[1973Formula]

My Formula is at the paint shop. The bottom side of the hood is faded and doesn't look very good. Did it have paint on it to begin with? What sheen should I shoot for if I repaint it? It is not as glossy as the original inner fenders/firewall(I am not repainting these). Your help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

[Txbobcat]

Satin black

[unruhjonny]

i've always wondered what was 100% correct;
I have seen both body colour and black;
While black seems more appropriate, I can't help but think that just like steel hooded Firebirds, that body colour might have been how they left the factory.

I would figure that akin to rocker panels, just a single light coat of body colour would have been originally applied to the underside of hood.

Can someone elaborate on how it was originally done - how the colour transition (if any) would have originally looked?

pictures would be great.

[nytrainer]

I'm not even gonna guess on a Formula BUT when the underside calls for black we love to use black epoxy primer as finish coat. We use SPI and you can get it satin with a little reducer in final coat (2 coats). Tough as nails and superior corrosion protection to just about anything out there.

[1973Formula]

Thanks for the responses. It definitely was satin black from the factory. I looked at it today. Never had any body color on it at all. I've got some SPI black epoxy primer. What can I use to flatten it? Will it wear well? I also have some PPG single stage black that I was going to use on the firewall/cowl area. I have flattening agent for that. Was going to match the sheen on my inner fenders. I could flatten it some more and use it on the hood also. Maybe I'll have them shoot the SPI on the hood and cover it with the flattened PPG.

Anyone else?

[nytrainer]

Your plan sounds good but IMO there really is no need to topcoat the epoxy primer with anything else. SPI EP mixed 1:1 gives you something between semi gloss and satin. Just adding reducer to the final coat (SPI recommends 5-50% when used as a sealer) will give a more flatted sheen. I think the 1:1 sheen looks good as is though. This plan will save you some $$$ on materials and labor vs. the other scenario you mentioned. I'd also used it on the firewall and inner fenders (brackets etc.) because it laughs at gas, oil, etc spills. Your idea of the flatted PPG over the EP is fine it's just an added cost that, again, IMO, isn't necessary.

[AdamIsAdam]

Good info as my car is in the body shop now for a new hood. I'll pass this info along!

[The Boss]

Satin black but there should be overspray on it - just a hint of overspray!

When the painter is doing the top coat on the cross legs, have him run the gun around the edges to paint those level with the sides & the front/back of the hood - that's all he needs to do. This one is dirty (and a 70) but you can see the small amount of overspray around the edges.

If you really want to be fussy there should be a chalk or white grease pencil date code on it too. 2nd pic is the date code, but I've seen them on multiple years the same way.

[AdamIsAdam]

Thanks. My car is way too far removed from that kind of detail though. Hell, just look at the color of the damned thing! The most period correct thing about the car is the Cragar S/S rims (they first came out in 1964)

I just want it to look a little better than before. I thought they were supposed to be black underneath, so I wanted to confirm. I'm have the engine bay repainted while it's in the shop, so I wanted the underside of the hood to match and look more correct as well.

I'm just shocked how many people who say they're into cars know nothing about them, so just making it look better to me is what I'm after. After all, it's "just" a LeMans, after all