Paint in the engine compartment

[Keldridge]

Evening. I'm restoring the under hood on a 1956 Cadillac Series 60. The car seems to be fairly virginal. Odd clips, wiring harnesses, hose clamps, give indication that this car has not had a lot of butchering. I have the motor out, engine compartment clean, and am ready to start reassembly. One inner fender is very clearly a flat, or light semi-gloss black. The other inner fender is just as plainly gloss black. What was the original inner fender finish? The exterior color is black.
Thanks
Kevin

[fishnjim]

All that can be found in the authenticity manual for your year, but from CLC.

There's not any paint code for '50s GM body black(bulk) anymore, acrylic enamel semi gloss black is the easiest/best match.   If it's mixed, it's the "3" flatness, on 0-6 scale.
   
I wrote on this before, it's possible to paint in a variety of gloss finishes from the same paint by varying the air pressure, angle, wet v dry coats, reducing, etc.   A coat of wax or rubbing can make things shine that didn't from the factory also.   So don't go by appearance on anything old. 
Some parts were dipped, some where spray painted, primed or unprimed, etc.   It changes by years too as paint formulas changed but generally not a big issue for restoring.   (I'd say if it doesn't need repair for rust, etc, leave as it is.  Part of it's history)   Once they went to electrostatic, it all got covered in the same primer.   Stampings were made everywhere and either left unpainted or went out with the bulk black - depended on the spec.   Some new/repro are powder coated.   
You need to check the fisher body plate for the paint code to check if it's the original paint color.   Original paint chips/formulae are still available but may not be the original paint these days.   Some online.   (TCP global, some are body shop accessible.)
Does not preclude having been repainted all or part either.  Original paint should look like it's been on there the length of it's age/mileage, not necessarily pristine paint.   Hard one to prove with out doing some investigating.   

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Perhaps I don't understand your question but here goes.

If you're asking what color the fenders should be under the
hood? In that period, the color of the fenders and firewall
were painted the same color & with the same paint as the
body.  Since your exterior color is black they should be
black.  If your car exterior color was originally black, it
would show code 10 on the trim plate.

Mike

[cadman56]

Mike is correct, and the hood hinge was also painted body color.  Don't forget that.

[Keldridge]

Good evening. I want to reiterate my original question as it has been a few days. I wondered about the gloss of the inner fenders. My driver's inner fender was high gloss and my passenger inner fender was a low satin or even flat. I appreciate you guys chipping in with answers. After removing the engine and doing a complete de-grease and clean up of the engine compartment, I have discovered the right inner fender to have originally been yellow. Some body man evidently replaced it and then went back with spray bomb black. It would appear that the original inner fender, (this car is a 10 code), was not only black but very high gloss. My firewall too is shiny, so I will be, (I'm awaiting on an authenticity manual), going back high gloss. Thanks