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Old 01-17-2021, 05:13 PM   #1
john charlton
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Default NOS paint thickness

I have a NOS 1931 commercial rad shell (not AA) . It does have a little shelf damage but still has most all of its original gloss black paint . It looks as if it was dip painted as at the bottom shell return under the crank hole cover the paint is thicker .I suppose it was hung up to dry and run through a hot oven .There is no trace of any primer under the black enamel just bare steel the paint thickness is only a few thou. I suppose Ford had made many millions of vehicles and would know how long on average they would last so why waste too much protective paint . Some original sheet metal I have looked at also seem to have very thin paint thickness . I think we mostly put way to much paint on when restoring just my thoughts .

John in cold locked down Suffolk County England .
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Old 01-17-2021, 06:12 PM   #2
J Franklin
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Default Re: NOS paint thickness

I once painted my '66 mustang exterior with 2 quarts of Centari paint, 1/2 qt of reducer, with a small amount of hardener added. It was my first enamel job and It covered just fine.

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Old 01-17-2021, 06:53 PM   #3
jb-ob
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Default Re: NOS paint thickness

John,

Very correct observation John, in the paint world less is always more. More primer & topcoat paint will not make the surface more durable or have a deeper shine.
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Old 01-18-2021, 08:40 AM   #4
77Birdman
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Default Re: NOS paint thickness

Would be nice to see some original paint examples. I would imagine they put on just what was needed. And yes, most aspects of a car are over restored today. In defense, its what people expect though. I would imagine if a shop did 'factory correct' work, they would end up in a fight over final payment.
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Old 01-18-2021, 10:05 AM   #5
Oldbluoval
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Default Re: NOS paint thickness

The biggest culprit I’ve seen is overloading the substrate
It used to be really bad when red oxide and lacquer-based putty’s were around
Load it up and chips in months. Too much of the new products can be the same way
When painting, I paint enough to get it covered; maybe 2-3 coats
Compatibility is another issue imho ; use one mfg all way thru and still read the data sheets thoroughly
Btw I don’t paint that much anymore to be fully versed in new products. I travel in a small tunnel of products particularly ppg but dang expensive stuff
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Old 01-18-2021, 04:28 PM   #6
BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Default Re: NOS paint thickness

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John, I would need to look on the factory print for the specified M-Specs, but I would expect to see that it was originally dipped in the same Black bonderizer as what was specified for fender and aprons. Therefore it did have a primer before the topcoat, but since it was Black, you probably did not differentiate between the two.
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Old 01-20-2021, 03:17 PM   #7
Kevin in NJ
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Default Re: NOS paint thickness

I think you you need to consider some factors.

Were they production year vintage? Or post production?

Were they US made or English?

I do not know if there were any differences, but later replacement parts were contracted out. The parts may not be the same as production year in quality or fit.
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Old 01-22-2021, 06:56 AM   #8
john charlton
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Default Re: NOS paint thickness

I have had a good look at the shell at the interface between the surface rust and enamel .I used a magnifying glass but I cannot detect any undercoat ,if there is both layers must be a thou,thick . Could be it is English made and a different paint regimen. Ford did have the 600 ton Bliss presses . Easy way to tell an English built vehicle as waffle headed rivets were not used here just plain round head .These are easily seen in pickup cabs and tudors etc etc , Not relevant to the shell but Ford did stamp sheet metal in England .

John in cold sunny morning Suffolk County England .
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Old 01-22-2021, 07:27 AM   #9
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Default Re: NOS paint thickness

Don't know about Ford but Dodge Brothers wiped the bodies down with gasoline, no primer. They got two coats and were sanded then got a final coat before going into the oven. I've read that in factory documents. And I've seen a factory video of the body being painted by garden hoses one guy on each side. The excess ran back into the vat to be reused. Plenty of runs in an original paint car.
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Old 01-23-2021, 01:33 PM   #10
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Default Re: NOS paint thickness

The car ended up with 4 coats of colour on the body. 2 coats and then it was sanded and two more coats. Probably in the 3 to 4 mil. range being Lacquer. After it was polished. Fenders being enamel and dipped would have been at least 4 mils and maybe 6 mils.
Ford cars today have 3 to 4 mils from the factory. Things usually don't change much in production. Make it look good, keep the cost down. 50 years in the body and paint trade and counting. My thoughts JP
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