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deuce_roadster
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-- 02-03-2011 @ 10:30 PM
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Mike, another question that will be easy for you. I have seen this part painted black on some non black cars and body color on other non black cars. Which is correct? I would think it should be body color, it was probably painted when the louvered sides got done. But that is only my guess.
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kubes40
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-- 02-04-2011 @ 6:03 AM
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Yikes! This is actually not an easy one to answer. We need to go back to 1939 first. Anyway, here goes...
In early 1939 the cross brace was bolted to the grille. We KNOW for a fact the brace was at that time painted black. In mid 1939, that brace began to be riveted to the grille and the painting requirement changed accordingly. That is, the brace (riveted) was to be painted with the grille, hence, body color. This too we know for fact.
Now comes 1940.
It only stands to reason as ALL braces were riveted to the grille in 1940, that all would be painted body color. After all, why go back to a more costly method (masking, etc)?
While most braces were in fact body color and the engineering releases prove this to be the method to be employed, there remains a few factory photos that depict this brace black, differing from body color.
As you see, no 'easy' answer.
The released drawings definitely depict this brace to be body color. That is, painted with the grille.
Do we discount the factory photos as 'staged' or??? That is for the judges to decide. Sorry...
Hope this helps...
Mike
This message was edited by kubes40 on 2-5-11 @ 5:41 AM
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deuce_roadster
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-- 02-04-2011 @ 9:39 AM
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Thanks for that history Mike, I appreciate your knowledge. That makes sense to me and as a bonus I think it looks better body color. I would think very few cars actually came from the factory with that part not body color. I am putting a grille together from all NOS Ford parts so I wanted to know now before I rivet the thing together.
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kubes40
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-- 02-04-2011 @ 11:08 AM
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From a production standpoint it makes NO sense for that brace to be anything but body color. A friend of mine who had owned a body shop from the early '40s until the late 80's recalled them being body color. he also told me the front ends on 40 Fords were one of the worst to align. But hey, we KNEW that 
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Stroker
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-- 02-05-2011 @ 4:34 PM
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Mike:
From a "production standpoint"; why do late 30's cylinder head nuts and washers appear to be unpainted, when it would seem that the most logical point to paint an engine would be after it is assembled?
Dan
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kubes40
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-- 02-06-2011 @ 5:55 AM
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There was a type of 'mask' (for lack of a better term) placed over the intake and cylinder head areas prior to the engines being painted. Why Ford did it this way I have no clue. The fact remains they did - at least in 1940.
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alanwoodieman
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-- 02-11-2011 @ 7:26 AM
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to throw fuel on the fire and for discussion, back in 1974 I bought a wrecked 40 sedan, wrecked in 1942 according to the liscense plates, it was hit real hard in the back and in the front, now when I disasembled the parts, the radiator cross brace was painted body color on the top and black underneath,apparently was painted black and then rivited to the rest of the grill and painted body color. When the first book was being worked on Benny Bootle and I had some discussions about that fact-wish I had kept those parts!
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kubes40
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-- 02-11-2011 @ 9:28 AM
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Alan, the black paint beneath the cross brace was the 'primer' as the brace was supplied to the assembly line. Obviously there'd be no reason to paint underneath it.
Like you, I have seen the same thing.
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deuce_roadster
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-- 02-11-2011 @ 11:21 PM
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By the way, the grille I am putting together from NOS parts is that red oxide looking primer Ford used, all the pieces are red. The standard grille parts that I also have were black. All these parts came with a coupe I bought a few years ago that has been in a garage since 1957 and the guy had been hoarding NOS parts since then but never finished the car before he died.
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kubes40
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-- 02-12-2011 @ 6:02 AM
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NOS parts are often service replacement parts and as such may very well have been made differently than the factory (destined to assembly line) pieces.
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alanwoodieman
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-- 02-12-2011 @ 10:31 AM
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not primer, it was glossy, even under where the pieces were rivited together. I have had "black" bonderized NOS parts, I also have red oxide NOS parts
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kubes40
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-- 02-12-2011 @ 10:35 AM
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The cross brace that is gloss black is definitely a service part. I've had NOS and they are all like that.
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