This page covers exterior paint and decals.

The two photos above show where to correctly locate the Mach 1 fender decal.

Note how the body color is visible in the door jamb pictured above left, but the door jamb pictured at above right has been painted black so body color is not visible through the gap. It appears that the blackened door jamb was fully incorporated in 1972, but was used in a “hit and miss” manner in 1971 since original 71 cars have been found painted both ways. The photos below show details of the door jambs with the door open.

If you ordered your Mach 1 without the “hockey stick” side stripes, your car came with the chrome molding shown at left. Mach 1s equipped with the hockey stick side stripes had a black stripe above the lower blackout as shown at right. The pictures below show this on two example cars.

The photos above show dimensions for the lower blackout and the pin stripe. Note the seam at the rocker panel is used as reference point.

Ford used a special lower body tape stripe to make the pin stripe above the lower blackout. It consisted of (from top to bottom), the pin stripe, then the space, then a 3/4″ stripe. The 3/4″ stripe covered the merge paint line between the lower paint, and the upper body color. The lower color was sprayed on the car first, then maybe covered/masked over quickly, then the body color was sprayed. The wide (3/4″) bottom section of the lower stripe went over the lower body paint merge line to give it a clean straight edge. These stripe kits came in either black or argent to match the lower body color.

Group member Jeff Speegle has conducted research on how the pinch weld should be painted. Here is his evaluation of 71 Mustangs in the wrecking yard;

The pinch weld blackout was used on 71 Mustangs and was continued from the earlier Mustang production years. The only cars that did not receive this detail would have been cars painted a very dark exterior color (some of these may have received the blackout but most did not) and those cars that had the lower panels painted argent at the factory.

Jeff’s supporting photos are below:

Side Stripe Location

The Rear Spoiler was painted a low gloss, textured black.

There was body color between the sill plate, and the lower black/argent for 71. Sometime in 72, the center sill area went to all black/argent, without any body color showing.

The chart above is a scan of a 71 Mustang Paint Chart showing the codes found on the decal in the driver’s door. Please note that the colors on a computer screen do not match correctly to the actual chart, however, the chart will give you a general idea of what the color is.

To see these colors on actual 71 Mustangs, click the link to this site:

71 Mustang Colors

The Tail Light Panel was was painted black (in areas shown in drawing above) anywhere the body color could be seen. For example, around the ends and in the center of the optional rear panels and around the fuel filler area. The photo below is of a ’73 which shows the factory blackout near the tail lights.

This photo shows the black paint applied by the factory to the rear edge of light colored 71 Mustang hoods. (original and restored pics shown). The purpose of this was to keep the light color of the lower rear edge of the hood from being visible to the driver.

Bob Perkin’s states the correct NON-textured 71 black hood paint PPG quarts were the one’s labeled DDL-9423. He also states the PPG DAR-9000, (which was the exterior gloss black whole body paint), can have 30-35% of PPG’s DX265 flattener added to it to produce the proper 71 black hood finish. In another article, he indicated that too much flattener gives the black a milky look. Unfortunately, this paint (Duracryl DDL 9423) is now obsolete. A quart of this paint recently went for $200 on E-Bay.

Mustang Expert and owner of Mustang Central, Allan Shepley, has generously provided the 429 Megasite with the below information on achieving the correct appearance for our 71 Mustang hoods, lower blackout and underhood black using currently available products. Prior to Allan’s help, people had to come up with something themselves since the old DDL-9423 is either unavailable (or very hard to find). Thanks Allan!!

John Blair ~ 429 Megasite Webmaster

I build Mustangs for a living and struggled for a long time to find the best paint for hoods and engine compartments as well as the lower black out area. The biggest problem you have with semi-gloss black with new paints, not lacquer, is getting an even finish. Most of them look splotchy or too flat or too glossy. The problem with most is you add a flattener to your clear, but the results are very inconsistent. I finally found PPG’s DCU 2060 it is a premixed clear that already has the perfect mix. All you add is the hardener DCX61 and reducer DT 885. The ratio is 6 parts DCU 2060, 1 part DCX61, and 1 Part DT885. You use your black paint of choice IE. Dupont, PPG, R&M, whatever you like and topcoat with the PPG DCU 2060. Apply two wet coats and when its fully dried you have the perfect finish. Not only does it look good but it also is very stain resistant, you can wax it if you like it will not make it look powdery. Its great in the engine compartment for a fantastic look and a tough durable and easy to clean surface. I better quit I’m sounding like a commercial.

Allan
Mustang Central

The photo at left shows the factory location of the 429 Ram Air decal on an original car. The decal has also been noted a little closer to the scoops on some cars, as shown in the photo at right, so there may have been some variance in its placement.

The 71 -73 Mustang lower body accent paint was sprayed on first, then masked, and then the whole body color sprayed afterwards. It’s been said that you should have slight body color over spray on the floor pans near the rockers. This was due to the fact that Ford positively charged their paint to attract to the body that was also charged, negatively. This paint process drew the paint spray towards, up, in, and around all the car’s metal for better and faster paint coverage. This process was called electrostatic painting. If you look at this red James Bond Mach’s floor, you can see the red paint on the outer floor pans, not black accent paint.

A survey of 71 Mustang owners in our group with unrestored undercarriages indicated that the factory most commonly used used black (but in some cases, dark slop gray to very dark green (almost black)) on the undercarriage rearward of the engine compartment. Note the photo above has been retouched to attempt to show this. If anyone has a nice undercarriage shot, please send to the Megasite.

Owners of 71 Cougars in the group have noted the undercarriage was painted to match the body color.

• The seam sealer should be put on before primer, but it is better to prime first, add sealer, and then prime over the sealer.
• The spatter paint was applied to the trunk after the whole car was painted body color.
• The 2 steel floor body plugs were installed before paint, and the plugs had sealer placed around them before they were installed. They also should each have 2 screws in them.
• The only other place there was sound deadener was the rear wheel wells, after body paint, and the front inner fender panels, after body paint. the original fenders and hood were painted off the cars. Only thing painted on the car was the trunk lid and 2 doors.
• The sound deadener in the engine compartment was done before engine compartment black-out paint, and the deadener should be used just a little at the lower cowl.
• The rear quarter end caps were placed on the bodies before paint, along with the side markers light bezels. Anyone removing these parts from an old car will see there isn’t paint underneath these pieces.
• The hood molding was also painted off the car, as it’s retaining nuts were left their gold color, proving the molding was added later on.
• Not sure about the hood, but I like to paint the scoops off the car first…it goes along with the method used on all the other separate body parts?
• The hood latch bar under the hood was added after paint, and the bar and it two bolts should be yellow chromate..a gold color.