[Tigers] paint and vin tag

[vegaslegal at aol.com]

Question was how to do a first class paint job to bulkhead without removing
vin tag.  In my case I made an exception.  While every piece of chrome and
trim was removed, the vin tag was an exception.  Even used a dremel to get
next to it, but did not remove it.  Only taped it off.  The bulkhead itself
also needed substantial mod to put in more appropriate LAT hood pins.  Welded
receiver bolts underneath for pins.  The original installation procedures were
to cut a V into the bulkhead and just fold the wedge back and put the pin
receiver bolt arrangement in the crotch of the V.  We patched the V with
metal, braised in, and smoothed.  I posted some pictures of the original
installation by Wheatley a few years back.  It was truly a butcher job.  As to
the vin tag, it was a balancing of evils.  The Tiger crowd is so concerned
about original tags and rivits that removing this piece of provenance would
likely prove disasterous.  Incidentally, it also allows for a confirmation of
the cars original color if someone goes under the tag fifty years from now on
the next restoration (although the Color Code 1 on the tag suffices as well).