Before the question, I want to share the great news that I got the GS back home today. Looks real nice. Now the real work begins!!! Feel free to check out the pics I took this afternoon of the GS sitting back in its old nest. They're posted on the Progress Page of my Web site. Anyway, here's the question: how did the cowl tag look when it was new? I take it it wasn't painted at all, but just raw metal. Was it shiny or dull? Thanks in advance....
I am not sure that is correct. Ken Lisk and perhaps some others have original cars . Ken has posted a pic of his tag in the past. Let's take another look.
That is what I remember. It struck me that it was once black and the paint was polished off. Otherwise, I cannot account for the paint on the right side. I looks more than overspray. Ken , you can see it in person what do you say?
Here's a little bit closer up picture, if it helps any. It looks to me like the cowl tag was affixed to the bare sheetmetal cowl. There is body color overspray from what is obviously production-style masking. The seam sealer covers the lower left corner of the tag. It looks like the black cowl paint was applied and masked off in a smiliarly poor way. I believe the blob of black on the right hand side is seam sealer that was dripped there. It's thick and has a similiar consistency. It is not the black cowl paint- wrong thickness, sheen, and texture. To my knowledge the tag has never been cleaned of any coating. I asked Duane about this at the BPG Nats and he verified that the cowl tag should not be painted. Hope this helps.
That pic doesn't show the detail I was hoping for. here's the same pic with the brightness pushed to bring out edges a bit more. Hope this is better.
Ken my interpretation is that it once had black paint on it but a lot has now flaked off. What is your interpretation?
Jim- I really don't think it was painted. In the upper left hand corner you can see slight black overspray on top of the body color overspray which would indicate the black was masked too. Hard to see in the pic, but definitely easy to see in person. Also, the left rivet shows no sign of black anywhere. You'd think that if paint flaked off there'd be some stuck down between the rivet and the tag boss where it would tend to make a good mechanical bond. The small marks on the face of the tag are corrosion marks, not small flecks of paint if that helps any. I'll PM a link of this thread to Duane. Perhaps he can add some clarification.
The 70 Skylark I have (Freemont built with 45,000 mi.) has a cowl tag that is all black. Same shade as the cowl itself and shows no signs of overspray.
I appreciate John posting this thread because I would like to know too. In my mind's eye most of the original cars I see in boneyards have been painted. Next time I go I am going to look at a lot of Buick and refresh my recollection.
Hmm, mine is a Flint built car. I wonder if it's factory related? I'm pretty much convinced that mine was never painted.
Korrie Your car is the way I see them in boneyards when they have never been touched under the hood. The GSX cowl tag is consistent with my thinking that they were once painted, but over time it started to flake off.
Korrie- That looks different from mine, certainly. And that's a Flint built car, so there goes that theory. I sent a link to this thread to Duane. Hopefully, he can guide us as well.
Hey, guys~~~ Great to see a little activity on this thread! I sit with bated breath to see the resolution. When I took mine off earlier this year, it was black; but I suspect that I sprayed the whole firewall black about 20 years ago, although I can't say for sure. Unfortunately, way back then, I didn't imagine I'd be pondering such seemingly trivial details in 2004! Thanks, & hopefully Duane can render us a verdict.... John
Gentlemen, The answer to your question is YES, it is a plant thing. The original 70-71 Flint tags, I have seen, were bare metal in the center, with the top & bottom edges being painted black. They look like they were masked off, and often have some of the body color peeking through under the black. The cowls ended up getting some body color overspray on first, and then were painted black to clean everything up. I can't remember off-hand how the 72 Flint tags look, but will check my notes & ask Ritchie. Some, and possibly all, of the other plants had the tags completely painted black. Their tags were also shaped differently then the Flint tags. You guys need to research this some more. In the Phila area we see either Flint or Framingham cars, not Fremont, Kansas city, etc. Duane
Thanks, Duane! :TU: That certainly describes the pic I posted. Korrie, any chance that GSX tag had a repaint of the cowl? Or is pretty sure an original car?
Do not know if GSX cowl tag had a repaint. It was advertised on ebay as being "original". The auction was pulled because it violated ebay policy. I saved the picture for future reference in case this cowl tag showed up later on "down the road".
Korrie The tag belonged to an original GSX wrecked and totaled on a drag strip here in NC early in it life.
Anyone got a picture of the correct 70-71 Flint appearance, as described by Duane? (In as-delivered/restored condition, as opposed to Ken's photos)
