The Supercar Registry - Visible progress!

Unlike other cars, we do not need to factor in multiple assembly plants since from 1968 until 1972 the Chevy II and Nova was only made at Willow Run. During these years I have seen original cars done the same way.

The confusing part is the appearance of body color under the cowl vent and in the opening between the fender and the cowl. See both of lowmiles pics above.

Theory number one:

Body color was shot first and black shot over top. Do not know if the whole firewall was painted body color. However lowmile’s orange car might have been.

In the normal course of painting the body color, paint would have over sprayed onto the firewall. How much paint that made it to the firewall probably varied from painter to painter. Then the back out was sprayed from the front of the car. The areas that body color shows through are areas that are at such angle that only the diligent painter would have covered them. Again check out both pics above. There might have been masks on the sides of the cowl. Since no black over spray appears on them.

Theory number two:

The firewall was blacked out first. Then a blanket was placed over the firewall and body color sprayed. This could account for body color in the opening under the cowl and the sides angled back towards the outside of the car. No body color over spray is on the face of the firewall, but if it did happen it would have been touched up.

Most of the evidence including lowmile’s Novas support theory number one.

So just like over spray under the rockers, there could be plenty of body color or hardly any at all under the cowl vent.

This research topic is still open. If anyone ahs more examples of the firewall demarcation line between the body color and black paint send them to me or post them.

Thanks,
Greg R.