Was original firewall painted?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 47
From: Scarborough Maine Fredericksburg VA
Was original firewall painted?
Like many of you I started with a fairly simple project when I wanted to freshen up my engine. Well you can't put a nice new engine into a crusty space so I have now redone the front suspension, all new wiring, new vacuum lines, took out and rebuilt the heater and windshield washer and on and on.
Part of this was to take everything off the firewall to replace torn or just old seals and clean it all up. After cleaning it looks really good and I have repainted the frame where I could (zero rust and looks great) and thought I would repaint the firewall but now that it is cleaned up you can see the large numbers they had put on it originally in white as part of the building process. I know you can't see those when everything is back in but it made me wonder if they ever painted this black or is it just left as is?
I am not trying to do any NCRS restore but it seems a shame to paint over those build numbers. Any idea what the number 45 means?
This pic is before I was completed cleaning it up Thoughts?
Part of this was to take everything off the firewall to replace torn or just old seals and clean it all up. After cleaning it looks really good and I have repainted the frame where I could (zero rust and looks great) and thought I would repaint the firewall but now that it is cleaned up you can see the large numbers they had put on it originally in white as part of the building process. I know you can't see those when everything is back in but it made me wonder if they ever painted this black or is it just left as is?
I am not trying to do any NCRS restore but it seems a shame to paint over those build numbers. Any idea what the number 45 means?
This pic is before I was completed cleaning it up Thoughts?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
Likes: 315
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I believe only the upper portion of the firewall received blackout. The lower portion where the scribbled build number appears did not. I would not get carried away with the blackout, regardless of whether or not you are trying to go the so-called NCRS route. Nobody sees it anyhow.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
The firewall and other engine compartment surfaces were painted with factory blackout paint. That paint is very similar in appearance to semi-flat or satin black spray paint. Semi-gloss black is too shiny for those surfaces; semi-gloss should be used on components, instead (air cleaner, P/S hardware, brackets, fan, etc.).
You already have a photo of the original factory 'info markings' on the firewall. Why not repaint it so that it will look as nice as the rest of the engine area...but put those hand-written codes back on after you repaint?
You already have a photo of the original factory 'info markings' on the firewall. Why not repaint it so that it will look as nice as the rest of the engine area...but put those hand-written codes back on after you repaint?
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
45 is assembly line shorthand for the job number. Your actual job number would probably have been three digits. (145, 245, 345 etc). You might find the complete number in different places on the car, but the toe kick number was shortened.
Here's job number 394:
310:
Holes drilled for power brakes on this car:
Here's job number 394:
310:
Holes drilled for power brakes on this car:
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 47
From: Scarborough Maine Fredericksburg VA
The number does show up in a few other places as well like on the rear bulkhead and in the interior space. Can't remember what that number is but will check.
This obviously means that section was either not painted or painted before the number went on which caused my first question. The part where the number is doesn't appear to have been painted but the top piece of the firewall does. I also had black paint on parts that shouldn't be painted like the fuel line so I know someone "touched it up" along the way and I have cleaned that up.
This obviously means that section was either not painted or painted before the number went on which caused my first question. The part where the number is doesn't appear to have been painted but the top piece of the firewall does. I also had black paint on parts that shouldn't be painted like the fuel line so I know someone "touched it up" along the way and I have cleaned that up.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,283
Likes: 4,373
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi,
I believe the number is the job number. It was written on the tank sheet, (order copy), too. It was a way to keep track of cars on the production line. I believe they started with 1 and went through 500 before starting over.
A paint stick/crayon was used to write the # in sequence on the bare fiberglass; the black out covered some to some degree and others not at all when the painter couldn't bend down, (which was often).
Regards,
Alan
I believe the number is the job number. It was written on the tank sheet, (order copy), too. It was a way to keep track of cars on the production line. I believe they started with 1 and went through 500 before starting over.
A paint stick/crayon was used to write the # in sequence on the bare fiberglass; the black out covered some to some degree and others not at all when the painter couldn't bend down, (which was often).
Regards,
Alan
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