Painting hood and lower panels black

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which version

  • Boss or NASCAR

    Votes: 2 40.0%
  • Gloos or Matt

    Votes: 4 80.0%

  • Total voters
    5
Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Messages
885
Reaction score
4
Location
Conway, S.C.
My Car
1972 MACH 1
2019 F150
Want to paint my hood and lower body panels for more aggressive look.  Can't decide on BOSS full blackout or just center typical NASCAR.  Changes don't matter because nothing except trans and rear match the build sheet.  Also on the fence about gloss or matt finish.  Help with feed back.

Alan L.

 
Both versions are nice. It's a matter of personal preference. I personally prefer the Contoured NASA style. Either way it has to be Matt finish, NO GLOSS for me. I used a low gloss clearcoat over the blackout.

 
I agree with SEM Hot Rod Black. That is what I used and have found it to be very durable. I can even clean it with Mothers Quick Detailer with no effect on the sheen. Not sure if it is still available, but SEM also have a matching clear coat for Hot Rod Black. The only issue might be thickness build up at the edges. My painter didn't use it for that reason.

If you look at my pic, you will notice an all too common Bo-Bo. The front of the black-out 1/4" stripe is supposed to be 2" from the very front of the hood trim, not the hood itself. Again, my painter missed this detail as the trim piece was not yet installed, so it is what it is, but I can save you from this mistake. There are templates available to get the shape correct. I got mine and my stripe kit from Graphics Express in Florida. If you chose not to go that route, the 1/4" stripe around is set 1/2" from the main body black-out and 6" in from the hood edges all the way to the curve. If these are not done at least somewhat right, they look horrible imo.

Geoff.

 
No vote on a gloss finish for the hood. Sun glare would be a killer.

 
The whole idea of black or argent on the hood is to kill the glare. Just do not get near it with wax which is not really needed anyway.

Last year I did a rub off of my original hood for a member. He found that all the current templates had the incorrect radius on corners and were not correct. He took the rub off to a supplier that cut him correct one. I would have to go measure some I wish I was still working I could rub off do a scan and send a file that could be reproduced to correct size.

I think a shiny hood insert takes a lot away from our cars also made up incorrect shapes do not look right. The only other paint scheme I like is the Mexican version of the Mach 1 in 73 that was TuTone paint and looks right.

The picture of the car clean was made in the 80's before I put in the barn. The digital pictures look different for sure. I had just wiped the hood off with clean water to do the rub off.

Hey the Maverick Grabber sitting beside it had black out hood also. BTW it is a NASA hood not NASCAR, lol. Named so because NASA developed the shape of the openings during development of rockets had the best airflow of any shape tested.

My two cents,

David







 
not2old, Just as Rich stated, both versions look great, It's just a matter of personal preference. I'm more of a fan of the Mach1 NASA paint style. While more of a PIA to get the hood front contours correct, it sure looks good! Unfortunately most of the stencils being offered as correct are not. The two I've heard being the best and closest to correct are Graphics Express in Florida (check Geoff"s hood) and Phoenix Graphix which I understand patterned their stencil from a forum members original J code 71 Mach1. The Boss hood reminds me a lot of the early 340 Dusters hood treatment. There again, just an opinion and not a slam against either style. Both have their place in the food chain!

I'm sure which ever style you choose will look great when done properly.





 
not2old, Just as Rich stated, both versions look great, It's just a matter of personal preference. I'm more of a fan of the Mach1 NASA paint style. While more of a PIA to get the hood front contours correct, it sure looks good! Unfortunately most of the stencils being offered as correct are not. The two I've heard being the best and closest to correct are Graphics Express in Florida (check Geoff"s hood) and Phoenix Graphix which I understand patterned their stencil from a forum members original J code 71 Mach1. The Boss hood reminds me a lot of the early 340 Dusters hood treatment. There again, just an opinion and not a slam against either style. Both have their place in the food chain!

I'm sure which ever style you choose will look great when done properly.



Hey Steve, Reminds me of a 69 Boss hood.Lets keep it in the family....  :D



 
Lol! You got me Rich. Really hated to put a non Ford illustration to compare to the 71 Boss hood. The Duster, which was plentiful in our town and some of my friends owned, was the only thing I could think of.  I had seen so few 69 Boss cars I had totally forgotten about the hood treatment on them. Now I can remove the Duster picture from my picture file!!   :D

 
I went glossy on mine because it needs wax to survive in the West Texas sun (not that it sees much sun anyway, but nonetheless).

Then again, mine's not a rare, collectible, or particularly valuable car (to anybody but me... well, and all the drool-monsters that catch a glimpse and want to know more, that is).

I've driven into the sun, away from the sun, with the sun straight up, etc., and haven't noticed any of these glare issues everybody seems to complain about.

Honestly, if mine hadn't come that way from the factory with the factory Ram Air, I don't know that I would've TuTone'd the hood at all.  The rocker black-out, sure... but maybe not so much the hood.

Good luck with your choice.

 
I will throw my two bits in, matt black, nasa hood. In the end though, your choice is the correct choice.

 
Only problem is Ford did not use it in that era. Name was changed to NASA and Ford only called it that in all ads and brochures for their vehicles.

Sort of like BMW calling their sports car version Z-3 etc. a "Roadster". A true Roadster did not have roll up windows only side curtains to make it the cheapest version of vehicle they produced. Only recent Roadsters were the early Vipers that had no side windows.

I see lots of people wanting to change the NASA to NACA but only NASA will ever be correct term for our cars.

BTW I do not think wax does anything to protect from the sun. About the only think it might protect from is bugs sticking. The 73 Mach 1 I have has sat in a pole barn since 1982 never washed or waxed and the sun hits it every day. What wears the paint out is rubbing on it, lol.

Another fable on paint is that powder coating lasts longer than liquid paint and it does not. I worked for the largest mfg. of lawn equipment in the world and we had multiple powder coat lines. In our salt spray and sun testing liquid paint lasted longer but costs way more since it is difficult to have any recovery process and also the EPA requirements. Consumers were sold up to powder coating as better so companies could make more money.

Sort of like power windows costing more when they are actually less.

Yes powder is smooth and shiny when applied but give if a few years in the sun and looks like crap. It is plastic and hates the sun.

Yes some will always like shiny hoods over flat but in the end a serious collector will pay more for correct flat than not correct glossy any day. If you are going to keep your car you can put anything you want on it who cares. They use to do lace jobs on the hood when new and people loved them then.

When I do my Q code 72 vert which came with a NASA hood but not locks I am going to do two hoods one with no locks and no black out and one with locks and blackout. In the future the next owner can choose which he prefers original or to my taste. I will also take the Protection Package side molding off and add side stripe both of which a new owner can go back to original with little cost. We all make changes to our cars to our taste that is why every Mustang ever built has the possibility of being a one of one with the number of options, drive trains, colors and interiors Ford offered.

Henry Ford tried to force everyone to like a black car but failed, lol. The black paint dried the fastest so he used Japalac Black for the model T but did change to offer colors later. The first Fords could be ordered in colors but took weeks to paint. The black allowed the assembly line to be used and make more money.

If we did not like different things the world would be a boring place for sure. In the car market today we are forced to take what they offer again with limited option packages to save the mfg. money and the consumer just let's it happen.

David

 
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