Touching up frame paint

[NY81TTASE]

The exterior of the car should be lacquer paint but what did they use on the frame?

[roadking77]

The lacquer paint was dependent on where the car was built. I think in the later second gen run they used it through at least 79 in Norwood but I think Van Nuys had gone to water based by then. I have no firm knowledge of what would have been on the frame but I would only guess that if they were putting lacquer on the body they would have done the frame in that as well. I dont think it was done very well as all of the originals I have come across are heavily rusted. Dont think they cared much what the underside of the car looked like.

[Warren Seale]

I'm pretty sure that the frames, like a lot of brackets and small parts, were dipped in a vat of paint.  Not sure what type.  It could have been just an enamel.  I've touch up the frame with Krylon semi flat black.  I used to use the GM chassis paint but that is no longer available.

[NY81TTASE]

I wanted touch up some spots and use normal enamel but I thought it might peel if it was over lacquer.  I'm pretty sure my 81 exterior is lacquer, I think it says it in the cowl tag(?), but I put lacquer on a rag and tried to "clean" a spot.  Bad move. The paint came off , not all the way but definitely a layer.
I guess I will use the semi flat or semi gloss enamel just to protect what I clean up. I'm not looking at a restoration just a good fix.