Interesting find

[David H.]

I spent some time today removing more parts from the '62. Gas tank came out, exhaust came off, convertible top came off. I had watched Noland Adams dvd #2 last night and the part about discovering the original color of the car caught my eye. So, the last thing I did today was take a quarter and started scrapping the red paint off behind the passengers seat. And, sure enough, the green paint underneath started to come thru. Guess what I found. A surprise to me when it came out IVORY! What?! This was news to me. I had no idea the car wasn't Roman Red from the start. I am finding that these cars hold lots of secrets and if you know where and what to look for you can uncover a whole different story than the one you think you know. I have really enjoyed it so far and look forward to discovering more about the life this car has led so far. If only they could talk!

[Chris E.]

Re: Interesting find

Neat find! I know taking apart my 67 was like an archeological dig.

[Tom H.]

Re: Interesting find

That is cool. I've had the oportunity to do the quarter scrape a couple of times. I don't know why, but it is exciting to discover the long lost writing !!

[Jerry W.]

Re: Interesting find

Ivory ?? now what? Does that get you closer to making the body off decision ?

we found "red" grease penceled behind the driver seat same place as yours and a small "march 3, 1961" stenciled on the rear middle edge of the convertible top deck lid of our 62

[Gene M.]

Re: Interesting find

A '62 in White looks soooooo nice. Very reserved look that will always turn heads. Red or black interior is just drop dead beautiful over white paint!

[Richard P.]

Re: Interesting find

David,
Thank you for solving my mystery. I stripped and painted my '61 about 2 years ago. In the stripping process we determined that the oldest color was white, but could only find the RY in the green crayon. It never dawned on me that the name of the color was IVORY. By the way, it was metalflake lavender in one of its former lives (probably during the disco years.) Now its Roman Red with IVORY coves.

[Edward M.]

Re: Interesting find

This thread brings back a question that has rattled around in my head for years...

How many NCRS flight judged C1 cars have had a "color change" as they were restored? There really isn't any way to know for sure, but it makes me wonder.

I won't even get into the "How many were one color and now have a different cove color?"

[Joe M.]

Re: Interesting find

more than the color...look hard

green crayon also notes top options

mine is maroon
ST for soft top

[David H.]

Re: Interesting find

I scrapped some more today but did not find any other writing on the passengers side. I also spent some time trying to prove that it indeed was Ermine White (Ivory) when new. I have not been able to definitively prove it was yet. Can anyone suggest places I should look for the exterior white paint? I have determined that the interior was red with no problem at all, but the white is just not showing itself. The only place I found anything that looked like real white paint was behind the passengers door panel under some putty that was filling a hole. (see attachment) The picture does not show it well but it does look like white paint as opposed to white putty or fiberglass. (The drivers door had no such paint.) But I'm not convinced by that. I would like to find a no doubter patch if you know what I mean.
To answer the question about the body off restoration from Jerry, I am definately leaning that way and working toward that. I think she deserves that after nearly 50 years of who know what kind of abuse.

[William C.]

Re: Interesting find

Check inside the doors, or under the access covers in the trunk.

[David H.]

Re: Interesting find

By inside the doors, do you mean behind the door panels, like in the pictures, or inside the door as in where the window goes when rolled down? THe access panels in the trunk I assume you mean the two chrome plates that cover the body mount bolts. Nothing painted in there, but did find a little red that looks like ran in there when the car was repainted. My brother had it painted and the owner from 1967 says he had it painted in the early 1970s. He had no idea that the car was ever white. Is it possible that the factory put IVORY on the bulkhead and then painted it red? Maybe it was painted on a Friday afternoon!

[Jerry W.]

Re: Interesting find

David...Check up under the dash for overspray....up around radio speaker....there is considerable roman red overspray in various areas under dash on our 62....not sure when dash pad and windshield were installed at factory but i'm thinking....after paint

[Steven B.]

Re: Interesting find

David, if the weatherstrips have not been replaced look under them. Also, try under windshield frame and putty, under instrument panel in area of the vent opening. overspray areas under carpet and inside jamb area where the seats meet the jamb. Try looking between the inner and outer panels of the soft top deck lid through the soft top latch and hard top mounting holes. I found a bit of overspray on mine thereand paint under windshield frame and near the vent opening. Also, in the hole near the soft top panel latch area on the seat separator. Anywhere you think factory overspray may occur and under anything you believe would not be removed for a shop repaint is a good start.

Good Luck!

Steve

[David H.]

Re: Interesting find

OK, well, now I'm just frustrated and confused again.
I spent most of the afternoon today looking for white paint on the car. Here's my list:
behind the drip channel inside the door jam on the passengers side
behind the rocker panels on both sides,
behind the trim piece in the coves,
behind the headlight bezels,
on the back of the headlight bezels,
under the soft top lid latches,
between the two panels of the trunk lid,
inside the access panels for the body mounts in the trunk,
behind the fuel tank filler tube,
behind the weather strip on the soft top lid, these look original and red paint is under them,
inside the lid latch mount between the seats,
under the dash,
inside the trunk,
under the outside mirror,
under the vent gasket.
Everyone of these places had red paint.
I have added some pictures. (worth a thousand words, right?!)
Nowhere, and I mean nowhere, does it show any white paint.
How can that be? I will ask the question.
Was it possible for the line worker to write IVORY on the bulkhead and then somehow have the car painted a different color than what was written? I know, anything is possible. But, what would warrant that kind of a change on the production line as the car was being assembled?
I would love to hear anyones thoughts on this.
By the way, my middle name is MURPHY!

[Robert R.]

Re: Interesting find

Dave,
The picture from under the dash would convince me that if the car was originally white, someone did a darn good job of eliminating any evidence of the original paint, but then why would the "ivory" still be there is I'm sure your quandry.
Is your car red or is it Hondouras Maroon? The picture from the trunk access looks close to that color to me.
Bob