The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop 1938 Truck Interior Firewall/Floor color

Hi Guys,

I asked this question over in the VCCA Forum and in the Panel Forum here and haven't had a reply. I'm hoping that someone here who has worked on a pre-war original panel or truck will have some insight on the question.

I'm working on a 1938 3/4-ton panel truck, which was originally painted entirely black. The truck is totally disassembled and the body is currently on a rotisserie (I did all required body work last summer and it now sits in epoxy primer). So the body is pretty much in the same state as it would have come down the assembly line. Because the truck was in its original state when I got it, I know that the rear part of the interior was a golden yellow of sorts (which I will be able to match fairly closely). My question is about the front interior color, seeing that I don't intend to repaint it black, but another original 1938 commericial color.

Was the front floor (underneath the seats, the inner door jambs, the inside of the firewall, the portion underneath the dash and windshield mouldings (which have been removed), the front part of the floor all painted the same as body color as it came down the line, or was all of that painted black? I've seen an old video of a 1936 Chevy production line and it appears that they would have painted these interior portions at the same time as the exterior, and thus they would have been body color. If black, that would have necessitated another stage of masking, if the body color were going to be another color other than black.

If that's the case, as you know, in the truck cab, there are three removable panels on the floor--one attaching to the lower slanting portion of the firewall; a smaller piece around the steering column and pedals, and finally a fairly large floor panel, which covers the transmission, master cylinder, battery, etc. Would these removable panels have been painted black, even if the truck was another color other than black; or would they have been painted body color?

Am I wrong in my assumption that the integral/non-removable parts of the interior cab would have been body color? Or were these parts always painted black, even if the exterior color of the truck was another color, such as Brewster Green or Export Blue?

I know that the removable door panels, dash, and window mouldings were all wrinkle brown.

Someone who has an original pre-war truck that was painted a color other than black should be able to help with this question; what color is your floor, interior firewall, inner door jambs, etc. on your truck--black or body color?

Any help on this question is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim

I don't know if this translates to a truck but my '38 coupe's interior color (except for the dash and garnish moldings) was body color (black).

Thanks, Tiny. As I recall, your coupe was originally black; my panel was originally black as well--so the interior parts that I mention were black as well. That makes sense, of course; but I'm wondering whether a truck whose exterior was originally say, brewster green or export blue, would have had that color on these interior parts (or would the interior have been painted black). And if the interior sections were body color, were the portable/removable panels that covered the floor (i.e., in trucks) also then painted body color (or black)? So to test the case, we really need to hear from someone who has an original truck cab that was painted a color other than black.

Thanks.

Jmmmn37, Take a look at this photo: http://www.themetalsurgeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IMG_3317-Large.jpg

I googled your topic title for images and this came up.

Thanks, Wayne. From that photo, it looks like the interior floor/firewall is black.

Jim

I was to 36,7,8 cabs only came in wrinkle finish brown. Rustoleum multi texture autumn brown is very close to the stock wrinkle finish. The wrinkle paint requires being baked, so if you have no access to a large oven it a good alternative.