Original factory prep before paint - filler?

[3ftDeep]

Hello.

Sorry if this is a little naive. I know original factory welds were pretty 'decent' and maybe lead filled but were entire 356 bodies filled / coated in any other way before paint?
I just wondered if the smoothness of the bodies were achieved just from expert panel building / fabrication or if any non metal-worked adjustments were undertaken, other than the seams and lead in the shuts.

Thanks in advance : )

[roy mawbey]

When I rubbed down on the car down in the early 70's in many places I saw lead often in places where I was surprised to see it. I never came across any plastic. I guess though they had a form of thicker stopper over these area's like a thick primer/filler? to help cover up minor imperfections after leading. I remember after using lead on mine it needed that very thin skim sometimes before priming.

Mind you those guys doing that lead work all the time on the 356 bodies must have been so experienced at that work. When I started leading there was twice as much lead on the floor as there was on the body

Roy

[Ashley James]

Lead is used on welds and joins etc because it doesn’t leak or sink, but to achieve the final finish there’s likely to have been a light skim of filler and or a high build primer.

Any welds tend to let water through tiny pin holes you can’t see so repair specialists knock them down and use lead or fibreglass paste on the surface and some sealant on the back. Depending on accessibility, it’ll be seam sealer or cavity wax or both.