1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
My understanding is that the trunk interior should be body color and be of the same gloss. But how about the finish? Still "somewhat rougher than exterior finish of body fiberglass?" And what of the soft top compartment interior? What color, sheen and finish and how far down the passenger side of the "seat back" fiberglass panel? Hate to assume so I'll ask.....is the gas tank cover the same color and sheen as the rest of the soft top compartment interior? Thanks!
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Last edited by Harwyn B.; May 4, 2016, 08:25 AM. -
Re: 1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
I've always understood that anything other than the body panels was typically a lower sheen unbuffed lacquer appearance. This including the trunk, soft top storage well, kickpanels, clock console, instrument cluster, etc.
Rich -
Re: 1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
The fiberglass was not sanded or smoothed in the trunk and top storage areas so it will show the glass pattern through the paint. The lacquer was sprayed and left as sprayed including the gas tank cover which I think was in place when painted. No polishing was done and also no flatteners were added to the paint. Since these areas were out of sight, for the most part after a trunk mat was installed, they didn't get a lot of paint applied. They were given a quick coating and bare fiberglass is often visible through the paint and in the areas that would require the painter to use more effort to get to.
Most cars on the judging field will have too much paint in the trunk and too nice of a finish. Some even have had flattener added to the point of looking like colored primer. I guess it's hard for the restorer to paint a car and shortcut the finish in the trunk but that's the way it was done at St. Louis.
TomComment
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Re: 1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
So....fair to say that if the exterior color is black that the trunk interior, convertible compartment and gas tank cover are a kind of semi gloss black with little if any prep work to the fiber glass? And still unanswered, how far does the convertible compartment paint extend down the passenger side of the "seat back" fiberglass panel into the passenger compartment? Thanks.Comment
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Re: 1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
Here's a original white/red interior '62 for reference. I'm certain it varied greatly though.
Pass seat area
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Re: 1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
Mine is black inside and out. On the example above we can't tell if the panel behind the seats is body color or interior color. What do you think Rich?
TomComment
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Re: 1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
Tom, That was my barn find back in '08. Original 250HP. But it had a very bad frame. It was a very light dusting of white behind the seats, with lots of dirt everywhere. In '62 the top well was body color. But the trunk had traces of Red. It had a red interior. Roman Red and Rusty Red.
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Re: 1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
From the picture of the center divider it appears as if the dusting of body color went clear to the floor. That makes sense as it would go low enough to be covered by the carpet edge. A good finish was a waste of time and materials since nobody would see it without removing the seats.
As for the Trunk area, it appears that the trunk was white but the tire well has had red sprayed on the sides (previous owner covering wear from the tire?) while leaving the bottom in a worn off white. There doesn't seem to be any red on the wheel wells or floor as you would expect to find if the whole trunk was painted red originally, even if well worn. Of course, I didn't see this car first hand. What do you think Rich?
In referring to Noland Adams book page 353 there is a picture of a 1961 Corvette trunk taken from September 1961 issue of Car Life. It is a black and white photo but appears to be a white car with red interior and the trunk mat is rolled over to show the jack handle storage area. The center dash console is visible through the rear window of the hardtop to show trim color. The trunk is definitely painted white body color and the mat and cardboard separator panel are red. Old pictures of original cars when they were new are hard to dispute. Also on page 373 there is a picture of a 1961 with power top equipment. It appears to be Fawn Beige with the trunk area painted in the same Fawn Beige color and the mat and divider cardboard matching as you would see in the common Fawn Beige inside and out cars. Below that picture is another car of a different color with body matching trunk area and what appears to be a black mat, probably to match the interior of that car.
Does this answer your questions, Harwyn?Comment
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Re: 1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
Tom, Good observations. I agree that my '62 trunk was all white and someone may have painted the tire well red. The prior owner bought it in 1972 and when I spoke with him about the car he said he often brush painted house latex white on the exterior to protect it! There were many layers of latex white on it when I got it. I never asked him about the trunk though.
He was a ex-NASA engineer and bought it from a retired Air Force Colonel from Patrick Air Force Base in Merritt Island Florida in 1972, very close to the Space Center.
RichComment
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Re: 1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
Does this answer your questions, Harwyn?
Yes. I think I just have to overcome the inclination to finish everything the way I'd like as opposed to the way the factory did it.
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Re: 1961 Trunk and convertible top storage compartment paint question
I think that is a common problem. It's hard not to do the best you can on a restoration.Comment
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