Proper Finish for Suspension Parts

[xssive]

Does anyone have any good information or, references on the correct coatings for suspension components?   I'm restoring my '69 Dart GTS and would like to know the correct finish for the drums, backing plates, upper and lower control arms, stut rods, etc....    Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

[west]

rust

[xssive]

!   Oh good!  Then my work is complete  : )

[moparrr07]

 

[GTS225]

Zssive......I suspect you might have found a site that isn't quite what you're looking for.  Most of these guys build thier  out of slant or small block cars.  A fair number of them do have original big block Darts.  I suspect a rather small number have concours original examples. I suspect even fewer have intentions of doing a concours correct resto to thier cars.
While we welcome anyone who has an interest in 's, we also don't want you getting turned off from this site, due to misinformation.

That being said, I'm a slant six enthusiast, but also an A-body enthusiast.  Many of the write-ups in the tech pages apply no matter which engine.

I have no idea what the correct finishes should be....I just wanted to set the record straight before you got bent out of shape over some humourous replys.

Roger

[375InStroke]

Here are some pics from Mopar Action of a "perfect ten" '71 6-Pack 'Cuda.  Remember that each assembly line had different procedures sometimes, and parts varied depending on vendor or engineering revisions.  Many experts say that the lower control arms were bare metal with Cosmolene.  That's what we see in these pics, but some say that their original, unrestored, purchased new car has black painted lower control arms.  Some cars came with black leaf springs, others unpainted.  On my cars, it looks like the only things that were painted were the dufferential and K-frame.  Everything else is rusty.  I've always heard that the upper control arms are painted black, but on the ones I cleaned, there was bare shinny steel under the grease at the ball joint end.  Who knows?  Maybe the degreaser removed the paint too.

[68_GSS]

Good pictures supplied by 375instroke.  I'm not into the "correct paint mark" thing, but I have such a hard time deciding on what color to paint parts that I stay pretty close to what the factory did.

[NYrr496]

There's a wheel paint in a spray can that looks exactly like bare metal. I've painted parts with that and had it last an exceptionally long time. Can't remember who made it, but it was specifically for wheels. Maybe it was Dupli Color.

[375InStroke]

Here are some more pics I found:

This is a 1970 Challenger:


Here's a 1970 Hemi 'Cuda leaf spring and gas tank:


Here's a '66 or '67 B-Body leaf spring:


I got them from this site: http://www.mmcdetroit.com/ICCA/References/Chassis/#pop01
Compared to the pics I posted earlier, I see that the upper control arms, drag links, and tie rods are unpainted, and the lower control arms are unpainted with Cosmoline.  I also see that the leaf springs, sway bar, and strut rods are black on one car, and unpainted on another.

[375InStroke]

Here is a 1971 Plymouth Cuda Conv built at Hamtramck, MI March 17, 1971:


Here's a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T conv. built at Hamtramck, MI on Nov 11, 1969:


Another view of the Challenger:


Here's the right wheel:


The 'Cuda has unpainted backing plates and strut rods, but black lower control arms.  The Challenger has unpainted lower control arms, but black backing plates and strut rods.
These photos are courtesy of http://www.mmcdetroit.com/ICCA/References/Inspection_Marks/

[moparsky]

Here is a thread from the "For A Bodies Only" forum concerning a "correct color" question for suspension parts;

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=3776267&an=0&page=0#Post3776267

[375InStroke]

That's the wrong link.

[flyboy01]

Unfortunately, most parts were unpainted steel that were rust covered in a matter of a few days. some parts were dipped in cosmoline like the lower arms, which gave a little protection, for a few years. I prefer restified myself, you can sand blast (actually glass bead works great, then spray them with Diamondcoat, which is a clear metal coating, I use the satin stuff, but they make a gloss as well.

Here are my calipers. I am going to restore the rest of the suspension when I am done with the paint.

[moparsky]

That's the wrong link.

Hey 375, sorry about that.
I see you found the correct link, for other folks who might be interested, here the correct link to FABO is:

http://forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=3370

[375InStroke]

Here are some more pics.

I think this is the same Hemi car as above with the unpainted leaf shackles, but I can't tell what the finish on the hangars is:


Here's another shackle and spring:

[flyboy01]

Original / Pretty. The two just don't go together. 

Most cars rusted after a few years. My sister had a 71 Duster in 1977 that the rear frame rails had rusted out and the shackles started to come through the trunk, of which there was so little left that anything you put in the trunk was guaranteed to be left on the street, come to think of it, it really didn't have any floors, or the bottom of any fender. It that car, the carpet was a structural component.