65-66 Under Hood Color

[texas swede]

In the Shelby American number 52 you answered (clarified) a question from Tom Georgalos in number 51
about 65-66 Shelby Under Hood Color.
You stated that 65 fiber glass plenum (porthole) hoods were all painted white and
65-66 fiber glass hoods with metal frames were all painted black and 66 all metal hoods
were all painted body color.
Do all experts still agree on this? The reason I ask is that many restored 65 Shelbys with porthole
hoods are painted black.
Finally, were there two types of all fiber glass hoods with port holes, one without and one with
an extra webbing in the middle towards front to increase strength?
Texas Swede

[98SVT - was 06GT]

My glass/metal 66 hood was black - my $100 swap meet 66 all metal hood was also black. I don't know the color car it was on originally (primed when I got it) but it was the typical underhood satin black finish not gloss black as the exterior would be. 

[pchmotoho]

I too was curious about this question regarding 66 glass over metal hoods. Years ago one well known expert believed they should be black but he did say never say never. I later asked another expert and he said my original paint red car could definitely have red under the hood.

From looking at various pictures of original paint (supposedly) red 66s. I have seen more than a few hoods painted red underneath.

[J_Speegle]

65 fiber glass plenum (porthole) hoods were all painted white and 65-66 fiber glass hoods with metal frames were all painted black and 66 all metal hoods were all painted body color.

Of course there are additional details, for someone restoring or judging that should be included in the discussion but can't see a major problem with that general statement above unless I misread something. Has happened     

I think its might have been best to ask a specific question, since you seem to have had one, rather to mix all those differences in a single thread since we know what happens give we are discussing multiple years, suppliers, styles and so on but here we go.

The reason I ask is that many restored 65 Shelbys with porthole hoods are painted black.

IMO its generally a poor practice to use restored cars or those that claim to be as a standard for original details. We don't know when the cars were redone, how much the owner or builder cared about being correct. Plenty of them do things because it "looks good" or "that's the way I want it". Often owners or builders will just copy someone else work assuming that the other person did it correctly. IMO its a lazy practice especially with all the resource owners today have when compared to decades ago. You asking the question above is an example of just one of those resources. So may have seen pictures of R models or race cars and assumed they were the same as the Street built cars.


Just a few examples of the porthole style from back in the day.

[J_Speegle]

I too was curious about this question regarding 66 glass over metal hoods. Years ago one well known expert believed they should be black but he did say never say never. I later asked another expert and he said my original paint red car could definitely have red under the hood.

From looking at various pictures of original paint (supposedly) red 66s. I have seen more than a few hoods painted red underneath.

Sure you have but were any of those examples truly unrestored with original paint?  Since a fair number of these cars were getting repainted or touched up in the 70's older paint jobs can often look like original paint to some and for many owners a worn, possibly rusting in places bottom side looked much better matching the exterior color. Few cared about being original them. Just had to be fast and in most cases get attention. Just my experience given growing up around fast and hot rodded cars cars from day one.

We might even have examples from 66 of cars with the fiberglass & steel hoods from around the same time frame as your car that haven't been repainted.

[pchmotoho]

I too was curious about this question regarding 66 glass over metal hoods. Years ago one well known expert believed they should be black but he did say never say never. I later asked another expert and he said my original paint red car could definitely have red under the hood.


From looking at various pictures of original paint (supposedly) red 66s. I have seen more than a few hoods painted red underneath.

Sure you have but were any of those examples truly unrestored with original paint?  Since a fair number of these cars were getting repainted or touched up in the 70's older paint jobs can often look like original paint to some and for many owners a worn, possibly rusting in places bottom side looked much better matching the exterior color. Few cared about being original them. Just had to be fast and in most cases get attention. Just my experience given growing up around fast and hot rodded cars cars from day one.

We might even have examples from 66 of cars with the fiberglass & steel hoods from around the same time frame as your car that haven't been repainted.

Except for mine I have no idea if the others  were truly original paint, hence the "supposedly" in my original comment. My car was built in Feb 66.

I'm aware of the hood issues Shelby American had with the 66s. If you had to guess what would you say is the correct color under the hood for say a blue, red, or green 66? 

Thanks

[J_Speegle]

I'm aware of the hood issues Shelby American had with the 66s. If you had to guess what would you say is the correct color under the hood for say a blue, red, or green 66? 

Try not to ever guess. From the 66's with the fiberglass and steel lined hoods  I've documented, inspected and worked on and don't appear to have had a front end incident, repaint or replacement (dating the hood frame) I believe they were painted black before they ever got to Shelby. Then they were painted on the edges and the top creating overspray as the painter tilted and lowered the spray gun to make sure the edges and scoop opening was coated, produced overspray (very little or no direct spray typically) in those areas on the bottom side of the hood. 


Spring 66 example of a red one since the contrast is greatest and you have a red car 







May-June 66 example





And a couple of blue exterior examples that were handy to grab while in my files. Same general time period as your car 1200's and 1300's I would guess. The car on the left had a color change in about 1971 but they tapered off the bottom of the hood so they saved the original finish.

[pchmotoho]

Thank you for your thoughts on this. Much appreciated!

[J_Speegle]

Added the following to my last post above. I'm duplicating the wording I added up above here since I realize that editing the other post will not get the attention an additional posting will get since I felt it was important to mention.

"Please understand that the purpose for sharing this particular example is to show the under side of the hood and it is black. The large amount of body color at the front must have been the results of the painter way down and aiming up to catch the hood lip at front but the angle and reach and creating this large section of body color where it typically we haven't found that large amount. I would suggest that if you don't have documentation of yours being painted the same that you choose to copy what was the typical look not something that may have taken place once or only a handful of times out of a ton more examples"

[texas swede]

Thanks Jeff,
All the pictures of the 65 port hole hoods are from very early cars without the prop rod.
Do you happen to have a factory picture from a car with prop rod and the underside color clearly visible. Say cars from, 5S114 to 5S300.
Thanks again for your help.
Texas Swede

[GT350Nick]

My '66, steel hood, is painted body color.

[FL SAAC]

our 1966 Cult Car under hood color is black, yup definently black

[CharlesTurner]

5S114

[texas swede]

Thanks Charles,
Jeff posted the same picture, but I didn't click it was 5S114. From "Auto Motor und Sport"
the German magazine.
Texas Swede

[Brant]

The hood from 5S162 was originally painted black on the underside.

I have seen a few others during this build time done the same way.