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1937 ENGINE COMPARTMENT COLOR

Started by JOHN D. CHRISTOFFERSON, January 09, 2012, 09:21:18 PM

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JOHN D. CHRISTOFFERSON

I AM READY TO PAINT THE ENGINE COMPARTMNET IN MY 1937 MODEL 6519.  I KNOW THE ENGINE COLOR FROM THE POSTS ON THIS FORUM.  THE AUTHENTICITY MANUAL TELLS ME THAT THE FIREWALL SHOULD MATCH THE CAR COLOR.  WHAT COLOR SHOULD I PAINT THE INSIDE OF THE REMAINING COMPARTMENT, INCLUDING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD, THE INSIDE FENDER WELLS, AND THE INSIDE AREA AHEAD OF THE RADIATOR?  YOUR HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.  THANKS,
JOHN D. CHRISTOFFERSON
CLC # 26913
JOHN D. CHRISTOFFERSON

Steve Passmore

For what its worth John my 37 was in original gray and was that colour everywhere including all under hood areas, so I did the same.  It had never been restored so that was good enough for me.
Steve
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

49 Convertible

The 48 and 49 engine compartment is completely body color except the underside of the hood as most had some undercoating applied.  I would assume that the 37 up was also body color as parts were painted off the car to enable easy engine installation.  Just my 2 cents worth
Herman Desser
clc # 19416

harry s

I just had my '37 75 series repainted and after much confusion stayed with a black firewall (green body), black inner fenders and underside of hood. In looking at the authenticty manual it states the firewall and other parts are body color for 1937. For 1936 and several years prior the manual states body color or black. My car has had one repaint and the previous owner did not remember the original color of the firewall. The inner fenders and under hood did not appear to be repainted, but not sure. I have also seen two other '37s with a black firewall and the original VIN stenciling on the firewall. My car was a SO order in Sept, '36 and delivered in Nov,'36 and was painted a '36 color, which may explain it being black. It certainly is much easier to do  the body color. The only reason I can think of for the factory to do that would be that the earlly cars with two a piece firewall would have been black and not part of the original body paint job.
Harry Scott 4195
1941 6733
1948 6267X
2011 DTS Platinum

Steve Passmore

My 37 85 series has also got a black firewall, but being a Fleetwood this may have something to do with that. I reckon Cadillac did different things to the Fisher bodies.
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

Brad Ipsen CLC #737

Fire wall color has been an authenticity issue on Class 8 (38 to 40 V-16) also.  The problem is that Cadillac did not worry about future authenticity issues.  At one point there was information that apparently settled the argument because there was a picture of a New York show car with the front clip off.  It was being moved in an elevator and needed the front clip removed to fit in the elevator.  It was a B&W picture but it was a light color car.  The firewall was clearly painted body color.  My first V-16 had a black body so that did not help.  My 38 had light blue (Fairhaven) original paint that was stripped and repainted Antoinette blue.  The firewall was black and had not been repainted.  On disassembly it was positively original under the front fenders and it was black.  There has been speculation that the black firewall went on a body that was built but an order had not been received yet.  That was not the case here because the data plate with color code was painted black and on removal there was factory primer under it.  It had to have been painted at the same time the firewall was painted black but the order had been received since there were trim and color codes on the plate.  You see many cars now with this data plate stripped of paint but at least in these years it was painted.  The paint doesn't stick very well to the aluminum so it flakes off.  I have pictures of several original cars with paint on the data plate.  My conclusion is that they were done both ways and it may have just been at the whim of the paint shop.
Brad Ipsen
1940 Cadillac 60S
1938 Cadillac 9039
1940 Cadillac 6267
1940 LaSalle 5227
1949 Cadillac 6237X
1940 Cadillac 60S Limo

Steve Passmore

Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

harry s

I agree Brad. It would be fun to think the paint shop guys were purposelly doing that to toy with future restorers.
Harry Scott 4195
1941 6733
1948 6267X
2011 DTS Platinum

william_b_noble

I would guess that 36 is like 37 - I am putting a 36 series 60 back together.  I am 100% sure that the inside of the hood and the firewall are body color, see photos on my web page (wbnoble.com) for the hood, which is what I'm currently working on.  I believe that the inner fender panels were originally black, at least that's how I painted them.
http://www.wbnoble.com/cars/36_Cad-Hood/36_cadillac_hood_hinge.htm
Bill N - clc # 2371

buicksplus

My 37 LaSalle was body color for all sheet metal in the engine compartment.  I stripped all the paint down to the metal, and the last color coat I encountered was always the original body color.  I seem to recall that the insides of the fenders, hood, firewall had no primer, just a thin coat of body color lacquer.   

An exception may have been the two splash pans that fit between the engine and frame.  I have not yet stripped the paint on these, so I can't be sure, but I think they may have been chassis black.  The frame and suspension parts were all chassis black on my car.

I wouldn't be surprised if the larger series cars, expecially the limos, V12'as and V16's followed different rules. These are much lower production cars, built on different assembly lines.

Bill S
Albuquerque, NM 
Bill Sullivan CLC# 12700

JOHN D. CHRISTOFFERSON

Thanks to everyone for all the information.  My car has been repainted at least once and maybe more.  The last color I find is the color specified on the data plate "banquet green";  and that is what I will repaint the car.  It stands to reason that if the individual pieces were painted before assembly, at least the radiator shell and the underside of the hood would have been the same color as the body.  As for the inner fender-engine shields, they may have thought that black matches everything.  Thanks again.

John D. Christofferson
CLC 26913
JOHN D. CHRISTOFFERSON