early 83-86 FHP cream paint scheme question

[Cobra Jet]

While looking through some early 85-86 FHP SSP pics, I noticed a variation on the exterior sail panels...

The cream colored paint used on the rear/upper portion of some was also painted over onto the rear 1/4 window sail panels, such as this 1985 FHP:




While on what appears to be most other FHP SSP's, the cream colored paint was not on the rear 1/4 window sail panels (they were black), such as this 1986 FHP:




I don't know if anyone else has ever taken note of that - but - was the cream colored sail panel in that pic above an anomaly, standard for all 1983-1985's, but then phased out after 1985??

[CHP 3705]

It may have been something Ford did because the 82-85 CHP cars all had the plastic trim painted with the roof color but 86's did not. Doug

[28HopUp]

I remember seeing an in-service shot (B&W) showing a bunch of 85/86 FHP's in the lot. That picture may help you if you can find it. Since you have an in-service shot showing the cream sail panel, that means that at least one was painted that way, so it would not be incorrect if you wanted to paint yours in the same pattern.

[ImEvil1]

We have discussed this before. I know there's a thread over on .ORG about the paint scheme, and that is info that we discussed before as well.

The FHP cars were painted cream all over, then masked off and the black was sprayed.

For '86, the cars got the black sails for whatever reason.

[ChrisL]

Civilian coupes in '85 had body colored sail panels, '86 coupes had charcoal. Maybe it was a difference in how the cars were painted. It's possible '85 cars had the sail panels installed before the car was painted, IE they got painted body color with the rest of the car. '86s might have had the sails painted charcoal and installed after the car was painted. If this were the case, it would explain why the Florida cars are the same.