Re: Engine Bay detailing on a '56 dual carb car

Posted by Ross On 2010/10/31 21:39:41

According to the Feb 55 "Finish" magazine article on the new Connor Avenue plant, fenders, hoods, and skirts were all "flow-coated" with black enamel and then baked. Afterwards they were mounted on a finishing conveyor line with the fenders draped in pairs over something akin to sawhorses about a foot apart from each other and canted slightly outward at the bottom. In this position they were sprayed, finish sanded, and buffed before going to assembly. That is why all 55-56 unscrewed with cars have body color on the inner fender portion. It is a natural result of the way they were fixtured for painting. That is also why the paint fades away to black towards the bottom of the air duct as there was no way or desire to spray there. The hoods were laid flat on the same carriage, along with the skirts. That is why the hood and skirts are black on the "off" side, but with plenty of overspray.

No one at Connor had the time or inclination to mask off the inner fenders in any way.