What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

[Kirk M.]

Is the proper color for a 67 convertible top frame gloss black? Need to know before tomorrow if someone can help. Thanks.

Kirk

[Wayne W.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

Is the proper color for a 67 convertible top frame gloss black? Need to know before tomorrow if someone can help. Thanks.

Kirk

This should be fun. Just how much gloss was there?

[William C.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

Kirk..Per. the JM. The steel frame on all conv. is painted semi-gloss black.
The bows on 1967 models are flat, unlike earlier rounded versions, with a felt pad on top. Flat meaning design not paint..Bill

[Kirk M.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

Thanks for the answer.

[Wayne W.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

So, How much gloss do you think this is?





I tend to fall on the side of gloss, just poor quality paint. For certain the rear bow is gloss.

[Kirk M.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

Wayne,

Would you say a low gloss black would be better?

Kirk

[Wayne W.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

Wayne,

Would you say a low gloss black would be better?

Kirk

All I can say is they were more glossy than most here want to admit.

You see it in the picture, and again, the rear bow was gloss.

[Gerard F.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

Kirk

I think Wayne and the JG are just playing with you, try Rustoleum Gloss Black.
None of the fancy semi-gloss stuff.

Just my opinion,

[Joe R.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

I agree with Wayne and Jerry on the Gloss Black frame for 63-67. Yes, my 67 is untouched and the frame is definately not semi-anything.

What we find ourselves doing is trying to restore a Corvette to standards of Show Room quality and that IS the NCRS standard.

In reality we use cars that are 50 plus years old to use as guides for our restoration.

There is no such thing as 50 year old Gloss Black paint that still retains the Gloss exactly like it was 50 years ago. That 50 year old paint is tired and dulled. After all it was not very good quality to begin with 50 years ago.

Am I making myself clear on this subject or dancing around the fact that nobody really knows the depth of the gloss on anything 50 years old.

This is the same argument that could be made by a group listening to someone talk about their 63 Coupe they bought new and they KNOW because they can remember that the alternator adjusting bolt head was a TR! Rubbish!

Stepping down now!

JR

[Neal K.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

I am getting ready to paint my 67 soft top frame. I read this thread and am having difficulty reconciling the original paint color on my frame with what I think I understand from reading this thread. My soft top frame had 2 shades of black. The aluminum rear bow is gloss black and the rest of the frame appears to be semi-gloss black. My understanding is that the majority opinion in this thread is that the entire frame was gloss black. Is that still the consensus opinion? I have owned my 67 since 1969. I suppose that the paint on the rear bow might have remained glossy while the rest faded but that seems unlikely to me.
Neal

[Gerard F.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

Neal,

Do it all in Gloss Black, Rustoleum, SEMS, Krylon or other.

Photo 1 below is the painting setup in my miniscule 1950's garage:



I devised a 2X4 beam spreader to hang the fram from a hardtop pulley lift to the roof of the garage. I could then twirl it around and paint it from the spray can.

Then I lifted the frame up to the roof so I could park the car:



You have to work with what you've got.

Having fun, always

[Wayne W.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

As per the pictures that I posted then, it is certain that the frame had more gloss than most expect, however, I agree with you, the rear bow is more glossy. It is obviously a different paint, and must have been specially painted because it is aluminum. It was painted at a different time, maybe even came to the plant already painted? So, there is some difference between the rear bow and the rest of the steel parts of the frame. It looks to me that the steel parts were done in a low quality black that had a gloss, how much when it was new?


The following picture shows the rear bow disassembled and you will see the black under the joint, proving it was painted separately.

[Gene M.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

More gloss than not is good. I think the paint was enamel without any primer from my experience striping them. The riveted assembly appears to have been painted as an assembly. The screwed together part painted separate as Jerry's photo shows.

How was the top material assembled to the frame? It wasn't on the car was it? I assume on a fixture. Yes/No?

[Gerard F.]

Re: What is proper color for 67 convertible top frame?

Gene,

The final assembly of the top material was on the car per the AIM 1 ASM F24. The front header was assembled to the frame on the car, and the pads and top applied and adjusted while on the car.

Here's my adjustment of the top to the side windows per F5, before the pads were applied: