1941 fog light cover paint

[60 Special]

I have been looking at different cars with fog light covers. Some have black rings with a red center where the "V" is at on the face and some are completely chrome with no paint. What is the correct restoration for the covers? Thanks for any replies!

[Chris Cummings]

Original, by my best information, had red paint in the center circle and black in the concentric rings (with the dimples unpainted).

Hope that helps,

Chris Cummings

[Paul Phillips]

Per the Authenticity Manual, Chris is correct.

Paul

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Testor's Candy Apple Red is good to paint the red. This is NOT a "plain" red. It should have the metallic look to it.

[oldcarguy]

Like Tom, I have seen the covers from none [incorrect] to a 'flat looking red and black. Is there a name for these colors? Cause I have a pair that I will have to paint! Now, tell me how to 'not' paint the dimples....Thanks
Don Ford

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

I really wonder about the "holes" not being painted. We are talking about a production line item here. I can't see having someone taking a Q tip and wiping the black paint out of the holes. In fact, I got out my copy of Cadillacs of the Forties, and there is a good frontal shot of a Series 62 that shows that the "holes" have black paint in them. As far as color, I always used semi-gloss black and the aforementioned Testor's Candy Apple Red in a spray can. At this date, I doubt that Ternstadt will be able to come up with the exact color they used in 1940/41. I'm sorry, it's late and I pulled out my 1st Edition that doesn't have page #s, but the picture is marked with the # 6744. I also have a couple of pictures of all the "jewelry" that Ternstadt produced for the 1941s and will try to post it soon.

[oldcarguy]

Thanks Barry, yeah, I was having a hard time with the holes. [dimples]
semi-gloss black sounds right to me.

Don Ford

[Chris Cummings]

The car I owned that had original fog light covers had remains of black paint on the flat surfaces of the concentric rings, but none in the dimples.  I couldn't imagine the paint wearing out from the dimples, but staying on the exposed surfaces.

Chris Cummings

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Chris, I got my wife's magnifying glass and looked carefully at the picture referred to above and it shows black paint in the holes. And the picture is of a new car on the roof. As I said above, how on earth would you mask such a small part, to keep it rigid enough in a bracket so you could squirt the paint on accurately and miss the holes? And I'm sure they wouldn't paint just one part at a time.

In mass production, you don't time to have a part that would require such precision care in painting it. The rejection rate would have been way too high to keep the holes aligned perfectly to do it the way you suggest.
Leaving the "V"s chromed would be bad enough...

Please get your copy of Roy's book out and check the picture. I just checked my third edition, and the picture is on page 58 at the top.

[Chris Cummings]

Barry,

I always defer to you on '41 Cadillac matters.  My direct experience on this question is limited to one car that was well used when I got it, and that now lives in Sweden.  Based on that, I had just assumed Cadillac used a flat pad or sponge that aplied the paint to the flat surface without filling the dimples.  You make a better case, and I concede.

Best regards, and thanks for being an invaluable resource!

Chris

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Chris, I had misplaced my tax items (I always stash them in the same place each year), and so I had to  completely empty the dining room buffet that had become a resting place for bank statements, old bills, etc. I came upon four S/S magazines that I found that I had not fully read when new in 2012. One was your article on the V-16 four-door convertible. (I was also glad to see where Stan Squire's coupe had ended up. The last time I saw it was at the Carnival of Cars in Detroit, in 1965.)

Believe it or not, if I suddenly won the lottery, the car I would choose above any 1941 is the 1934 V-16 Victoria red convertible coupe. I had one copy of Stan's treatise on the 34-37 V-16s that I had purchased from Agnes Uhlir way, way back in time as the only pre-1964 copy of the S/S that she had left over. I finally borrowed Frank Tardy's 1963 and 1962 copies to read the whole thing. Somewhere in the house, I have copies of Stan's work that Terry Wenger sent me.

I just placed the new TV Guide on the stack of printed material that resides at the end of "my" TV sofa. In the stack is my copy of "The Cadillac That Followed Me Home." It's never made it to the bookcase. It's about time to read it again. (Or order the sequel.) Thanks for the kind words. As I age, (I'll be 80 in July) what I cherish the most is all the friends I have made over the years in the CLC.

For any "newer" members of the Club, you could do worse than go to our GN meets as your finances allow, and meet all the people you can. By the time you have attended five or so meets, you will find yourself looking for "so and so," that you met last year. The cars are great, but the people are incomparable.

(Oh, I did find the tax items. They had been shoved aside where I thought I'd left them. AND, of course that was after I hollered at my wife when she asked what I was upset about.)

[Paul Phillips]

Barry
Speaking of attending the GN and looking for those you met before - will you be there this year?  We are about 6 hrs away tonight, planning to arrive shortly after lunch on Wednesday.

Paul

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Paul, I have a major sewer project this year, so I am staying home. Also, have  great-granddaughter that is due in August in Richmond, VA. Takes precedence over cars... (We just found out tonight what sex the baby is.) Have fun, Barry.

[Chris Cummings]

Barry,

Congratulations on the new great-granddaughter!  And I'm really glad that you are enjoying "The Cadillac That Followed Me Home." 

I discovered the joys of Grand Nationals with my daughter when we went to the Cherry Hill GN together.  Turns out she loves car shows.  And then for Boston, my wife tagged along, and she found out she like them too.  We have a big cruise planned this year (the ship kind, that is) so we're missing Las Vegas.  But next year it's in our back yard.

Best regards,

Chris