1966 under body blackout

[Curt C.]

I know this has been discussed before but I could not locate what I need. Where is a good source to actually see what a car looked like right after the blackout process? What is the best material to use and how should it be applied? Also, what receives the blackout and what is left unpainted? I know that the process is sometimes referred to as "mitting" but I think it was sprayed on. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[William C.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

As far as the underbody is concerned, the only blackout paint you should see is on areas where overspray from the wheelwells would hit. The flat section of the underbody is essentially bare fiberglass. the engine compartment is blacked out using a spray gun from above. Coverage of the lower areas of the footwells and the transmission tunnel area will vary. There are some pictures in Noland Adam's 63-67 Corvette Book, available from the NCRS store, but the above description should get you on the right track.

[Rick S.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Curt & Bill,
I have wondered about the condition of the underbody since the purchase of my car in 2001 and thought about the reddish tint on my underbody fiberglass while cleaning off Bubba's undercoating. This was an inquiry about the job number and reddish tint and here is John Hinckley's response on the CF. My point is, after cleaning off Bubba's undercoating, there was a wide area of this reddish spray that went fairly high on the footwell.http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1980415

[Rick S.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

I failed to point out that I believe this to be an original condition in the photo, other than where you can obviously see where I cleaned around the the job # "60".

[William C.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Probably Primer. You are well into the area that would be blacked out.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Curt & Bill,
I have wondered about the condition of the underbody since the purchase of my car in 2001 and thought about the reddish tint on my underbody fiberglass while cleaning off Bubba's undercoating. This was an inquiry about the job number and reddish tint and here is John Hinckley's response on the CF. My point is, after cleaning off Bubba's undercoating, there was a wide area of this reddish spray that went fairly high on the footwell.http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1980415

Here's another. This is a very low mileage 64. (4100) The engine compartment has only been washed with soap & water. Nothing has been repainted. Almost all the coating on the angled section of the floor pan is primer.

[William C.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Not "typical" but not unusual at all, as described by many, the job was shot from above with only as much coverage as necessary, that is when the boss chewed A-- more got coverage, no feedback meant less coverage. You have a fine example in the picture of a "No Feedback" day.

[Rick S.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Bill,
Please help me out on understanding this primer. Are you saying that primer was applied that far down, the car was painted and then blackout was sprayed in the engine compartment? Plus, were all cars primed with the same primer that had this reddish tint? If in fact the reddish tint primer went that far down, then why didn't the cars final paint color show up at least partially? Sorry for the dumb questions but I'm trying to understand the process and to believe what I am seeing on my car may be original.
Rick

[Michael H.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Are you saying that primer was applied that far down, the car was painted and then blackout was sprayed in the engine compartment? Plus, were all cars primed with the same primer that had this reddish tint? If in fact the reddish tint primer went that far down, then why didn't the cars final paint color show up at least partially? Sorry for the dumb questions but I'm trying to understand the process and to believe what I am seeing on my car may be original.
Rick

Rick, looks like Bill is absent. Yes, the process would have gotten primer, and at times, a lot of body color on the vertical face of the firewall.
The prime process included the firewall and fender inner skirts. (with control arm dust shields in place) Because the vertical surface of the firewall was the target, often the lower angled surface would receive primer also, depending on the angle of spray. It wasn't required though.

The body color operation did not intentionally coat the firewall or fender skirts but normally these surfaces still received a fair amount of color when the inner section of the fenders was shot. Since the firewall was not the intended target for body color, you probably won't ever see much of it on the angled surface of the firewall.

The engine compartment blackout process, performed after body color, was intended for the vertical portion of the firewall but, as in the prime process, that would depend on the angle that the painter held the gun.

By the way, no engine compartment or under hood surfaces were ever sanded during any of these operations. The original texture of the fiberglass should be very obvious when restored properly.

[Rick S.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Michael,
When the body color was sprayed, how and the heck did they not get a lot of color overspray within the engine compartment? Or did the blackout process cover that overspray? I can understand that my Goodwood green may not show up in overspray but what about the contrasting colors of white or yellow versus the blackout? Once again maybe a dumb question but trying to understand what took place in the factory 40+ years ago.

Regards,
Rick

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Michael,
When the body color was sprayed, how and the heck did they not get a lot of color overspray within the engine compartment? Or did the blackout process cover that overspray? I can understand that my Goodwood green may not show up in overspray but what about the contrasting colors of white or yellow versus the blackout? Once again maybe a dumb question but trying to understand what took place in the factory 40+ years ago.

Regards,
Rick

Rick,

See the picture of my 72's left inner fender.
As you can see, the blackout did not entirely cover the body color paint, and there is more evidence of this through the rest of the engine compartment.

Patrick

[Michael H.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Michael,
When the body color was sprayed, how and the heck did they not get a lot of color overspray within the engine compartment? Or did the blackout process cover that overspray? I can understand that my Goodwood green may not show up in overspray but what about the contrasting colors of white or yellow versus the blackout? Once again maybe a dumb question but trying to understand what took place in the factory 40+ years ago.

Regards,
Rick

Patricks picture is an excellent example. The spray guns used at the factory had a VERY wide spray pattern and were operated at very high pressure so overspray would be normal on the fender skirt inner surface and also on quite a bit of the firewall.
There was. at times, so much body color on the skirts that the rubber control arm flaps had body color on them under the blackout.

The blackout process was last so it would have covered all/most of the primer and/or body color areas on the skirts and firewall but there were almost always areas that showed primer or body color, especially on the inside of the louver panels.

I suppose much of it was due to the fact that the guy that sprayed the blackout was not the same guy that applied the body color.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

I suppose much of it was due to the fact that the guy that sprayed the blackout was not the same guy that applied the blackout.

Don't you mean that the guy who applied the body color was not the guy who applied the blackout?

My "guess" is that the blackout guy stood on the driver's side of the car, but that's only my guess.

Patrick

[Michael H.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Don't you mean that the guy who applied the body color was not the guy who applied the blackout?

My "guess" is that the blackout guy stood on the driver's side of the car, but that's only my guess.

Patrick

Yup, I just corrected it. I'm trying to do about three different things at once here and I can't even walk and chew gum at the same time.

Typically, there were two guys doing engine compt blackout. One on each side. Occasionally, there was just one.

[Mike M.]

Re: 1966 under body blackout

Michael,
what about the drip trays under the hood?
I see what appears to be very light sanding marks and variation in the "Dimple" on original cars that may be the result of some sanding.
Thank you
H. a. N. D.