Factory Chrysler Paint Job

[426HemiCharger]

I am restoring my Charger and I want to do the closest to a factory style paint job. How?  I know one must hang all body panels before painting and that overspray is NOT a dirty word. And "if its covered its good enough"

[Drop Top]

"A factory paint job", has manny flaws. Orange peel is one of the biggest factors in a paint job and factory runs is another. How far are you wanting to go for a factory look? The factory didn't always care about looks as much as getting the car through the line and on the trucks. So fit and finish wasn't always on their minds. Are you takeing the car all the way apart and on a rotisory? Or just fix what you have to then repaint? We need more information before we can help you with much more. Your question is valid but very generalized. I could on and on about factory corect or over restore, witch most cars nowdays are over restored.

[maxwellwedge]

"A factory paint job", has manny flaws. Orange peel is one of the biggest factors in a paint job and factory runs is another. How far are you wanting to go for a factory look? The factory didn't always care about looks as much as getting the car through the line and on the trucks. So fit and finish wasn't always on their minds. Are you takeing the car all the way apart and on a rotisory? Or just fix what you have to then repaint? We need more information before we can help you with much more. Your question is valid but very generalized. I could on and on about factory corect or over restore, witch most cars nowdays are over restored.

I do all mine in acrylic enamel, all body panels on, including hood and deck lid. Even have 2 people - one on each side painting as they did back then and into the 80's. The trunk, door jambs and engine compartment get a little flatter finish than the rest. Bottom is dip color.
God bless peel and runs!

[426HemiCharger]

I am planning on doing a close job can't put a % on it but I want to put all the markings on there, I will be doing a full resto.  She will be a 440 with Air, Power Disc Brakes, Perforamnce Axle Package.

[Mike DC]

Sounds like a worthy car.



The factory paintjob was practically semigloss in texture.  It really didn't shine at all like most restos do today.  Even most restos that are supposed to be "non-overrestored" still usually are to some extent.  They still usually shoot for a best possible scenario from the factory.   

[426HemiCharger]

  BEST scenario! what was the worst, hahaha!!!

[jerry]

i must have been lucky when i bought my new road runner in 69 and my new charger in 70. the paint was shiny. very good fit and finish and they were not body color painted on bottom.i can't find the paint code for dull paint in 69-70.

[426HemiCharger]

Well I need pointers.

[jerry]

what do you plan to do with the bottom of your car? bottom is dark gray epoxy. LA cars had black.all the cars i have seen from factory had undercoating in wheel wells. some had it on bottom floor pan.paint dabs were in different places.not like the circus wagon look you see today on bottom of some cars. the outside is acrylic enamel.
the word restored makes me laugh. here's what a restored car is today-body color bottom, bare wheel wells, 20 different paint dab colors on parts that never had any,base clear paint that looks like glass waiting to crack when car moves and many other things. is there anything wrong with doing a car like that? heck no.but when you say restored car, it makes me laugh. do your home work ,do you want a correct restoration or a restoration? myself i like my cars like they came from the factory where they cost $4000.00 and i can drive them.

[Ghoste]

i must have been lucky when i bought my new road runner in 69 and my new charger in 70. the paint was shiny. very good fit and finish and they were not body color painted on bottom.i can't find the paint code for dull paint in 69-70.

They weren't optional hand buffed A4 metallic silver were they?   

[maxwellwedge]

The bottom color is the dip primer. The cars were submersed in the dip tank approx. to the height of the headlights. It ran out of the open holes in the floors where the floor plugs went in later on. On a good original car you can see the dip line inside the doors, under the dash and in the trunk area. The dip color was washed off (it was water based) the outside of the car before priming and painting. The car went into the oven after the exterior was washed off. The oven dried dip sometimes bubbled up...this is where you see the 'crusty" look in some of the floor, trunk and battery tray beads/ribs. Only a bit of overspray got on the floor pans, rails and tunnel. All my cars get the dip color, dip line and the crusty slag. All my cars get done in acrylic enamel. Paint markings only go back on the way they were found...none are made-up or added above and beyond what I found during tear-down and cleaning. E-Bodies tend to have a lot more inspection marks than B-Bodies. 8-3/4 rears have way more markings than Dana's. My favorite cars are still my survivors. I drive all of my cars including OE gold ones.

[426HemiCharger]

the VIN is XS29L9B306676 and the build date was 227 I hope that helps to get the proper information to surface.

[Mike DC]

E-Bodies tend to have a lot more inspection marks than B-Bodies

That's ironic considering all the quality-control gripes about E-bodys when they were new. 

[maxwellwedge]

I had Frank Badalsons survivor '70 6-BBL 'Cuda. That thing had an inspection mark on EVERY plastic and rubber plug! Some inspector was riding somebody hard that day!