Lower Radiator Support Finish?

[Raymond D.]

Right now the cross piece directly behind the front valance (under the radiator)is covered with overspray from a repaint.I removed some of the paint and revealed green zinc primer in very good condition. Would this piece have been painted body color originally? The green primer looks like it was never exposed.

[Michael H.]

Re: Lower Radiator Support Finish?

Right now the cross piece directly behind the front valance (under the radiator)is covered with overspray from a repaint.I removed some of the paint and revealed green zinc primer in very good condition. Would this piece have been painted body color originally? The green primer looks like it was never exposed.

Raymond,

The lower section of the core support that you describe would have originally had a layer of primer and body color, over the first layer of zinc chromate (green) primer that you found.
This section of the core support would have been coated at the assembly plant during the body paint operation when the lower grille panel was shot.

[Raymond D.]

Re: Lower Radiator Support Finish?

Thanks for the reply. I will leave it as it is.

[John H.]

Re: Lower Radiator Support Finish?

Is it an A.O. Smith body? AOS radiator supports were primed with green zinc chromate.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Lower Radiator Support Finish?

Is it an A.O. Smith body? AOS radiator supports were primed with green zinc chromate.

Has to be.

[Perry M.]

Re: Lower Radiator Support Finish?

Are we talking 63 to 67 years? I often wondered if that part of the radiator support was supposed to be painted body color. Does this mean that the two heads of the large phillip head screws, along with the lock and flat washers, are also painted?

[Michael H.]

Re: Lower Radiator Support Finish?

Are we talking 63 to 67 years? I often wondered if that part of the radiator support was supposed to be painted body color. Does this mean that the two heads of the large phillip head screws, along with the lock and flat washers, are also painted?

That's correct Perry. The core support and the support rods with their screws/washers were installed long before the body was primed/painted so the screws and washers would be painted body color.
The core support and the support rods often show some body color or primer in areas that were not covered during the engine compartment/grille opening area blackout process.

As John Hinckley mentioned earlier, the green zinc chromate color primer on the core support was only seen on cars from the A O Smith assembly plant in 64-67. Core supports used at the St Louis plant in 63-67 were dip coated semi gloss black before installation.