'49-'52 Plymouth firewall color

[JerseyHarold]

I've seen 1949-1952 Plymouth firewalls that are totally body color and some that are black below the cowl flange. I'm guessing that this is a function of which plant made the body.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Harold

[Young Ed]

I would say they should be body color. Mopar was never one to paint firewalls black. I dont know of any mopars that had black firewalls.

[JerseyHarold]

I've seen a number of them and I'm thinking it's like the situation with the body-color trunk lid undersides....only Evansville cars had them.

Another possibility is that the firewalls were painted black by used car dealers as part of their detailing routine years ago.

[laynrubber]

Mine is body color except where the pedals come thru the floor. That panel is removeable and it is black and i am sure it is orginal. Not really visible from above.

[BobT-47P15]

I say body color......based on cars I've seen.

You can just barely see the color around the edge.

[falconvan]

Hey Bob,

Did you take these pictures locally? I see some parts I could use.

[49plymouthdotcom]

I would say they should be body color. Mopar was never one to paint firewalls black. I dont know of any mopars that had black firewalls.

Young Ed speaks the truth.

[Don Coatney]

I would say they should be body color. Mopar was never one to paint firewalls black. I dont know of any mopars that had black firewalls.

Now you know of one that has a black firewall. POCOC member here. But Young Ed still gets my vote for the next POC President.....

[Young Ed]

Don we were talking about as new not hotrod condition. For the record my truck has a black firewall too. But it was an all black truck when it was new.

[B-Watson]

I've seen a number of them and I'm thinking it's like the situation with the body-color trunk lid undersides....only Evansville cars had them.

Another possibility is that the firewalls were painted black by used car dealers as part of their detailing routine years ago.

Black firewalls are a Ford/GM thing. Spraying the firewall a different colour than the body costs money. Thus non-Ford/GM vehicles had their firewalls painted the body colour. Remember, a lot can happen to car between 1947 (or whenever) and 2008.

Same reason Windsor-built cars had the trunks painted body colour. Cheaper that way. Also simpler.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[De Soto Frank]

All stock/correct Mopars that I've seen had the car body painted before the front clip was installed, and thus the firewall is body color.

Chrysler Corp continued the practice well into the 1960's: my '60 Windsor and '64 Valiant both have body-colored firewalls. I seem to remember wrenching on some early to mid' 70's MoPars that still had body colored firewalls.

I suppose it is concievable that a given factory branch may have done something different (I believe this explains the variety of blue-gray under-hood/ under-trunk / underbody shades found on various '40's MoPars), but painting the firewall a different color from the rest of the body shell makes for extra work / time / material, etc... ?

One thing I have seen somewhat frequently is when a car has had a color-changing re-paint, the firewall /fender aprons get sprayed black, to mask the original body color.

Just my 2 cents-worth...

De Soto Frank

[Plymouthy Adams]

inner fenders are black on these car regardless of the body color

[B-Watson]

Chrysler vehicles have body colour firewalls to this day. With the exception of the fullsize (C body - 1960-78) models, the unibody has the front clip (except fenders/hood) welded to the body. Thus the firewall was painted body colour.

Anything else would cost more with masking, etc. needed to keep the firewall colour off the body and front clip. As can be seen on the photo of Don Coatney's car with the newly painted black firewall. Imagine having to do that on a million or two vehicles a year.

Vehicles with removable inner fender shields had them installed after the car was painted and the front suspension / engine installed. Thus they are all black - usually non-gloss.

With the unibody cars, the front fenders and hood were in place when painted. On many models, the engine, drivetrain and rear axle were laid out and assembled separately, just as in the days with a chassis. The powertrain and rear axle/suspension were then mated with the body from below. The front suspension, brakes and steering were also installed in like manner.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[laynrubber]

Here is my newly painted firewall.............

[blueskies]

My '50 had a body color firewall...

So I kept it that way...

The inner fenders were black, so I kept them black also.

Pete

[PatS....]

Chrysler vehicles have body colour firewalls to this day. With the exception of the fullsize (C body - 1960-78) models, the unibody has the front clip (except fenders/hood) welded to the body. Thus the firewall was painted body colour.

Anything else would cost more with masking, etc. needed to keep the firewall colour off the body and front clip. As can be seen on the photo of Don Coatney's car with the newly painted black firewall. Imagine having to do that on a million or two vehicles a year.

Vehicles with removable inner fender shields had them installed after the car was painted and the front suspension / engine installed. Thus they are all black - usually non-gloss.

With the unibody cars, the front fenders and hood were in place when painted. On many models, the engine, drivetrain and rear axle were laid out and assembled separately, just as in the days with a chassis. The powertrain and rear axle/suspension were then mated with the body from below. The front suspension, brakes and steering were also installed in like manner.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

Bill, I just wanted to say thanks for the informative posts on these old cars. I really enjoy the info and details.

Have you got an old Mopar yourself?

Pat

[TodFitch]

I would say they should be body color. Mopar was never one to paint firewalls black. I dont know of any mopars that had black firewalls.

From 1928 through 1935 the firewall was black regardless of body color. For 1937 up the firewall was the body color. Not sure about 1936.

So "never" shouldn't be used with regard to firewall color, but as far as I know and by the other posts, the firewall should probably be body color for post war passenger vehicles.

[De Soto Frank]

Tod,

On the '35 & earlier Plymouths ( and I would presume other MoPars ), on the cowl/firewall, where does the body color meet the black ?

Is the underside of the hood also black, or "body color" ?

I'm curious if the black firewall was a coincidence of some other production-related expedient, or another rationale ?

Frank

[TodFitch]

Tod,

On the '35 & earlier Plymouths ( and I would presume other MoPars ), on the cowl/firewall, where does the body color meet the black ?

Is the underside of the hood also black, or "body color" ?

I'm curious if the black firewall was a coincidence of some other production-related expedient, or another rationale ?

Frank

It varied from year to year. To see how it was on the 1933 look at:

http://www.ply33.com/Backmatter/EngineColor#photo1

This was the era where it was typical to have black fenders, running board splash aprons, etc. and then have the body a different color. I suspect that it started with everything being painted black and then the body being over painted with the final color but that is just a wild guess.

My opinion is that the inner fenders were black but I haven't a clue what the underside of the hood was supposed to be.