Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

When painting your cars, what was the original color for the under body area, the back side of fenders, the back side of the hood side panels and the inside floor and cowl?
I have seem them painted black and I have seen them painted the main body color.
On my 42 it looks like the cowl was originally a reddish primer under the cowl pad and bare steel up under and behind the dash

Any thoughts
Thanks

Standard operating procedure was that smaller parts including hood, fenders and splashers were dipped in black enamel then baked before the finish coat was sprayed on. Overspray was the rule of the day.

Body shells were welded up complete then primed by spray with red primer. After that was baked and sanded the color coats were sprayed on. Underbodies were given the thinnest possible coat of the cheapest possible black paint. Obscure areas, like under your dash and insides of doors got nothing. Firewalls were painted body color 'cause the gun was in the guys hand as the body passed by.

Great information - that helps a lot

It also validates what I am finding.
A red oxide color of primer under the cowl pads and it explains the black I am finding in some areas under the paint

What Ross said is what I see on my car. Red oxide primer on the inside of the body where the exterior paint didn't touch (interior face of doors, package tray area, etc). Bare metal inside the doors with some sort of sound deadener (asphalt?), bare metal under the dash, etc. Those places all have surface corrosion on them now.

-Kevin