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39 LZ COUPE RESTORATION


Ken/Alabama

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While tearing down my 39 LZ coupe I noticed that the sides of the frame at the front fender area have body color paint on them.When I removed the front shock its shiny black and after taking a closer look at the shock I could see body color paint on the shock itself.Im assuming that the chassis was painted black and then the body was painted after it was welded to the chassis.Question is,would it be correct to let allow overspray on the exposed frame while spraying the body?Or could this be from an old repaint?Whats correct?Anyone else done this before?

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Guest imported_V12Bill

Flatcat,As you know the Zephyr is a semi unitized body as the body and frame are bolted and welded together. The frame and underbody were painted with chassis black . Shocks were bolted on, brake lines attached and the body was painted. Engine compartment was thoroughly painted as were the outside of theinner fenders. No effort was made to mask off the frame and a careful inspection will show body color on the frame in the rear fender area and the rocker panal area. Also note that the gas tank is painted body color. The bottom center and front of the tank will show only a faint hue of the body color. The bottom of the floor of the car was painted only with the chassis black and it can be washed off with kerosene or gasoline if it is still there as it was not intended to last too long

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Thanks for the reply.So I assume that the chassis was fitted with gas tank,shocks,fuel and brake lines and when the body was added,body color paint just went wherever it may.With this information I will paint the chassis and bottom side of the body black.Was the firewall body color ?Believe it or not this body is off the chassis.

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Dear Flatcat,The firewall is body color.Did YOU take the body off the frame?Is there any bracing installed at the door openings?Any bracing across the width of the car?Are you in the process of installing a new floor pan?I hope the answers are NOT as SCARY as the questions.diz shocked.gif

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Hi Diz,The floor pans were trash from the firewall to just behind the seat.I have installed new ones and replaced the long subrail that runs from the engine compartment and under the firewall,under the door and on back to the rear wheel opening and had to rebuild all four door post.All this was done on the frame.Next hurdle was the front end.It looks like the car had been crashed in the front sometime in its life and the hood wouldnt line up with the body in the very front where it comes to a point,not to mention all the bad body work that was done.So I cut the whole frontend off from the door post forward.I have a good one from a donor car to go back on.With all this loose,there was nothing left holding the body to the frame except some spot welds in the rear of the body.The body is loose from the frame,I can pick it up,but I have not removed it yet.Im in the process of installing braces.Let me know if you would like some pics.

Flatcat

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Guest imported_V12Bill

Wow!! What a project!! I just finished a similar job on a 48 converetible and it was a fun project. Now that the job is done I wish I had started with a better project.

The Lincolns were painted with the doors,hood and trunk lid on but the fenders off. I have seen pictures of the engine and transmission being installed on the assembly line using a long "C" shaped device to bypass the hood in its raised postion. The painted fenders and dyed fender welting were installed further down the line.

Bill

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Hi Flatcat,

Would your donor car happen to have the brackets that hold the headlight lenses to the headlight buckets? I installed a pair of Bob Drake's 1939 Ford Deluxe reproduction headlight buckets in my 1939 Zephyr convertible. They fit perfectly, but don't have the Zephyr unique retaining brackets for the lenses. Please take a look at: http://community.webshots.com/album/103567038MGrDsB for photos of the brackets I need. There are some other parts I need in that Webshots photo album as well. Not included in that list are the front door arm rests and lock/latch assemblies. I can't lock the doors, so I don't leave the car anywhere that I can't watch it. I haven't taken the door panels off yet because their pattern is incorrect and I'm planning on tackling the entire "door project" later. My window regulators will probably need work as well because the glass doesn't stay straight. If you have any parts that you are willing to sell, please let me know. E-mail is kcd@texas.net. I'm also listed in the LZOC, LCOC, & EFV-8 club rosters.

Thanks,

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