1972 Eldorado Engine Compartment Paint

[golden1]

Hello All,
I'm having the engine compartment restored in my 1972 Eldorado convertible.  I know the engine is painted in Cadillac Blue, but does anyone know the specific black paint used in the engine bay?  There is a black gloss and black matte paint on the components.  The restoration shop is intent on restoring this to factory original as much as possible.  I appreciate any help.  Thanks, Darryl

[Seville Life]

I've done quite a lot of research on this so first let me just say that I have discovered that during the 1970s Cadillac may have used different combinations of gloss and semi-gloss (sometimes satin) but never matt. They commonly used semi-gloss which is typically 25% gloss only.

I use Eastwood products, American and very good. Obviously there are people like Bill Hirsch, great products. VHT do a Cadillac blue for engines.

I'm a '76/'79 Seville man and what I did was hunt down very low mileage and clearly mint original cars and get photographs and use them as a guide as to what it looked like when new, including inspector's marks and what colour they were. Decals can be bought from various firms. Paul 

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Here is a picture of the engine bay of a low mileage, original '72 CDV that I took showing what was there.

The only thing not original was the battery and isolator.

I know it is not an Eldorado, but if mine was so unmolested, it would be the same.

Bruce.

[fishnjim]

I have yet to find a paint code for the "GM bulk black" used for sheet metal parts.   These type paints came in semi tanker loads from various paint vendors.  (I have background in supplying catalyst for E-coat primer, auto finishes)
When I had to get some for the underside of the hood, I went to NAPA and they had a gloss "guide" which showed ~6 levels, from high to flat and I used the #3 level of flatner and it was good.  It's just the regular black base with various levels of surface modifier,(flatner) usually some sort of fine powder.   
If a part has gloss, it came from a supplier or was re-painted/polished at some point.  You can also vary the gloss a bit in the spraying operation, so I wouldn't sweat bullets over this. 
I didn't check, but I'm surprised there no authenticity manual for this year? Maybe the judges have comment on what they look for. 

[foxsnout]

Here is a picture of the engine bay of a low mileage, original '72 CDV that I took showing what was there.

The only thing not original was the battery and isolator.

I know it is not an Eldorado, but if mine was so unmolested, it would be the same.

Bruce.

...i respectfully disagree...seems not like a very original engine compartment to me:
1. wrong engine color...should be DARK blue. Best match in my opinion is Bill Hirsch...although POR15 is also close to the original engine color.
2. the semi gloss black paint seems to glossy in some areas (look how the battery isolator is reflecting in the paint)...the stickers (look closely at the ,,Add glycol..."-sticker) seems to be poorly taped before painting.
3. wrong clamp on the upper radiator hose (should be a tower clamp
4. AC was converted to R12 (see the connectors)...
5. the undercarriage pictures shows some black rattle can overspray (see stabilizer...)
Don't get me wrong...this engine compartment looks clean and unmolested but not untouched.
Marco

[Seville Life]

If my memory serves me right I think the information you speak of, paint part numbers/codes and typically three of the big paint suppliers numbers, and the percentage of semi-gloss, gloss are listed in a section at the beginning of the GM/Cadillac parts book? 

Yes sadly the blue in that engine compartment looks either made-up to match or more likely GM Corporate Blue used from '77 onwards.

Marco, don't know what you 'converted' to R12, it would've been R12 from new? Paul

[foxsnout]

If my memory serves me right I think the information you speak of, paint part numbers/codes and typically three of the big paint suppliers numbers, and the percentage of semi-gloss, gloss are listed in a section at the beginning of the GM/Cadillac parts book? 

Yes sadly the blue in that engine compartment looks either made-up to match or more likely GM Corporate Blue used from '77 onwards.

Marco, don't know what you 'converted' to R12, it would've been R12 from new? Paul

Sorry, my bad. Yes, originally R12...it was converted to R134a.
Marco

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

[quote author=foxsnout link=msg=533410 date=16756293
4. AC was converted to R12 (see the connectors)...
Don't get me wrong...this engine compartment looks clean and unmolested but not untouched.    Marco    [/quote]
Oops.   Forgot about those connectors.   The car was converted to run R134a gas when it was imported into Australia as R12 has been illegal since way before 2008, when I imported my own '72 Eldorado Convertible.

Bruce.

[golden1]

Thanks everyone for your comments.  I'll follow-up with Bill Hirsch paints to see what they recommend and ask the restoration shop to focus on the different levels of gloss.  The firewall does appear to be painted in a matte finish.  My Eldorado is very original with only 65,000 miles for a 50 year old car so we'll probably just repaint exactly as what is already there.  Thanks again!
Darryl