Painting a Pre A '55

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James Davies
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#16 Post by James Davies »

Thanks for the clarification Vincent. Happy to help where I can. I'm still learning new things too!

As for the paint on top of the schutz in the engine bay. If the color matches the Azure blue behind your dash, then it's probably original. If it matches the lighter blue exterior color the car is painted in the photo, then it's a later addition. From your photo, I suspect that latter.

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Spencer Harris
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#17 Post by Spencer Harris »

James Davies wrote:A thicker version of Terrosol was used as a sealant on all the seams before the car was painted and given schutz. Brushed on with a wide brush So bottom of the car seams gets it, and the inside areas in the seams behind the dash, etc. Any seam that might let in water gets it, especially areas behind dash below windshield, around the hinge pockets, etc. Then the paint is done over the seam sealer on the inside, and schutz over it on the bottom side.
James or anyone with experience sealing newly installed floor panels: What product would you recommend for the "thicker version of Terrasol" to be brushed along the lap seams on floor panels on a pre-A car?
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Spencer Harris
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Spencer Harris
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#18 Post by Spencer Harris »

Spencer Harris wrote:James or anyone with experience sealing newly installed floor panels: What product would you recommend for the "thicker version of Terrosol" to be brushed along the lap seams on floor panels on a pre-A car?
Found the Terrosol products in an old 2011-2014 thread.
http://www.loctite.com.au/aue/content_d ... ochure.pdf
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Schaefer Ralf
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#19 Post by Schaefer Ralf »

Hello Vincent. Hello James. Your thread is wonderful and a great help for the restoration of my Coupe from 1953.I add some photos to verify your explanations

The spring was painted probably


the luggage compartment shows the area behind and beside the tank in the exterior body color covered with undercoating.No coating where the carped was glued
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#20 Post by Schaefer Ralf »

Here is a picture of the footwell
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#21 Post by Schaefer Ralf »

there are two differences to James Davies car.
there is undercoating also under the tank
and the headlight buckets are black. that seems very strange to me because that was senseless extra work for Reutter
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Schaefer Ralf
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#22 Post by Schaefer Ralf »

like Jame Davies described. the engine compartment was in red primer covered with undercoating

I don´t understand what means bottom of the rain gutter in the engine compartment in James description .Which part is the rain gutter ?
Last edited by Schaefer Ralf on Sun Jan 12, 2020 7:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#23 Post by Schaefer Ralf »

here are the photos
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Schaefer Ralf
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#24 Post by Schaefer Ralf »

I also have a question. What coating black Paint or exterior paint or undercoating do I have to apply to the numbered areas in the rear passenger compartment ?
according to James 2 and 3 black paint covered with undercoating .
Thank you for your help
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#25 Post by Jim Wayman »

Didn't see it mentioned, but didn't Reutter spray on the undercoating before painting the car. I have observed paint overspray on the longitudinals (over the undercoat) which was then hand painted black to cover the overspray.
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Joris Koning
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#26 Post by Joris Koning »

jim wayman wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2020 10:44 am Didn't see it mentioned, but didn't Reutter spray on the undercoating before painting the car. I have observed paint overspray on the longitudinals (over the undercoat) which was then hand painted black to cover the overspray.
Yes, undercoat was applied before paint. Not all areas were touched up black afterwards. Jack spurs etc. often show exterior overspray
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Vincent Gillespie
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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#27 Post by Vincent Gillespie »

Hello, on ours (mid Sept '55 build) areas 1-7 were, as Joris confirms, first coated in undercoat before a coat of exterior colour top coat, but it wasn't exactly done very carefully, the undercoating gun didn't reach the middle of the firewall (7) or very far up the inner sill (1)! and the roof (8) was just exterior body paint.

I didn't bother recreating this as I was more concerned about arresting further decay and protecting the metal in the future so we used modern rust prevention and proofing. These areas are all covered up, I don't intend to ever see it again, so did what was best for us

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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#28 Post by Schaefer Ralf »

Thank you Jim,Joris,Vincent
with your help i know what to do now.
I will start with rust protection primer. second layer will be teroson undercoating and the exterior colour

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Re: Painting a Pre A '55

#29 Post by Vincent Gillespie »

As an update, earlier on in this thread, April 15th, (can't believe it's nearly 4 years ago!) I wondered what could have been fixed with slotted chrome pan head screws and caused the indentation in the rear upholstry panel.

I've been really lucky that one of the early owners manage to track me down and has provided me with some photos and lots of stories about his and earller owner's time with KCT. Turns out he had an aftermarket rear screen demister fitted, mystery solved, I do like getting to the bottom of these conundrums.

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