[oldred]

The subject came up today about using body filler and one of the guys in the shop pointed out the high surface temperature that black painted body panels reach in the summer sun and the effect this heat might have on body filler. What do you guys think? Should plastic body fillers be used with extra caution on black cars or does it make any real difference?

[adtkart]

I use no different methods for repairing black cars than I do any other colors. Black isn't too forgiving on body repais anyway. It has to be straight, or will shop easy. I try to keep plastic to a minimum anyway. I haven't had any failures so far.

[302 Z28]

In truth, black is no less or more of a heat absorber than most dark colors we paint our cars. I have seen lots of glass cars painted black, some year after year in car shows. They still look good.

Vince

[BarryK]

To answer your question the extra heat the black creates will not affect your body filler in any way. (nothing to worry about)

100 degrees outside a black single stage "could" reach about 170 and a clear coat black (with HALS type UV additives) "could" reach 175.

The temp will "very" between paint companies.

Black is famous for two things:
Its holds heat and it has a high absorption rate of UV's.
The blacker the black the finer the carbon sizes the higher the absorption rate of UV"s.

Black does hold up good because of its high absorption rate the carbon is actually taking on the job of some types of UV additives, in short!

Ford once said, you can have any color you want, as long as its black. That was said because back then black would outlast any other color.

[troy-curt]

I've never had any problems using filler under black.

Troy

[julmer]

If you are really concerned something like all-metal or metal-2-metal filler will have dimensional characteristics a bit closer to the steel panels but, as everybody has said, good quality filler should have no problems.

[tbirdscott]

Originally posted by BarryK
Ford once said, you can have any color you want, as long as its black. That was said because back then black would outlast any other color.

I thought it was because black dried the fastest

[BarryK]

I really don't know the reason ford used black, as I have herd 5-10 different reasons.

If you ask a chemistry professor, its because of durability.
An economics professor, its because of simplicity.

I would probably side on the simplicity idea.

Just glad I was not old enough to be there!

[oldred]

I am nearly ready to paint my mustang and during a lunch time B.S. session this subject came up when I said that I have decided on black and one of the guys said that body filler would not last as long due to the heat. Since I had never heard this before I was not too concerned but felt it might be a good idea to ask anyway. Thanks to all.

[pmeisel]

Originally posted by BarryK
I really don't know the reason ford used black, as I have herd 5-10 different reasons.

If you ask a chemistry professor, its because of durability.
An economics professor, its because of simplicity.

I would probably side on the simplicity idea.

Just glad I was not old enough to be there!

My dad, uncle and grandfather all knew Henry personally as employees and neighbors, and they quoted the "dried quickest" reason. Also, Henry wasn't much on ideas that weren't his.

[MARTINSR]

I'll tell you right now where I think this "old husbands tale" came from. I think it is the fact that black holds more solvent, plus the fact that people rely on too much primer to make the body "black perfect". They pile on the primer to block out the waves, then they apply the black which holds solvents, THEN the car gets hotter because it is black and the primers and paint shrink all up showing the body work.

The consensus of the painter is it HAD to be the plastic filler being he doesn't understand the other goings ons of the solvents.

That is my two cents.

[adtkart]

Of course the painter is going to blame the bodyman! If something goes wrong, we blame the painter! I have worked with several bodymen that regularly blamed the painters for their wavy body work and poor joint gaps.

[sevt_chevelle]

Of course the painter is going to blame the bodyman! If something goes wrong, we blame the painter! I have worked with several bodymen that regularly blamed the painters for their wavy body work and poor joint gaps.

I blame the painter who block sands my bondo/primer job with a flippin DA

[BarryK]

Originally posted by sevt_chevelle
I blame the painter who block sands my bondo/primer job with a flippin DA

************************************************

Thats to funny!
I was a painter at a shop in the 70's and they hired a third painter
the owner came to the paint shop and saw the new guy blocking primer with a DA. He said what the H*** you doing and he said I'm "power blocking" That as his first and last day!
bwk