting 63 Decklid

I'm a little lost because of the word 'decklid' in the subject (makes me think of cylinder case's upper surface + stamp pad) followed by text that seems to talk to the car's undercarriage.....

If it's an undercarriage issue, you have to go item by item using the Judging Guide to help. Little was painted but there WAS a black-out and 'mitting' process for select items (exhaust pipes, certain suspensioin components, mufflers, Etc.). The Noland Adams book (Corvette Restoration, Vol 2) has some excellent pictures of each year's car stood on end ('before' shots from Milford Proving Grounds). Many of us have studied these with a magnifying glass to glean information about how the undercarriage was prep'd at the factory.

If you're talking about engine compartment items, here's a general rule that helps: "If the AIM shows the part going on at the St. Louis final assy line, it probably wasn't there when the Flint/Tonawanda engine was painted with Chevy orange....."

[John Farwell]

Re: Painting 63 Decklid

Sorry...should have been more specific.

The deckLid is the body panel that hinges direcly behind the driver and passenger seats on all midyear convertibles.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Painting 63 Decklid

Everything under there was on the car at paint time, so it all got painted.

[Gary Cederman]

Re: Painting 63 Decklid

Wayne,

I am not sure if you are correct because, the underside of the body does not have paint on it. So, if the parts underneath the body got painted when the body was painted then for sure the underside of the body would have gotten some paint. Only the wheel wells and engine compartment got any so called 'paint'. My '63 has nothing but bare fiberglass.

Maybe I am misunderstanding the question. If so, sorry.

Gary

[Wayne W.]

Re: Painting 63 Decklid

As best I can tell he asked only about the deck lid.

[Gary Cederman]

Sorry Wayne. I miss-read! *NM*

[Loren L.]

Re: Painting 63 Decklid

If it is a 2-top car, the receivers for the hardtop bolts are NOT painted - not in place.