Original paint?
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Napa, CA
Look in all the usual places for tell tale old paint and/or evidence of masking. Under door sill plates, door jamb hinge area, under deck lid, behind headlight bezels, overspray in inner wheel wells, under gas filler lid etc.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Omaha NE
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Get a bunch of pics and show them to us...
Any idea if the mileage is original? I'd look at the chips....especially the dog legs on a '69...
Any idea if the mileage is original? I'd look at the chips....especially the dog legs on a '69...
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
Remove one of the door sill plates (4 screws). The surface underneath was painted with the body at the factory. If the car had a re-paint, that sill could have been painted, too. But there are usually localized spots in the vicinity which didn't get masked well and show the original paint.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,103
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From: Massapequa Park NY
Look for things that don’t belong.
Look for overspray. If there is any body color paint on any suspension pieces or frame the car is repainted. Overspray on the spare tire tub is also a sign. Bodies were painted before they were dropped onto the frame so no color should be on the parts I mentioned. If you see body color on the area in the engine compartment in front of the cowl then it’s a sign of a repaint. That area should be blacked out. Often overlooked. Look for overspray under the hood on top of the black. Look for overspray on the wiper parts. Look for overspray on the door jamb striker and other parts.
There SHOULD be overspray on the headlight parts as they were installed before factory painting. But it’s also a good place to look if the factory color was changed.
Or you could post pics here.
Good luck.
Look for overspray. If there is any body color paint on any suspension pieces or frame the car is repainted. Overspray on the spare tire tub is also a sign. Bodies were painted before they were dropped onto the frame so no color should be on the parts I mentioned. If you see body color on the area in the engine compartment in front of the cowl then it’s a sign of a repaint. That area should be blacked out. Often overlooked. Look for overspray under the hood on top of the black. Look for overspray on the wiper parts. Look for overspray on the door jamb striker and other parts.
There SHOULD be overspray on the headlight parts as they were installed before factory painting. But it’s also a good place to look if the factory color was changed.
Or you could post pics here.
Good luck.
Race Director
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From: Virginia
Le Mans Master
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LQQK for overspray !!!
If that doesn't help, then get a large 8" x 10" piece of sand paper rub it hard in a large clockwise circle, pressing down firmly with the center of your palm & using only 2 fingers not all 5 as not to damage the hood. Then proceed to count how many colors & layers you see
Paint meters, measuring the paint thickness are also available now.
If that doesn't help, then get a large 8" x 10" piece of sand paper rub it hard in a large clockwise circle, pressing down firmly with the center of your palm & using only 2 fingers not all 5 as not to damage the hood. Then proceed to count how many colors & layers you see
Paint meters, measuring the paint thickness are also available now.
Last edited by 427SIXPACK; Oct 8, 2021 at 10:42 PM.
Le Mans Master
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Melting Slicks
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If you can post high res pics that would help. There are consistencies with original paint cars and how the factory painted them. One thing to note is that of you see overspray in areas that shouldn't normally have it, I wouldn't discount that the car still has original paint. I have seen a number of examples where the plant in 69 would fix areas of the paint that was not up to standard. The plant had a lot of issues in paint and body in 69 leading to a main reason that black was discounted as a color until 1977.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2019
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From: Indiana
There is also a good chance a % of the car was repainted…especially lacquer as it can be easily blended especially solid colors.
so if you see some obvious signs of repaint, it may not be 100%,
so if you see some obvious signs of repaint, it may not be 100%,
Last edited by interpon; Oct 9, 2021 at 09:15 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2020
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From: Wisconsin
Last edited by wwiiavfan; Oct 9, 2021 at 08:46 AM.
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
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From: US-PNW
My '72 still wears its original paint and it's pretty obvious that a repaint hasn't been done over the last 50 years. The lacquer is crazed; thin on the fender peaks, t-tops, and hood; scuffed and chipped from wear and tear; and still has the dealer-installed pin striping! Not too pretty up close but it's a decent 20/30 car.
Last edited by barkingrats; Oct 9, 2021 at 01:03 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,753
Likes: 721
From: Lafayette Louisiana
Suggestion:
This method became unpopular for obvious reasons after the first check.
Wet a rag with lacquer thinner and rub an inconspicuous spot at the bottom of a fender. St Louis lacquer will dissolve and rub off color onto the rag.
Now this is not a 100% check, but unusual to repaint with lacquer plus as others say above; remove door sills, look for overspray, etc and you can likely say with maybe 90% certainty paint is original or not.
Hope this helps and if paint looks good
I say enjoy it, original or not.
Wet a rag with lacquer thinner and rub an inconspicuous spot at the bottom of a fender. St Louis lacquer will dissolve and rub off color onto the rag.
Now this is not a 100% check, but unusual to repaint with lacquer plus as others say above; remove door sills, look for overspray, etc and you can likely say with maybe 90% certainty paint is original or not.
Hope this helps and if paint looks good
I say enjoy it, original or not.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
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From: Western NY
You got THAT right!!!
My wife and I were just dating, when she bought her '79 C-3, brand new. The paint job on it was HORRIBLE! The dealer told her, when they delivered it, it there were any minor "hiccups" in the paint to note them, and make an appointment to bring it back. (I wasn't with her, the day she picked it up) The car was the 'frost blue', a very light color. I got a black grease pencil, and circled all the "hiccups", the day before she took it back.
When I got done with it, the car looked like a leopard....................
My wife and I were just dating, when she bought her '79 C-3, brand new. The paint job on it was HORRIBLE! The dealer told her, when they delivered it, it there were any minor "hiccups" in the paint to note them, and make an appointment to bring it back. (I wasn't with her, the day she picked it up) The car was the 'frost blue', a very light color. I got a black grease pencil, and circled all the "hiccups", the day before she took it back.
When I got done with it, the car looked like a leopard....................
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 9,137
Likes: 4,248
From: US-PNW
Look for things that don’t belong.
Look for overspray. If there is any body color paint on any suspension pieces or frame the car is repainted. Overspray on the spare tire tub is also a sign. Bodies were painted before they were dropped onto the frame so no color should be on the parts I mentioned. If you see body color on the area in the engine compartment in front of the cowl then it’s a sign of a repaint. That area should be blacked out. Often overlooked. Look for overspray under the hood on top of the black. Look for overspray on the wiper parts. Look for overspray on the door jamb striker and other parts.
There SHOULD be overspray on the headlight parts as they were installed before factory painting. But it’s also a good place to look if the factory color was changed.
Or you could post pics here.
Good luck.
Look for overspray. If there is any body color paint on any suspension pieces or frame the car is repainted. Overspray on the spare tire tub is also a sign. Bodies were painted before they were dropped onto the frame so no color should be on the parts I mentioned. If you see body color on the area in the engine compartment in front of the cowl then it’s a sign of a repaint. That area should be blacked out. Often overlooked. Look for overspray under the hood on top of the black. Look for overspray on the wiper parts. Look for overspray on the door jamb striker and other parts.
There SHOULD be overspray on the headlight parts as they were installed before factory painting. But it’s also a good place to look if the factory color was changed.
Or you could post pics here.
Good luck.