The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Chassis paint

Can someone tell me what paint to use on my '47 GMC truck frame, tranny and rear end that would be closest to original? Thanks to all.
ron

That would be a medium rust!

I used:
DuPont 2590s
LF Epoxy DTM Primer/Sealer
Black

those bits weren't originally painted, so use what you want

Bill

I don't know about originality, but I've used POR-15 on my chassis. It dries to a really nice gloss and seems to be as 'hard as nails!' The manufacturer claims good rustproofing qualities but then again I don't think rust is a major issue in Ca.!!! Good luck!

The original color for trans,driveline,springs, rearend would be new metal grey...soon to be dotted with rust depending on how soon you bought the truck after it left the plant.
I spose you could clear it with a dull or satin clear and make it look pretty close to original. That would be one way of retaining a stock appearance.
Any way you look at it...it left the factory as bare metal,which you have to coat with something or it will rust.
Dan

I also thought the frames were painted black from the factory but I am not certain that was the case. In about a month I'll check my COE - there is no doubt that it has not been painted since it left the factory.

I couldn't tell ya if it was redone or original, but my frame had black paint on it also. Mainly from the back of the cab towards the back of the frame under the lift bed.

I'm in the process of cleaning the frame on my '49 now, and there is some black paint being exposed under the dirt and mud. Cleon

I'm sure the treatment varied over the years, but I believe originally, when there was anything used on the frame, it was a satin coating called 'chassis black', not long lasting on exposed areas, and no primer under it, never what we'd now consider "painting", with prep and primer coat ... I've never noticed any evidence of paint under things removed from TF series truck frames

mummdogg - maybe your truck was produced as 'cab/chassis' and the rear section of the frame got the chassis black because exposed

Bill

The chassis was painted black. I'm not going out on a limb and say this is the case with every chassis, but I can tell that the 2 ton,6100, made in Kansas City,left the plant with the chassis painted black.
Under the mounds of grease and dirt buildup since 1952 I found this black which for the age is in very good shape. The frame has very little rust and the black can be seen anywhere you pick to look.
Now here's why I consider this to be original. On top of the black paint I have found factory inspection paint markings which are different colors.
I found these markings on the front axle,brake assy.,rear leaf spring frt.mount,rear of leaf spring on the rear springs.
The 2spd rear axle has no paint but it has a blue band of paint around the axle just outside of the spring perch.
I'm guessing this was for easy identification of the axle and not inspection paint because of the way in which the paint was put on the axle,but it is over bare metal.
All of this stayed in great shape because of the huge amount of grease that covered it. I think that the previous owner was a grease-aholic, but thats a good thing.
Now unless someone in this trucks past history painted the frame and put all of these colorful paint markings on it, I consider this to be factory done, but that is unlikely since this truck only shows it was driven, not modified in any way, except for the addition of turn signals, and is a low millage truck.
Dan