AC Cobra windscreen demisters

[1590]

Can anyone tell me if the windscreen demister shields should be painted body colour or left in aluminium? I have seen both. It would depend on if the
factory fitted them before painting the body or not?

[rr64]

CSX chassis, painted body color. The original paint ones I have studied were primed gray (red primer for coachwork to be painted black) all over, painted body color all over, and installed. 

On late cars it appears that chassis completed into running cars in California usually but probably not always, had the bright shiny chromium plated fixing screw heads painted body color before final installation of the deflectors.  If Shelby American refinished a car all over, which was more common that most might imagine, or change body color then the screws heads were certainly painted over as that shop did minimal masking before repairs or refinishing.

[1590]

This car is a COB car so would that make a difference? It depends if the demisters were fixed before or after painting the body shell?

[rr64]

This car is a COB car so would that make a difference? It depends if the demisters were fixed before or after painting the body shell?

Good question, I don't know about home market cars.

Color pictures of CSX chassis being unloaded in the USA in the CSX208x range show chassis with windscreens, rear view mirrors, or deflectors NOT installed. All the openings left by vacant installations were sealed with wide brown tape. The perimeter of the tonneau covers were sealed with lots of brown tape.

Some of the chassis designated as intended for racing by special arrangement were shipped via air cargo planes with windscreens and hoods (a.k.a. tops in the USA) installed. Those chassis were normally lacking body body color paint. I cannot tell you if all the "racers" were shipped with heater / demister systems or not. Heaters were not a requirement for racing and right off I cannot recall seeing a Shelby prepared road racer using a heater. The custom ordered drag racer CSX2427 was the 'factory racer' exception I am aware of, it had a heater.