Time capsule 410 miles..wow

[bogusracer]

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You have to remember that the front clip was not attatched to the rest of the car when it was painted. Even thought paint from the same batch was supposed to be used the environmental and spray conditions were probably not the same. With heavy metallics (even if the paint came from the same can) differences in humidity, air pressure at the spray gun, gun distance from the panel, and spray pattern could cause the paint to lay out differnet or the metallic to settle different.

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Perhaps I can shed some light on the process for painting the cars in an Assembly Plant since I have approx. 30 years experience in the Paint Shop in an Assembly Plant.

During that time frame, the sheet metal was on a seperate carrier from the body. Also the Sheet metal was "Dip Primed", where the body was Elpo coated and spray primed.
However there was a "Marriage Point" where the sheet metal carrier and the body carriers joined up in sequence so they both went through the paint booths at the same time, sheet metal ahead of the body.

It is my opinion from looking at the photos that one of two things might have happened during the painting process.

1) As the fenders were being processed the Reciprocators that spray the Metallic "Dust Coat" to eliminate the "mottled" (Dark Splotchy appearance) ran out of paint, or were shutdown prematurely due to a mechanical issue and never completed their final strokes on the fenders. That's why the rear lower portion of the fenders shows the most "Off Color" area.
(Recips are mounted in the spray booths and have "Arms" that move in a vertical up / down path with automatic spray guns attached. As the cars go by they paint the sides of the cars and apply a uniform coat of paint that properly orients the metallic flake in the paint to eliminate mottle)

2. The primary color coat applicatios failed to paint the rear lower fenders and part of the upper fender area also. This caused the off color (Dark areas) on the fenders due to the fact that the recip coat does not apply enough paint to achieve "Color Hiding" by itself.

In either instance there is insufficient "Film" build (Paint Thickness) to achieve a proper color match.

Unfortunately, I have been witness to numerous occurrances such as that in our Facility over the past 30 years. Not to say it was OK to ship something like that, but the reality of the situation is that some got out the door back then.

Quality Standards being what they were in the late 60's and early 70's it is not suprising to see a car like that make it out of an Assembly Plant and to the customer.

Additionally as has been pointed out previously, since both sides exhibit the same appearance, it was definitely a "Factory Error" that you see on that car.

Just wanted to share my knowledge with you concerning this and give my opinion of what may have happened.

As for my opinion of the mileage, well perhaps the lady who bought the car didn't like the paint job and couldn't get it repaired by the dealership, so she just decided to park the thing instead of drive it. .........

Just my 2 cents worth ........LOL


Bogusracer

[olredalert]

------Cars are not always put away just because someone thinks someday they will be collectable. More often or not, if the car would not be deemed collectable when new then you can figure the car was stored for another reason. Death comes to mind, along with overseas job postings, as well as long term health problems, and many more. When a car is put away for reasons other than purposely keeping it forever or for future monetary gain then all bets are off as to how the car will look when "discovered" years later.
------I once bought, out of the Boston Globe, a 55 Belair 2dr.H.T. with 1100 or so miles. The original older purchaser had passed away 2 years after the car was new. His wife didnt have a drivers license and rarely went in the garage where the car sat. When I first looked at it there were gallon and quart cans of paint glued to the hood with leakage from the improperly replaced lids. All the chrome was mediocre and the tires were absolutely rotten. The cars mileage was undeniable, however, when you looked at the interior.
------The car had to be painted and I tracked down all the chrome NOS (remember this was 1972) to bring it back to an acceptable standard. Sh** happens, so weather this car has the 400 miles or not dont jump to hasty conclusions. It doesnt benefit the seller or you..........Bill S

[scott s]

I have a few orig paint cars and some of the imperfections on them had to be quite noticeable to the dealer and the orig purchaser ie:runs,sags,blotchy areas,missed areas etc and still they were not addressed.I also work at a dealer and i think people were just not as pickey back then (a car was just a car) transportation ,now- a- days people live in thier cars and are more in tune with them, more than one occasion we had customers flipping out if there,s a damm scratch or dent on the car anywhere!! and they want it fixed before they take delivery, although pretty rare as the quality control is better in the plants the transport and the dealers, remember back then most people bought from the big 3 so the cars sold pretty much reguardless if they had faults or not. But today there is so many companies and models to choose from everyone wants to give u the best possible car for your money...so they say

[70CitrusZ]

whoa.
I didn't mean to say theres "no way" its 411 miles...I just doubt it personally, or, theres more to the story on this car.

Plus this is only my .02, so no one take it personally k?

In any event, some of the 411 mile importance is obviously forever lost on this car,due to someones meddling.

I'm sure Jack would like to paint and primp parts of his low mile 70 Z, but he knows the original untouched(as much as possible) low miler is the way to go.

Of obvious repaints are all the radiator support top,and rad hold down areas on this Chevelle. Compare to the condition of the phosphated latch plate, which looks worse for wear than the paint areas all while being a tougher coating than the paint?
Also fender to door alignment is way off on both sides, and not even close to how "as delivered" alignment would be, and that along with the color match questions would raise suspicions about whats been done here.

"Maybe" the car has 411 miles on it cause it was wiped out in the front at 411 miles, and sat for years waiting to be repaired, If so, it still only has 411 miles on it which is very cool, but its a different story from the "climate controlled environment one"

You all who mentioned it, may indeed have a point about "pictures vs. in person", as some pictures are and can be a little deceiving, but some things seem glaringly obvious on this car.

I still like and appreciate the car, and its milage, just seems a little fishy.

In the end its always buyer beware as usual anyway...
Mark.