Starting a '68 Mustang CJ

[jaydar]

This is my first Mustang. I have seen several articles which show the underside to be red primer between semi-gloss black frame members. Is the red primer accurate for '68??? Assume factory fresh for purposes of this question.

thanks,

joe.

[Guest]

Dave's right,but it looks wrong when you do it. I'm working on a '65 Mustang right now and primered the chassis with some overspray on the sides. I couldn't stand the way it looked,so I painted the frame rails semi gloss black. It may not be "correct",but it sure looks better to me.

[jaydar]

I really appreciate Daves response, but i am tending toward your solution.

The red oxide will still be different from the dark gray i use for GM and Mopar chassis.

joe.

[jaydar]

In 1968, i thought that the frame sections came to the factory already painted black from the sub contractor and the sheet metal areas were mated after the sheet metal was primed therefore producing the effect plowboy described. the overspray was the result of painting after mating the body to the frame which contained the sheet metal sections.

I would like to understand the actual colors and i do appreciate your first response.

joe.

[Monty]

Nice reference pics, Double D. Thanks!

[jaydar]

http://photos.ecarlist.com/Rf/TJ/0V/5z/QJ/1R/BC/nT/zh/qC/jQ_800.jpg

Dave,

Thank you for the information. I appreciate the time you took help me with this. The second photo which i included is not as clear that everything was red oxide primer but i certainly see that it was in the first picture. There appears to be much of the rear in black.

Nevertheless i will change my plans on this.

Can you comment about the areas that appear to be black in the second picture??

thanks again,

joe.

[jaydar]

pretty much the only black parts in that pic are the rear leaf springs and the rear axle housing. the frame rails and floor are red oxide. the rear springs and the shock plates don't even look to be solid black either and have a metallic sheen to them or maybe even a very, very dark metallic grey color. in scale i'd either go with flat black for those parts, maybe rubbed slightly with some Metalizer "dust" or even paint them something like Metalizer Gunmetal with a black wash to bring out detail and highlight those parts slightly. the rear axle housing i'd paint semi-gloss black.

Dave,

does this info hold true for 1970? I may be shelving the '68 in favor of the 1970 Boss 302.

thanks,

joe.

[Nova-ss]

On most cars from the factory are painted semi gloss black.there was some parts like shocks,exhaust,engine trans pans,parts like that are different then semi gloss,but to show the difference in parts you need to have slightly diffent colors or tones of blk and from gloss to flat.no to say anything about the road dirt and greases that are present on the undercarridge of cars or trucks.these days you can see the body color on the firewall and bottom were the body is.hopefully that make some sense.good lucky,Chris

[SteveG]

Here's a few photos of a Mustang CJ I built for a good friend using his restored 1:1 as a guide. His car had a lot of overspay on the floor pans but that could very from car to car. The engine bays are low gloss black and some of overspray does get on the lower front unibody too. Most of the bolt on chassis parts are either semi-gloss black or the natural metal colors.

I have some in progess photos starting near the bottom of page three in my Fotki albums. I hope they help you.

Mustang CJ build photos

[spkgibson]

the frame sections were built by Ford in thier own factories, not by subcontractors. also keep in mind and remember that the Mustang was a unibody car with the frame and body being once piece. in the front you have a separate crossmember and suspension components that attached to that. the main rails were not separate in the front or the back. reference material that i have of stock Mustangs show black painted engine compartments and inner fenderwells with very limited overspray of the black on the bottom side. the black was applied after the main body color

http://photos.ecarlist.com/0X/Yf/OF/lU/8Y/z7/1u/DQ/Ki/a6/8g_800.jpg

http://photos.ecarlist.com/Rf/TJ/0V/5z/QJ/1R/BC/nT/zh/qC/jQ_800.jpg

100% Correct, Unibody cars DID NOT HAVE BLACK FRAME RAILS,PERIOD! Only Full frame cars did. Chryslers were all Primer with The color Oversprayed on them, Only GM,And Ford Motor Company had Black Subframes,But that depends on the years of car also ,Research the heck out of the subject you're going to start, Before even thinking about painting anything.