Original paint color behind grill?

[PaulK]

What was the original color on the area between the grill and the radiator? It has been suggested that from the factory they were all painted black in this area. I have scowered the photo section and have seen some painted black and some body color. My car I a not going to be absolutely factory correct but this is one thing I am curious about, I can see merrit to it.

Thanks
Paul

 

[bobbo]

Painted black from stainless trim back to the radiator would be correct.
this gets left out on some re-sprays, hence the confusion.

 

[alpine_64]

It's a satin black as opposed to a shiney body finish, same was used inside a-post drains.

 

[65beam]

grill

it was painted with a brush. not sprayed.

 

[jumpinjan]

Yep, painted with a brush using satin or flat black paint.
Jan

 

[PaulK]

Thanks all, tomorrow I will get my rush and satin black out and go for it.

Paul

 

[PaulK]

It's a satin black as opposed to a shiney body finish, same was used inside a-post drains.

Alpine_64 is the A post drain the drain in the in the convertible top well just aft of the door latch.
I thought that post was actually the B post, anyway is that the area you are referring to?

Thanks
Paul

 

[alpine_64]

Alpine_64 is the A post drain the drain in the in the convertible top well just aft of the door latch.
I thought that post was actually the B post, anyway is that the area you are referring to?

Thanks
Paul

It's the drain chanel that goes from the edge at the base of the windscreen forward that the leading edge of the door closes over.

They had a template at the factory they put over it and brushed black paint in the drain area and part way up the vertical face... Basically defines the shadow gap of the panel, very few bother putting it in after a respray... It's also a good check point to see if a car has been repainted as 99% of the time it's not put back either deliberately or not.

 

[PaulK]

Thanks Michael, I will be painting mine black in both areas.

Paul

 

[alpine_64]

If you need photos of how the drains were done let me know

 

[P. Scofield]

Thanks Michael, I will be painting mine black in both areas.

Paul

I don't think you have to paint it with a brush. Nobody will know if you spray it with a rattle can. You won't get any deductions! The best thing about the brush is you don't need to mask anything.

 

[65beam]

I don't think you have to paint it with a brush. Nobody will know if you spray it with a rattle can. You won't get any deductions! The best thing about the brush is you don't need to mask anything.

paul,
it won't be a factory original style if not done with a brush. doug uses a horse hair brush to paint this area and the brush strokes hardly show.

 

[hartmandm]

If you need photos of how the drains were done let me know

Michael,

Photos will be useful.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[alpine_64]

Michael,

Photos will be useful.

Thanks,
Mike

Mije send me your email II took photos of the grill and à post drain areas

 

[Jay Laifman]

But wait! I recall that this was not done on all years. I'm pretty sure in the Tiger world there have been multiple threads on this.

 

[65beam]

grill

the area was painted black on the cars with the single bar grill , not the early alpine grill. that would be series 4 & 5 which would include MK 1 & MK 1A tigers since they also have the lower grill finisher. the MK 2 tiger has the egg crate grill.

 

[Jay Laifman]

I'm saying that I recall discussions that some Tigers have it and some don't. So those would all be the later grille. I'm also certain my very late SV was all body color.

 

[65beam]

grill

a lot of things have been changed in the last 50 + years including body panels. if damaged when fairly new I know that insurance companies were no different in the 60's than they are now. would the average body shop have painted the area black? it wasn't done when my series 4 hit two trees in march 1970. extra expense on a 5 year old car. I do know that this area was brush painted when doug restored the body a few years back just as he did on the series 5 when he restored it 20 years ago.

 

[alpine_64]

OK, discussion on two fronts, re bob's comments about early cars SI-3 not having the paint behind the grill, we discussed this about 4-5 tears back on the old forum. I originally agreed that no black paint behind the grill on early series, as it didnt seem needed given the area is largely obscured by the grill bars and doesn't have the defined line on panel of the base trim of a siv-v, but agreed it had in the "A pillar" drains. After researching at the time and indeed posting the pictures on the old forum, period road test cars in the lighter colours such as white and red clearly showed the black behind the grill area on early cars, chalk that up to rootes being pedantic with their new sports model.

Jay as for your comments re the very late cars, alpines running through to '68 I'm not sure... I'm confident to say all the tigers were done, but they finished production earlier than alpines.