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Need some history of vehicle paint, early materials, bodywork

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by CoalTownKid, Sep 26, 2008.

  1. CoalTownKid
    Joined: Mar 12, 2005
    Posts: 2,024

    CoalTownKid
    Member

    I'm doing a little bit of searching into the processes of painting in the 1930s and 40s only.

    I had talked with a fellow who ran at the dry lakes back in 1939 today and we talked paint finish a while.

    What I was wondering, does anyone have any old paint books, or other info at hand regarding colors of primer in the 1930s -40s? I'm talking ONLY those time periods,...not the 50s or 60s.

    I'd like to know, what was the norm for color of auto primers availible at this time? Black?...Red Oxide?...Grey? (light or dark?),....etc.

    Anyone know of any old paint finish books, reference materials or literature in book form or online that talks about this subject?

    The prep work, paint used, etc. from that specific time frame?

    I am not interested in the modern "primer" paint job, but rather the prep work colors of primers, and everything that came BEFORE the top coats were laid on the tin back then.

    Thanks a million as always guys!
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2008
  2. HELLMET
    Joined: Apr 21, 2001
    Posts: 1,606

    HELLMET
    Member

    all stuff done 30-40s lauqure primer red oxide or dark greys and body work was done in lead and torch did your welding some guys if they were good stick welded. paint where lauquers also. enamels did not come out till the 50s .
     
  3. overspray
    Joined: Jan 14, 2003
    Posts: 1,417

    overspray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  4. CoalTownKid
    Joined: Mar 12, 2005
    Posts: 2,024

    CoalTownKid
    Member

    I knew of the laquers, but they also did have alkyd enamels in the 1930s,....I was not sure of the colors of primers they had, or the kinds of "filler primers" that were used if there was anything out there to begin with?
    I know of ledding as bondo didn't come out till, what the mid 50s?

    I heard from a fellow on a Model A restorer board I'm also on that his dad went to the Ford plant way back when and wanted to actually watch his Model A being put together and made. He said his dad told him that they sprayed it with a red oxide kind of primer, then onto the top coat. So that was neat!

    So along with that red oxie they used a "dark" grey,..no lighter colors were out then?? Light grey,...?
     

  5. CoalTownKid
    Joined: Mar 12, 2005
    Posts: 2,024

    CoalTownKid
    Member

    AH HA!
    A wealth of reading material! Thanks a million!
    Had a terrible time searching the net,..seems that sites have SO many tags attached to themselves that you search for auto coatings and you get everything from car sites to rubber coatings for handtools coming up!
     
  6. beaulieu
    Joined: Mar 24, 2007
    Posts: 362

    beaulieu
    Member
    from So Cal

    ummm I think alkyd enamel is what Rustoleum etc is made from....

    Beaulieu
     
  7. The earliest known enamelled objects were made in Cyprus in around the 13th century BC during the Mycenæan period. Six gold rings discovered in a Mycenæan tomb at Kouklia were decorated with various vitreous coloured layers fused on to the gold.
    The process evolved into firing of enamel and then into various types of enamel paints.

    http://www.ive.org.uk/faq/history.html
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2008
  8. jagfxr1949
    Joined: Jun 27, 2008
    Posts: 277

    jagfxr1949
    Member

    I know that DuPont did have a 'history' section on the site. They also published a booklette on the i history of automotive paints in the USA. One of the reaons Ford painted all of the T's black in '23 was the black enamel dried faster than colors. The next year, as I remember, that problem was solved and color was back. used books stores are a good place to find some of this stuff as are auto paint stores that have been around for a long time. Some do keep the old liturature. Look at the various paint manufatures sites for the history and see if what you are looking for is there. When I started painting I remember only a grey and red oxide and that is what I generally find under original paints. As to Surfacers, there was 'peroxolin' primer and puttey, versions of lacquer and they could be built up quite a bit.
     
  9. CoalTownKid
    Joined: Mar 12, 2005
    Posts: 2,024

    CoalTownKid
    Member

    thank you very much for all the help guys!
     

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