birdcage color

[Steve L.]

I'm just doing the rocker channels from a doner car. The doner has green paint including the few inches of uprights but my original uprights have a thin black paint. I scratched my original uprights but there is no green paint under the black.

Can someone fill me in on the change in colors

Tomorrow is welding time.

[Alan S.]

Re: birdcage color

Hi Steve,
I see you haven't gotten any replies. I'm sorry I can't help....green on my 71.
Caledonia Classic Cars in Michigan is reproducing birdcage parts so someone there may be able to help you on primer changes over the years. A call tomorrow?
Regards,
Alan

[Patrick H.]

Re: birdcage color

We had a thread not "too" long ago on this.
Some were green, some green with black on them, some were green with a lot of body color overspray on them.

Patrick

[Steve L.]

Re: birdcage color

My A and B pillars are black right down to the last 2 inches before the rockers. No sign of any green even scratching throught the black.

I don't think the upper part of the birdcage would be black and the rockers would be green.

The 73 coupes must be black---a very thin coat.

[Patrick H.]

Re: birdcage color

The 71 bodies I have look green, the 72 I had apart looked yellow/green, and the 74 birdcage I have does appear to have been originally black. However, I don't know enough about 73s to confirm for you. Lyle would know.

[Michael F.]

Re: birdcage color

every car I every had from a 73 back was the green chromate looking stuff for rust protection would be my guess.

[Steve L.]

Re: birdcage color

Thanks Michael,
Looks like there was a change from green to black sometimes during 73.
I wish they would have kept the green. It's a lot more durable than the black - which is only very thin layer.

My 73 is, I believe, and Apr. build date.

[Oliver B.]

Re: birdcage color

Sounds like the greenish color as on aircraft interiors!?

[Terry M.]

Re: birdcage color

Yes that is the product Oliver.

[Patrick H.]

Re: birdcage color

Thanks Michael,
Looks like there was a change from green to black sometimes during 73.
I wish they would have kept the green. It's a lot more durable than the black - which is only very thin layer.

My 73 is, I believe, and Apr. build date.

If you're thinking black, I'd go with some of the excellent epoxy primers that are available in black. They look the same as the original but are far superior products.

In fact, it's hard to get a real green chromate primer due to their toxicity. Easy to find a flat green paint that "sort of" looks like it but in reality it's not the same stuff unless you find an aircraft repair facility.

So, I'd say that with modern paints, black is better.