If you have been reading the Talladega Spoiler Registry Forum you know one of the discussion Topics deals with the Paint and Paint Texture on the Talladega hood. Recently, Rick Ochs (the Guru) contributed on that Topic information regarding the correct paint and where you can still get it. The following are some additional edited comments on the hood issue by Rick and Clarence Thompson (Clarence and his son Jason restored the Banjo Matthews Red Talladega).
An Original Talladega Hood!
Rick supplied these photos of his 100 percent original Talladega hood. He states that it has the textured flat black paint with NO primer under the paint and there are no holes for pins! He also makes special note of the clip where the hood release cable came out from inside just before latch. This particular hood was opened at sometime when the hood hinges were dried out and as a result the hood was bent when someone tried to close it. The images shown here don’t look like flat black but Rick states the hood looks blasted on both sides because of the lighting and because the paint is so thin.
Here is the underside of the hood; the yellow circle shows the location of the detail below.
Clarence Thompson also received a copy of these photos along with Rick’s explanation. In response, Clarence thinks this is really good stuff and the kind of information we all need to do a more correct restorations. He also thinks the little clip holding the hood cable is really important.
This is the detail of the area shown in yellow above; you can see the clip Clarence refers to.
As usual, information leads to more questions; Clarence wants to know if this is the only place on the hood that was different because it was a Talladega hood?
Clarence also notes that because there such little paint on the hood goes back to what he has been saying for sometime; almost every Talladega he has seen had the hood replaced because THEY RUSTED! He has never seen an original Talladega hood with primer on it. Both believe these hoods were just shot with flat textured black and sent out the door!
Clarence explains that when flattened paint is left to the elements it has no resistance to corrosion. The flattener takes the durability away from paint. He goes on to confirm that this is the kind of information we need to develop and explore more deeply on the Forum.
Clarence is right, but this is only one of the many unique and special issues we need to flush out on the Forum. For Example, should I a assume that the same textured black paint was used on the rear tail panel? As an owner of both a Talladega and a Spoiler I wonder if the textured flat black/completion black should be used on the Cyclone Spoiler hood scoop or should it be the same as the smooth surface of the decal stripes on the hood?
If you have additional comments or questions, AND I KNOW YOU DO, let’s expand this discussion over on the Forum.
