Square Tail Cars: Rocker Panels painted black from factory?

[danco_]

Hi guys,

Probably a silly question, but I can't find definitive facts on this one. 

 

On square tail cars (1974 car in question), I have seen both rocker panels painted body color or painted flat black. I'm not sure which of these two styles are the product of repaints, and which are factory.

 

I would like to correct a car if it needs correcting. Right now, the rocker panel beneath the rocker trim is painted black. The car is Fjord blue. 

 

 

Looking for opinions and facts. Thanks! 

 

 

-RD 

[Mark92131]

The rockers on Ken's original paint 75 Inka look like they are painted black and my 1975 original paint Mintgrun car had black rocker paint.

 

Mark92131

 

 

[FunkyLaneO]

My '74 Golf has original paint and has black rockers.

[Conserv]

Square taillight rocker panels were ALL black from the factory, Ryan.  The black generally began near the top of the rocker panel moulding, but there were some inconsistencies.

 

The photos below are of my '76 before it's re-painting; and none of these areas has been damaged by my youthful indulgences.

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

Edited March 15, 2017 by Conserv

[jrhone]

Nice question!  Great info...since my repaint I thought there was something different about the rockers...they are Fjord when they were probably black before.  

 

Nope...my car was probably resprayed before I got it.  Here is an early pic of my car with painted rockers.

 

Edited March 13, 2017 by jrhone

[Son of Marty]

There not really painted but sprayed with black rubberized undercoating (body Shatz) after the car was painted.

[LikeStig]

Good info! After reading this post I think I'll plasti-dip my rockers when my car is back from paint (it's been there for over 3 months )

[jrhone]

57 minutes ago, LikeStig said:

Good info! After reading this post I think I'll plasti-dip my rockers when my car is back from paint (it's been there for over 3 months )

 

 

There we go...a great use for plasti-dip!  If I dont like it...peel it off!

[Conserv]

On 3/13/2017 at 3:03 PM, Son of Marty said:

There not really painted but sprayed with black rubberized undercoating (body Shatz) after the car was painted.

 

The actual execution of the black might have varied.  My '76's rockers were body-schutzed, painted Polaris, and then black paint was applied over the Polaris.  The body schutz stops between the bottom edge and midpoint of the rocker moulding but the black paint continues, sloppily applied, to just above the top edge of the rocker moulding.  The black paint is low luster and certainly thick, but it's not black body schutz.  The first photo below is the only relevant photo I've been able to find, but I believe it shows how the black paint continues "north" of the body schutz line.  As with the hand-painted hood/horn supports, the factory didn't sweat such details and may have found various means to the same end...

 

The second photo shows original Polaris paint over factory-applied body schutz on my car's left rear quarter panel.  If your body shop did this, you'd ask them to re-do it!  Note, this was NOT concealed by trim, bumpers, etc.  And the right rear wasn't much better...

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited March 15, 2017 by Conserv

[danco_]

Verrrryyyyyyy interesting.

 

 

@bluebmw texted me this morning and echoed the general consensus in this thread. He stated that of his two 74+ cars, black rockers were original.

 

 

Good to know! Thanks gents. Black it is. 

 

 

[SydneyTii]

Every SRL I've owned in Europe or Australia has had black rockers, my current car was repainted about 8 years ago and now they are Chamonix, but I am planning to repaint in a low sheen black, I think it looks better on the later cars and definitely gives a visual of the car being lower.

[Vicleonardo1]

Hmm....Although I know Por 15 doesn't like UV rays, it is black. I wonder if that would work on my rockers. Not a lot of UV exposure there...

[SydneyTii]

Nope it will discolor, you could go over it with a black stone chip?

there is someone who has done it on here to an Inka or Colorado car maybe find the post and ask him how it held up to UV?

Edited March 15, 2017 by SydneyTii

[tisalover]

Excellent discussion. So my understanding is that a correct rocker panel treatment will include the schutz with overlying flat black paint- not semi gloss. This was a very timely discussion, as I was just preparing to paint my rocker panels on the turbo and may as well do it right. Thank you again Danco, Steve et. all for being Quality obsessed nerds.

Best regards, Peter

[Conserv]

1 hour ago, tisalover said:

Excellent discussion. So my understanding is that a correct rocker panel treatment will include the schutz with overlying flat black paint- not semi gloss. This was a very timely discussion, as I was just preparing to paint my rocker panels on the turbo and may as well do it right. Thank you again Danco, Steve et. all for being Quality obsessed nerds.

Best regards, Peter

 

I don't know, Peter.  Forty years in, it's pretty difficult to distinguish flat black from semi-gloss black!  It sure as heck didn't have any gloss when we removed it for the re-paint this year.  And I think it never had the gloss level of the black paint sloppily applied to the hood/horn supports behind the front grilles, which was, I believe, semi-gloss.  But maybe the rockers were perpetually dirty due to their location....

 

Best regards from a fellow Wyomissing Hills guy,

 

Steve