C3: Headlight Housing Original Color?

[Patricia Brown]

Hello,

The headlight housing ('75) is obviously body-colored on top, but what color did the factory apply underneath, where it doesn't show? Was it also body colored or just black?

Also, the housing is die cast alum. Is it safe/wise to sand blast? If I sand blast the top surface that shows on the outside of the car, what grit is recommended? I presently have 60 grit crushed glass in my cabinet. Would this be appropriate as a start and I could hand-sand the tops to around 180/220 grit prior to priming?

Would it be better to cover the top of the housing and only sandblast the underside of it (again, using 60 grit crushed glass), and just hand sand the top?

Thank you!
Patricia

[Greg L.]

Re: C3: Headlight Housing Original Color?

Patricia

I'm no expert but while restoring my 69, this is what I have learned...

The headlight doors were natural die cast aluminum with the top surface having a spray of zinc chromate primer(green stuff). They were then installed on the car which was, I believe, already primed and then the final color coat was applied. I don't know if the 75's had a black-out treatment like my 69 did ahead of the rad but if it did I'm pretty sure that it would not have been sprayed up towards the headlight assys. So basicaly your doors should be natural with only overspray from the final color coat.

I personaly wouldn't sand blast the doors and glass might not be much better. Prepare the top surface the same as any other body panel and use a paint striper and then a good aluminum cleaner and stiff brush for the underside of the doors. Unless they are badly corroded, they should turn out quite nice.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3: Headlight Housing Original Color?

Patricia-----

The headlamp housings are painted body color in all the areas that are visible with the headlamps up or down. Some body color overspray will usually be found in the areas behind the bezels. This is moot because it can't be seen with the bezels mounted. I don't recall what the other, unseen areas are painted with. It's either natural or the green zinc-phosphate.

The headlamp door COVERS are made of aluminum. However, the rest of the body of the headlamp housings are zinc diecast. The covers are somehow bonded or rivetted to the housings. You absolutely don't want to sand blast these aluminum covers. If you do, they are going to be ruined. Instead, use a chemical paint stripper that's safe for use on aluminum (a lot of paint strippers are basic ("alkaline") in nature---aluminum is an amphoteric metal which means that it's soluble in acid and BASE). A stripper as is used for aircraft will be perfect.

I would recommend using stripper on the zinc diecast portions of the housing, too. Zinc diecast is a very soft material and it will likely be damaged by abrasive media blasting.

[Brian G.]

Re: C3: Headlight Housing Original Color?

The non-showing part of the headlights on our `75 appears to be gray with body color overspray.

[Patricia Brown]

Re: C3: Headlight Housing Original Color?

Awesome! Thank you guys so much for your help! I am very glad I checked with you about whether to sandblast the housing. I will definitely just use stripper and skip the blasting. I have some fiberglass-safe methylene chloride stripper (Captain Lee's Auto Spray Strip). Would this be safe on the aluminum or is it acidic or caustic?

I'll just strip off the overspray from the undersides of the housing and then leave it bare; I guess I don't have to worry about rust!

OK, so when I paint the car, I'll have the headlight doors installed in the closed position: would you just run a bit of masking tape under the crack between hood surround and headlight door to prevent overspray from getting through?

Much appreciated,
Patricia