C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

[Kent K.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

Thanks Michael for the great photo. I've always wondered where you obtained so many photos of the assembly line processes. Again, thanks for posting them.
Regards, Kent

[Michael H.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

Thanks Michael for the great photo. I've always wondered where you obtained so many photos of the assembly line processes. Again, thanks for posting them.
Regards, Kent

I'm the guy that took the pictures. (not those from the 60's though) I still have that old ancient Canon camera.

[Chuck S.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

I'm not sure what was used to hold the hood open in other sections of the body build/paint operation area.
The pic I posted is of an area/booth that was used only for blackout, just ahead of the final bake/reflow oven. All prime/body color operations had already been performed in another series of booths.
Once the body left final paint reflow and entered the "hard trim" line, the hood support would have been one of the first items installed.

Things may have been done differently in the 50's and 60's. Maybe John Hinckley remembers some details of the operation from 67-68 when he was there.

The picture that I posted is typical of the operation from the early 70's to the end of production at St Louis in 1981. It may have been the same in years prior but I'm not sure.

Where in the assembly sequence was the lacquer polishing done, Michael? Before the trim line or at the end after the water test?

[Michael H.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

Where in the assembly sequence was the lacquer polishing done, Michael? Before the trim line or at the end after the water test?

The paint buff operation was performed late in the build, after the car was driven off the end of the final line but before the final trim line. All of the exterior trim items/emblems were already in place.

It may be hard to imagine but there wasn't much to the polish operation. The only part of the body paint that was buffed was, basically, the horizontal surfaces and the top half of the vertical surface of the side panels. The remaining areas of paint already had a reasonable amount of shine and didn't require polishing.
The paint that was used at the factory was completely different than paint used for aftermarket. OE paint contained fluidizers that became active at a certain temperature and when the body went through the reflow oven, the paint leveled, slightly, and glossed. That's why you see glossy areas on original paint cars that would have been impossible to polish.
Unfortunately, that type of reflow paint was never available to the general public.

[Tom R.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

Where in the assembly sequence was the lacquer polishing done, Michael? Before the trim line or at the end after the water test?

Chuck...what I want to know is how did you already get up to the status of "very frequent user" with your 122 posts?

[Chuck S.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

Chuck...what I want to know is how did you already get up to the status of "very frequent user" with your 122 posts?

Nimble fingers??!!...I need to get a life??!!

I don't know if you've noticed, but there's a fringe bennie to talking (posting) so much...I'm always shown first in line of "viewing members" when I sign on. I thought Dickie was going to catch me for awhile; he got within 20 posts of me and then must have had to get back to other productive activity.

Better crank it up, Tom, or you'll never be "first in line".

[Kent K.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

Hey Chuck,
You're first in line on your computer only. I'm first in line on mine, Papa Smurf is on his computer, etc.
Regards, Kent

[Tom R.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

Yeah...me too! I think John wants us all to feel like we're #1!

[Tom R.]

Re: What about the broom stick?

The broom stick thing is buggin me now. I know I didn't make it up but can't recall if I saw it in a photo or heard about it but perhaps it was used during body assembly before blackout...anyone venture a guess?

[Michael H.]

Re: What about the broom stick?

The broom stick thing is buggin me now. I know I didn't make it up but can't recall if I saw it in a photo or heard about it but perhaps it was used during body assembly before blackout...anyone venture a guess?

It's quite possible that something as simple as a broom stick handle was used to hold the hood open during prime/paint. (but not during blackout) I should remember how the hood was held open, as many times as I watched the operation, but I don't remember.

[Tom R.]

Re: What about the broom stick?

It's quite possible that something as simple as a broom stick handle was used to hold the hood open during prime/paint. (but not during blackout) I should remember how the hood was held open, as many times as I watched the operation, but I don't remember.

Keep your mind working on it Michael and it will come to you...and than us.

[Chuck S.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

Hey Chuck,
You're first in line on your computer only. I'm first in line on mine, Papa Smurf is on his computer, etc...
Regards, Kent

ROFL...I think John is blowing smoke up our...egos!! (John needs to get us some more icons! The two pages of every conceivable icon must be an "RPO"! )

[John H.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

I'm not sure what was used to hold the hood open in other sections of the body build/paint operation area. Things may have been done differently in the 50's and 60's. Maybe John Hinckley remembers some details of the operation from 67-68 when he was there.

"Sticks" were everywhere in Body and Paint to hold the hood open. If you look closely at Michael's photo, you can see the bottom end of the "stick" resting on the fender cover just to the right of the sprayer's waist - the upper end is against the hood inner panel brace, which you can't see.

Remember that this line wasn't moving at 65 per hour like it would in a steel-body car plant; each body was "in station" for seven minutes in the 50's-60's and early C3 era, and for 4-5 minutes in the late C3 era.

[Michael H.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

[quote=John Hinckley (29964);282226 If you look closely at Michael's photo, you can see the bottom end of the "stick" resting on the fender cover just to the right of the sprayer's waist - the upper end is against the hood inner panel brace, which you can't see.

[/quote]

The handles on the fender covers were only used to install/remove the cover. It wasn't a fender cover as we know it. Much thicker and a lot heavier.
I have a few more good shots of this operation that shows one of the (two) workers removing the cover, using the two handles.
Also have a great shot of the hood in motion as it's falling as the body moves forward. The hood mask is slightly blured as it's in motion, swinging on the two chains that it hangs from. This system may not have been used in the C2 era?
I'll try to dig out the pic's later this evening.

[Joel F.]

Re: C3 Hood Hinge Paint Overspray Pattern?

I'm the guy that took the pictures. (not those from the 60's though) I still have that old ancient Canon camera.

Michael,

Were you a photographer for Chevy or something? I was curious about your history as well.

thanks
Joel