Troy,
Please help me understand what point you are trying to make. You show a picture of the valance with the blackout paint as evidence of it being under coated!?!? (That is blackout paint; not under coating.) You also refer to “paint” on the tabs of the fender that connects to the valance but it looks more like primer and rust. (I can’t make out any paint at all.) As a matter of fact it looks like red oxide primer and the beginning edge/haze of brown paint just starting around the edge. I wonder what kept the spray from covering the inside part of the tab. The valance perhaps!? Proof that the valance was off the car when painted is evident in two different ways. First there will be no paint on the area between the fender and edge of the valance that bolts to the lower fender. Surely you have seen previous threads where people have posted pictures of their cars with NO paint in the area between the valance and fender edges? Second, if the blackout was done with the it in place, there would be areas behind the bracing that would not have blackout showing. There would simply be an outline when the valance is removed showing where it would have been in place. And how could anyone spray blackout with the valance installed and keep from making a mess of ALL the (supposed) parts that were bolted in place around it? Look at the pattern of spray going from front to back. It would be an almost impossible for the guy painting the blackout to maneuver around all those obstacles? I also think that road grime/tar is still being confused for under coating.