Front Hood Trim & NACA Duct attachment

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Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
2,188
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Location
Chattanooga, TN
My Car
72 Mach 1 H-Code (Concourse)
67 GT S-Code 4sp
So, at my recent judging in Concourse at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals I lost a couple points for the attachment finishes for these hood items.  The judge indicated that the Acorn Nuts on the underside of the hood for the front trim piece should be body color as that part was installed before the hood was painted.  Secondly, the studs that attach the NACA ducts to the hood should also be body color as those also were attached prior to paint.  I have a concern that attaching these prior to paint would cause a cracking issue for the paint at the seam between these two parts.  I have seen several cars with cracks in the paint along the front hood trim from these being painted in place.  I would suspect the same issue and possibly even more for the NACA ducts as they are made out of different materials and would expand and contract differently in the sun and cold heating cycles.  I posted this response in a Concourse forum and obtained this response from MCA National Head Judge Bob Perkins.

If you have some time for a long video, but a good over view of the show take a look at this one.  If you can make it to the end I get my 5 seconds of fame with the 72 Mach 1.

Ended up taking silver in Concourse judging.  I do have some questions with some points brought forward by the judges. 

1 - It was pointed out that the acorn nuts on the front hood trim piece should be body color.  Stated hood was painted with this part on. I am of the opinion this part was not painted already installed on the hood as it would lead to cracking in the seam between the hood and the trim panel.

2 - Pointed out that studs for hood scoops should be body color as well as they were also installed on the hood before painting. I again have a hard time believing this is the case as it would lead to more cracking issues around the scoop.

3 - All branded Autolite or Motorcraft components under the hood should be the same.  It is my understanding the conversion to Motorcraft was not finalized until March/April 1972.  My build date of early January 1972 Dearborn would proceed that date and allow for some variance in branded components vs  all being the same.

I would appreciate others views on these points.

I do not have my judging sheet to reflect back on some of the other comments as I left the award and paperwork at my folks house in WI when we headed back home. I will have it back around Christmas.
PERKINS RESPONSE

You  have asked great questions that have been a bit controversial regarding 71-73 Mustangs. Typically 1973 Mustangs had the hood molding nuts and hood scoop hardware painted body color as the judges noted.Typically 1971 were not painted. The painted hardware practice stated in the 1972 model year. My opinion for 1972 is early no paint later painted. I have no dates on this change. I personally accept either for 1972.

  Motorcraft VS Autolite parts was another change over during the 1972 model year.  If you are using genuine Ford parts most would be date coded. It's my experience a January 1972 Mustang would typically have Motorcraft parts. If not, I would look for date code to verify. 

I am thinking about trying to push this issue a little farther with MCA for a definitive ruling, but not to take up all of my time.

Do others have original cars to reference across the 71-73 timeline?  Other fact based experience or understandings to share.

Thank you,

Brian

 
Congrats on the silver!

Just restored my 71 hood. It has been painted black over the original silver grey/green paint and the scoops hardware is as we speak in an acid bath. They were black. Meaning there was no original green or grey on them just the black over sprayed (even on the ram air plenum). The front molding had been removed and painted but the nuts were not painted. I can't say for sure about the front molding, but for the scoops, i'm pretty sure these had never been removed before.

On my 73, back in late 80's, there was a flat hood (damaged just like the rest of the car but original), I've replaced it and I'm pretty sure the molding (painted) nuts were not body color. I had very hard time find 2 missing nuts back then. I've removed all the car moldings to clean underneath and had lost two somehow weeks later when I tried put all back. (that's when the young me realized that bagging stuff might be a good idea) Found replacements on a blue 72 coupe in a junkyard, also plated but not painted.

If this piggy practice would be true you'd also have bare metal or just primer under the nuts and on top of the hood, there would be not paint under scoops either.

 
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Congratulations on the sliver, but it sounds like your judge was a bit too hard on his scoring of your car and you should have been awarded a gold. Wish I could help but maybe David's car would be a good example of a 73.

 
I'll put the '73 issue to bed... My '73 vert. Notice the original factory inspector mark as proof that the paint is original...

73 Vert Underhood trim and Inspector mark.jpg

 
+1. I checked last night on my 73 coupe as the underside of my hood is still the original medium metallic brown paint and the acorn nuts are painted body color on mine as well.

 
Very interesting...was not aware of this. I would be really curious to see now if anyone has an original paint 71 and 72 and what the answer is on those. Thanks for sharing everyone.

 
As some have painted ones:

What's under the scoops then ?

Under the front molding ?

What was the painting order they've used? Prime, assemble and paint or even worse, assemble prime and paint?

If the scoops are not well protected underneath, it must be a rust heaven under them by now...

 
Very good feed back and examples to back it up. Thank you everyone and if some known original 71 & 72's can be identified it would be great to get some validation. Thank you, keep it going.

 
I think you also have to consider that some car’s came with the chrome hood trim in ‘71-2, I don’t think these would have been on the hood when it was painted thus, unpainted acorn screws also. I could see the factory painting the trim and acorn nuts on hoods withcolour matching trim to save time and $$$.

 
I will do some checking today on some of my cars.

I have the crashed 72 vert that had been painted will look to see if they painted under the hood or not. Also I have the 73 vert that did have at least the top of the hood and fenders painted will also look at it.

My 73 Mach 1 for sure has not been painted so I will check and take some pictures of any proof.

I seem to recall in the Ford Facts book for at least the 73 that the process for painting was two coats of primer, sand then two coats of color and the final third coat of color was applied with the different kind of spray system. Seems like it was called high atomize or something.

I could see them maybe prime then put the trim on and then top coat.

Having been in several of the Ford assembly plants I got permission to go into the paint room at the Ohio Truck plant in Cleveland where Econoline and the Mini van were built.

While walking around the paint area I noticed that for the sliding side door trim that covers the track in the side of the van they place it in the windshield opening for paint. This allowed paint to be applied inside the sliding side door and they painted the trim piece at the same time not attached. I could see them doing something like this for the hood trim and the scoops also.

For sure the fender ends were not on and the chrome would be no way.

Ok this is and edit. I looked at my 73 Mach 1 the nuts are painted build 4/73 so late build. NASA hood.

My 73 vert built 4-73 also is not painted, has flat hood.

The 72 vert I have that was a one owner crashed looks to have overspray on the nuts but not fully painted. This is a flat hood car.

Need more original owner cars so you know the hood has not been replaced and history.

I do have two more hoods in storage I can look at when I am there. There is also the hood off the crashed 72 T-5 at the barn I will also look at and I think I took the scoops out of that one so can look at paint there also.



 
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Very good feed back and examples to back it up.  Thank you everyone and if some known original 71 & 72's can be identified it would be great to get some validation.  Thank you, keep it going.
Here is my hood being sanded. Not sure on the nuts but you can definitely tell was painted under the scoops and front trim.

my car is an early 71 as well.





 
Mine was built in 9/70, and none of the fasteners under the hood were painted.

HPIM0930.JPG

 
Could you provide any pictures and your build date?
Build date 9/70.  See pics below.







This car has been repainted?
Yes, after 40+ years of waxing it. I broke thru to the primer on the high points.  First had it touched up, but my eyes always went to those areas, so I had a personal friend who is a body man keep it one winter, he disassembled, painted (the original color - grabber lime green) all parts while apart and reassembled.  That was years ago, the paint has held up well.

 
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