Cowl color change for tribute

[tradercj]

I have been restoring a 66 Mustang convertible. A car that myself and my wife love. We agreed upon Midnight Blue, but she really wanted Springtime Yellow. My wife passed away and I would like to honor her wish and paint the car yellow. So I want to do this right, so please give me your advice.

The biggest concern is I have to change the color inside the cowl panel.

This is the only area I have painted Midnight Blue, it is basecoat and clear coat. I had separated the cowl panel to fix rust. Painted it blue and welded it back up. The rest of the car is primed in SPI black.

For the cowl, the local guy that I buy base color from suggested running tape horizontally over the vent grill, then with an exacto knife cut away the vent openings so I can spray into the cowl. He then suggested using a spray can of Klean-Strip Bulldog Adhesion Promoter into the cowl area. Then use a touch up gun to spray white epoxy, I was going to use SPI white, then spray yellow base followed by clear. I was going to use SPI Universal clear.

Does this sound like a good plan. I want this to turn out good and last. Should I try to somehow scuff the inside of the cowl? Pour sound Waterborne wax and grease inside of cowl and try to rub it around, but I will not be able to wipe it properly. There is dirt and dust in the cowl. Adhesion promoter good idea? Spray epoxy 1:1 or should I spray it reduced? I just don’t want the new paint to crack or peel down the road, plus I want it to look good. Also do you think I can get the coverage I need by just spraying through the vents to cover the blue? I am assuming I should do about 3 coats of epoxy shooting in all different directions to make sure I get coverage. My touch up gun has a 1.0 tip, so I hope I can spray the epoxy and clear with it. Should I spray very close to the vent opening or 2 or 3 inches away.

For the rest of the car, since it is in black, I will scuff the epoxy and shoot the white. How well will SPI white cover black, can I get away with 1 coat unreduced epoxy, scuff and shoot a reducer coat of epoxy then color? Not sure how much work I am creating myself.

Thank you for any advice you can give me. Chris

 

[Barry]

I will let a pro handle this but you maybe over thinking the cowl deal, in all my years I have only had one peal inside after a while and it was lacquer.
I would pour or spray some 700 in there and rinse with a hose , let dry a day and then spray straight epoxy inside, the epoxy usually sticks to anything and everything you don't want it to stick to Maybe there is a better way but one of the pros on here will advise.

Also, each batch of white epoxy is sprayed over a red and a blue drum for testing and with a 1.4 one coat of epoxy we are at 95% coverage or better.

 

[tradercj]

Thank you for the reply Barry. I did go to the local restoration shop that I have had some work done, and the said there was no why to do it without cutting the cowl panel open.
Hopefully some of the other pros will advise.

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you for the reply Barry. I did go to the local restoration shop that I have had some work done, and the said there was no why to do it without cutting the cowl panel open.
Hopefully some of the other pros will advise.

 

['68 Coronet R/T]

Drilling the spot welds and opening it up is the only way I know how to do it. Interested to see if someone has another way.

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

Some of the chevy II (similar welded cowl design) guys have been popping the access plugs on the outer ends of the cowl and scuffing the inside with a scotchbrite mounted to a steel rod-you may be able to do this on the mustang if there's a spot to make an access hole and simply snap a plug in when you're done. I would like to have it scuffed if possible.