VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1940 Chevy paint

I own a 1940 Chevy Special Deluxe 4-Door Sedan. The car came from the factory painted black and I am having the car painted Ruby Maroon.

Prior to having the body work done I had detailed the engine compartment and fire wall and painted everything black. What should I have by body guy paint Ruby Maroon in the engine compartment? Does the underside of the hood get painted Maroon?

When I asked him about what to paint he said it was my choice. That was not the answer I was looking for. Thanks guys for your help.

Gerry

The firewall should be painted maroon as its part of the body.All upper body was painted the same.Only the under body floor surfaces were not body color.The underside of the hood was black.

What color is the under side of the body & what color would the fender wells be,inside the engine compartment & in the wheel wells?

The under side of the body was a primer gray.It was a semi-gloss ,water proof type -probably an enamel base.The fenders, front and rear were black (under sides).The inner fenders in the front were black-both inner and outter.The body portion of the rear wheel wells was body color.(as was the cowl area in front).The body was painted without the fenders on and everything above the floor area was body color.Hope this is clear :confused:

Mr. Gene

Would that be gloss black or semi gloss?

Thank You

Jerry Metz

Gloss

I was told by a VCCA Technical advisor that the underside of the body was to be painted the same as the body color. I have no reason to question whether you are correct or he is but that is two different answers and I am trying to do my car correct the first time. What do I do?

Thank You Jerry Metz

If you refer to page 27 of "A Pictorial History of Chevroler 1940-54" you will see the underside of a new 1940 Chevrolet.The picture is in black and white but it is plain to see that the underbody floor is a lighter color.The bottoms of the exterior of the front fenders are visable and they are either black or a very dark color.....Some of the gray was still visable on my '39 also.
In 1955-57 the underbody was painted with red oxide primer.It would have been impossible to paint the underside with body color as the body was sitting on a jig when it was painted.Also the edges of the underbody often had overspray on them from when the body color was sprayed on the lower areas.Most paint the complete undercarriage black.

Mr. Gene

Thanks once again for your help. Do you know where a copy of this book that you speak of can be purchased.

Thank You

Jerry Metz

Its available from www.fillingstation.com for $29.95.Their number for the book is RW-9700.

There are four books in the series, 1929-1939, 1940-1954, 1955-1957, and 1958-1960. I purchased three of mine at Border's Book store. One was $22.95, the other two were $24.95 each. The forth book was given to me by the author.

Check amazon.com under books and sometimes you can get used ones at a good price.