Paint Question

[AHa]

Were brass era cars primed before painting from the factory?

[Rusty_OToole]

They had quite an elaborate paint job consisting of primer, ground coats, and finish coats or varnish. 7 coats or more. Since they had to dry at least a day or two between coats, the complete paint job could take weeks. All done by hand with a brush and rubbed down between coats.

 

Ford was the exception. He refused to take the time, all his cars got a quick spray job of black chassis paint with no primer because it was the cheapest, fastest drying paint. This is why Fords were only offered in black.

Edited September 27, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[AHa]

The reason I ask is because I am currently trying to reassemble a 1911 Buick that has no sign of primer under the remaining paint. I was looking at the race car known as old 16 and it shows no signs of primer under the paint. I had heard that the higher end cars had multiple layers of hand rubbed finish but did they use primer or just coats of paint.

[Hubert_25-25]

Behind the dash plate and cowl trim on my 1925 Buick Standard there is original paint.  This was the first year for nitrocellulose lacquers, but still, there is no primer under that paint.  I could not tell you what year they started using primers, but I do not have any.    Hugh

[Mike "Hubbie" Stearns]

I've been stripping the paint off the fender and there's no primer. It's a 28 gramm

[29hupp]

My 29 Hupmobile has no primer