When I asked this forum several months ago about factory finishes on the wood bed, I was astonished to learn that the wood got the same the same paint as the rest of the body. As hard as that was to accept, I'm convinced it was true. Does anyone know if the fender welting similarly got squirted with paint?

 

I'm only going by vague memories, but from what I recall most of the cars with separate fenders came from the factory with a metal bead welting that was finished the same color as the body, but all the parts would have been painted prior to assembly. I don't recall any manufacturer using rubber or SS welting.
Wood was used for the bed floor because it held up better to the daily (ab)use a work vehicle received than metal would, not for any other reason, so yes it was painted the same as the rest of the bed.

 

So, if one was going to make my truck look as close to factory-finish as possible, then the welting would be painted. The only welting options available today (as far as I know) are rubber and stainless. Which of these would hold paint best if I went down this path? I already have the paint: epoxy primer and urethane enamel.

 

stainless can be painted with the right surface prep, it's difficult to paint a lot of plastics and rubber satifactorly due to it's flexible nature. Have you searched heavily for plain metal welting (usually black)? The restoration purists wouldn't find rubber or SS a satisfactory substitute.

 

I'll look around for plain metal welting, but, right now, I can't recall ever seeing it available. I have a dim recollection that, as a kid, I saw paint chipping off rubber welting on old cars, but maybe that was the end result of a repainting.

 

I just did a quick search, and am finding a concensus that the welting was not painted, but it was a composite costruction of fabric over rope and dip painted. I did find a site (Bob Drake?) that offers vinyl welting in 12 colors.

 

Wow...thanks. I'll look in th Bob Drake catalog. Painted fabric! It's kind of like a link to the 19th century!