72 wiper compartment paint questions

[Randall K.]

This is a long-delayed continuation of a thread I started almost 2 years ago. I'm in the process - FINALLY - of starting to put things back IN to the car.

I have questions for the paint and paint process experts out there. I have attached two photos of the inside of the wiper compartment. What I see is orange overspray (my car is Ontario Orange), but no evidence of overspray on the black sealer, and no evidence of blackout in many areas of the compartment.

There was also minor orange overspray on my wiper arms and wiper transmission (with gray primer underneath), and just a tiny bit on the wiper door mechanism.

The two pictures attached show little to no paint around and inside the recess in back of the wiper door vacuum motor, and old black sealer by the wiper motor.

Is it possible that I'm looking at:
a. sloppy overspray from a repaint (I was told that the car was repainted some time before I bought it)?
b. factory repaint overspray?
c. factory failed to blackout wiper compartment?
d. something else?

I'm willing to touch up this area if necessary, but I don't want to be guilty of "over-restoration" either.

Thanks for any/all opinions.

Randy

[Terry M.]

Re: 72 wiper compartment paint questions

In the second picture the orange overspray on the hose(s) tells me all I need to know. It is there from a repaint. Those hoses would have been installed after paint & black-out at St Louis.

[Randall K.]

Re: 72 wiper compartment paint questions

Terry - makes sense, and I was leaning that way.

What troubles me is what appears to be lack of overspray on the sealer, and no blackout in the areas pictured. Wouldn't the bead of dark pink sealer/adhesive been covered in blackout?

Was the blackout application not always consistent?

Thanks
Randy

[Terry M.]

Re: 72 wiper compartment paint questions

Terry - makes sense, and I was leaning that way.

What troubles me is what appears to be lack of overspray on the sealer, and no blackout in the areas pictured. Wouldn't the bead of dark pink sealer/adhesive been covered in blackout?

Was the blackout application not always consistent?

Thanks
Randy

[Randall K.]

Re: 72 wiper compartment paint questions

Terry - I hope you don't mind the chain of follow-ups...

I'm fairly convinced that the remaining sealant is original - mainly due to its appearance, and the fact that it's really hard and brittle on both side of the firewall.

So... the question for you and any other of the body/paint experts out there, is should I do anything about the appearance, and if so, what?

Thanks
Randy

[Edward J.]

Re: 72 wiper compartment paint questions

Randall, The judging manuel calls for black out in the recess of the wiper door area, Why not try cleaning the oversparay off,Or just redo the blackout, It is a area the judges do look at. and the hoses will need to be cleaned, a little lacquer thinner on a rag will remove. just becarful of the painted surfaces.

[Randall K.]

Re: 72 wiper compartment paint questions

Hi Edward - any suggestions on what might clean the overspray and not damage the black-out? Best I can think of is a cleaner like Simple Green and a kitchen scrubber or emery paper...

The hoses need to go anyhow - multiple cracks and holes.

Thanks
Randy

[Chuck S.]

Re: 72 wiper compartment paint questions

...I'm fairly convinced that the remaining sealant is original - mainly due to its appearance, and the fact that it's really hard and brittle on both side of the firewall.

So... the question for you and any other of the body/paint experts out there, is should I do anything about the appearance, and if so, what?
...

Terry is correct; the overspray on the hoses would definitely be post factory.

I'm no "expert", but looking at the picture, it appears that the blackout is actually flaking off orange overspray on the floor of the wiper compartment. It's hard to be sure from the picture, but I wouldn't be surprised to see factory orange overspray UNDER the factory blackout either, because the blackout would have been applied AFTER the body color was applied.

If you are preparing the car for judging, you'll probably want to restore the blackout as a minimum unless you are ultimately planning for Bowtie judging. Simply respraying the blackout would render the question of cleaning the "overspray" moot once the hoses are replaced.

[Edward J.]

Re: 72 wiper compartment paint questions

Hi Edward - any suggestions on what might clean the overspray and not damage the black-out? Best I can think of is a cleaner like Simple Green and a kitchen scrubber or emery paper...

The hoses need to go anyhow - multiple cracks and holes.

Thanks
Randy

Randall, the only thing that may remove the paint is possiably lacquer and thinner w/ fine steel wool, but may remove the blackout with it.