Painting below the cowl vents?

[FORDification]

I think quite a while ago I asked this question but there really wasn't a general consensus with any good ideas, so since we have a lot of new members here, maybe they can help out.

I'll be needing to paint the area beneath the cowl vents sometime in the fairly near future. But how??? There is an access hole filled with a oval rubber plug dead center on the firewall, just below the hood line, which gives SOME access to this area. It's my belief that the factory had flexible extensions in their guns. They were able to insert the extension into this hole and paint the cowl vent area. However, I've done a lot of searching online and can find no reference to a paint gun extension. Is this something that a body shop would have, to reach normally-inaccessible areas...and is it something that could be purchased online? I've been to all the major bodyworking sites and outlets and cannot find anything, but it's possible I'm not using the correct search terms.

Also, prior to painting, I'll have to at least clean and scuff this area. I guess I was thinking about just working a Scotchbrite pad down into this area and then trying to come up with something thin enough to reach down through the vents to move the pad around. However, I'm thinking that anything thin enough to clear the vents isn't going to allow to to apply enough pressure to properly scuff this area.

So does anyone know how the pros do this area?

[hardtailjohn]

I've never heard of a flexible extension for the paint gun, Keith..but that doesn't mean that one can't exist...
I'd be more tempted to try to fog some paint in throught he hole and see what it does... or mabye a brush?
John H.

[bm52]

I had the same questions about how to handle this area. I guess if I have to cut the cowl panels out and replace them because of the rust damage (see post "Cowl Rust"), then I will have some access to that area then.

[flyboy2610]

I am pretty sure that the people that rust proof cars would have something like what you want, Keith. They have to get the rustproofer into some tight spots. Maybe they could suggest something.

[NM5K]

On a related note...When repainting a truck
without taking it apart, I often wonder how all these
paint shops get behind the lower cab, and in front of the bed,
when you have a only a small gap, and poor access...
I've often wondered if they used some kind of
extension "wand" sprayer. They would have to
paint it, if they changed the color...MK

[flyboy2610]

You've just hit on one reason I paln on taking the bed off. No other way to paint it decently.

[FormerMarine1981]

So what has everyone been using to paint these areas?

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Kieth...

Not sure how much truth there is to this idea... but I have heard that they dipped them.
Has anyone else heard anything like that?... It actually makes more sense than spraying them.
There has to be a way to spray them because there are too many bumps out there with trick paint... and I know they didn't get dunked...

KaptnKAOS

[Blue Cloud]

This was one of the main reasons I decided not to change the color drastically when I started my "$50 " Rustoleum paint job. I really liked the Hunter Green color but didn't want all those little patches of red showing through. I kept picturing a red and green "Christmas" truck .

[heep70]

A friend of mine was talking to me about an extention that can be added to a paint gun to get inside of frames. Not sure if it is flexable. I think he saw it in Eastwood.

[mrsnicks]

Okay Keith, I'll give you a trick I've heard about... but not tried.

To access hard to reach areas, get a rattle can, and insert a WD-40 tube into it, and the paint/rust converter can be applied to hard to reach places.

I have no clue how well it works, or if it leaves runs or sags. Just something I've heard.

Patrick

[71PA_Highboy]

The method I used on early mustangs was to use a garden weed killer sprayer to hit it with POR 15 (we made custom nozzles out of brass stock) and then painted it using a WD40 tube... the WD40 tube ws just to get enough color down there, but not to finish it...

Then the paint shop would fog the area and get a good color match in there...

This is one of the reasons GOOD paint jobs are expensive....

Now... a shortcut is to just paint it black with a rattlecan and wd40 tube.... that way there is no 'off-color' view and you don't have to worry about matching... and if it starts to look crappy it is an easy touch up.

hth,

Eric
Eric

[FORDification]

Well, I guess the truck to using the WD40 tube then is to find a tip that works. A standard paint rattlecan doesn't have the large hole in the end of the tip to insert the tube, and the tips themselves aren't interchangeable. If anyone ever finds a tip that will accept a tube AND fit a rattlecan too, please let us know!!

[mrsnicks]

Here ya go Keith.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-REFILLABLE-AEROSO ... dZViewItem

Patrick

[mrsnicks]

AND............ I just found this too.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BEST-NEW ... enameZWDVW

Patrick