73 Full size

[64tempest]

I know this may sound like a stupid question but Id like to know. Were the front clips on these cars painted in a different manor than the rest of the car. I know they were probaly installed later as most production cars were, but Ive had several 73s lately and the paint on the front clip is shot and the rest of the car is very nice. The first one I thought may have been a crash victim, but I have the owners history on the last two and they are original paint cars. Im just curious, as one of the cars needs paint all over and Im pretty sure I can save most of the other, but why are thesr particular cars this way or is it just the ones I seem to find!

[64tempest]

I know this may sound like a stupid question but Id like to know. Were the front clips on these cars painted in a different manor than the rest of the car. I know they were probaly installed later as most production cars were, but Ive had several 73s lately and the paint on the front clip is shot and the rest of the car is very nice. The first one I thought may have been a crash victim, but I have the owners history on the last two and they are original paint cars. Im just curious, as one of the cars needs paint all over and Im pretty sure I can save most of the other, but why are thesr particular cars this way or is it just the ones I seem to find!

[RAJNWDY]

I was in Jr. high or High school and we took a tour of the South gate GM Plant. This would have been in the 70's some where. Anyway to answer your question, yes the body parts do get painted in a seperate part of the painting section and then are put on the car at that stage of the build. If I remember right, the body is mostly assembled up stairs and then would come down to be joined to the semi completed chassis. then the front group which is mostly assembled at this point would be installed and shimmed for fit. bumpers and hood were usually the last to go on.

This problem with the paint still goes on to this day. I have a 88 Chevy PU that the drivers door and bed on the drivers side faded worse then the cab and front group.

RDRR Custom Fabrications

....A fictitious company doing fictitious work....

[1-GTO]

Another reason why the front ends may not hold the paint as well or fade faster than the rest of the body is because the front filler panels were made of plastic or fiberglass and didn't hold the paint as well as the metal body panels?I have a 1971 Catalina 4-door parts car and the front end is faded worst than the rest of the car.I've noticed this on the 1971-72 LeMans also,where they have a body-colored filler panel up front.

GTO.....Gran Turismo Omologato,True Pontiac Excitement!