Get the lead out!

[Karguy]

I would appreciate some informed opinions, especially those of the judges in our midst. 6S281 is currently in a paint job from 1977. Fortunately, the original lead seams are all present and hard to miss because of the poor factory quality. My question is this, is it better to leave the lead seams the way they came from San Jose or is there good reason to strip the lead and correct the body work in those areas? I am really torn on this one because I am old enough to remember what these cars looked like when they were new, my goal is to make it look as delivered when new in 65. Thoughts please?

[J_Speegle]

The rear quarter to roof line lead seam often changes over time so I don't think what we often see today fifty years later is what they looked like in the day and don't think they would pass inspection back in 65-66. I struggled and thought allot about this for one of our cars and that was the conclusion we came up with so make it nice, make it as originally was and move on. Some builders like and will spend the time to remove all the lead while others will grind and remove some then use another product of their choosing and comfort to do the fine finishing.

[Bob Gaines]

The rear quarter to roof line lead seam often changes over time so I don't think what we often see today fifty years later is what they looked like in the day and don't think they would pass inspection back in 65-66. I struggled and thought allot about this for one of our cars and that was the conclusion we came up with so make it nice, make it as originally was and move on. Some builders like and will spend the time to remove all the lead while others will grind and remove some then use another product of their choosing and comfort to do the fine finishing.

+1

[shelbydoug]

This is actually very ironic since the justification of using lead as a body filler is that it doesn't move around over time like plastic body fillers do.

Having said that, I do have a memory of seeing cars that were only a couple of years old showing something going on in the roof to quarter panel joint on the fastbacks.

I'm thinking that maybe it is a presumption now that the leaded seam back then was much better then it ever was?

[J_Speegle]

I'm thinking that maybe it is a presumption now that the leaded seam back then was much better then it ever was?

Or maybe like many things we don't pay attention to those details unless they stand out and in this case catch our eye because they look out of place. Here are some unrestored examples. Choose some handy examples of darker colors to show contrast more.  Think the "change" was the results of exposure to the elements or lack of exposure.  None of the examples below stand out as much as my wife's car and its currently in  white

[shelbydoug]

That's kind of typical in my view.

I just think memory is convenient and people expected them to be better then they ever were?

[J_Speegle]

That's kind of typical in my view.

I just think memory is convenient and people expected them to be better then they ever were?

Think the pictures show very nicely how great that area can look on original cars


Guess we're going to disagree on your last point but that's OK. I'm often somewhat surprised (though have gotten to accept how great they often are) when we find another unrestored car where everything lines up so well even after all these years. Panels and things like end caps or headlight surrounds don't fall into alignment after all the use and misuse

[shelbydoug]

In some cases it looks to me not so much that the lead work is off but that the sheet metal joint isn't exactly right.

Actually I'm thinking more in the 67-8 cars then the 5 and 6. The 5-6 seem to fit better.

Never having done lead, I'm not sure what is good or not other then if you don't even know that there is a seam there, how can that be bad?

It is interesting to talk to others about this subject and hear their views of the subject.

[gt350shelb]

many times i think the lead work looks bad because 6 paint jobs have been sanded off the car ./ on a side not the lead  joints i have removed revealed some pretty poor welding some times  from the factory / and cracks