Oem Metal Finishes

[George]

I just want to double check the original finish for certain items before I have them plated. I will reference numbers on some diagrams and state yellow or silver finish.

 

Hatch

 

3 - Striker - Yellow *

4 - Dovetail - Silver

5 - Side striker - Silver

7 - Striker assembly - Yellow *

9 - Hatch hinges - Painted **

 

 

Door

 

Top left - Dovetail - Silver

Bottom left - Stopper - Silver

Right - Striker - Silver

Not pictured - Lock mechanism - Silver ***

 

 

* Seems like all visible door and hatch components were finished with silver zinc so I'm just wondering if the hatch striker and striker assembly (lock) should be silver as well. I've seen a few images showing it with a yellow finish but this could be done by owners restoring their cars. It doesn't make sense for these components to be yellow with all others finished in silver.

 

** I've read somewhere that the hatch hinges were mounted to the car and then painted together which is why the bolts are the body colour as well. I'm wondering if they were zinc coated underneath to protect the sections where the paint could not reach. Either way, I'll be zinc plating mine prior to painting.

 

*** I finished my door lock mechanism in yellow which I believe is incorrect so I'll have to refinish it. I've seen a few photos now of the door sides showing the mechanism and they're mostly silver.

 

Oh the joys... 

 

[PeterAllen]

George, as you are probably aware, I had the same components zinc plated with the silver finish. I'd have to say I think they are a bit too bright for a genuine resto, however, I'm happy because I just wanted them cleaned up.

 

As I understand it the yellow zinc passivating is trying to recreate the original cadmium finish and the silver passivating is recreating what was called galvanising. 

 

I'm not really across much of this but there are various methods of galvanising.

 

http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=2629 

 

The specialist plater you use would be the best to ask on what method will best give you the desired OEM finish.

 

Too bright for OEM finish in my opinion.

 

 

Sorry, I cant help specifically with the OEM finishes but I'm confident the hinges, both hatch and doors, were painted over raw cast steel.

Edited September 18, 2015 by PeterAllen

[George]

They might look too bright but I wonder if that's because we're used to seeing old dull components, or because as you say, it was a different process which produced a duller finish. Either way, I don't mind the finish you have on that door hardware.

[GongZ]

I just want to double check the original finish for certain items before I have them plated. I will reference numbers on some diagrams and state yellow or silver finish.

...

9 - Hatch hinges - Painted **

...

** I've read somewhere that the hatch hinges were mounted to the car and then painted together which is why the bolts are the body colour as well. I'm wondering if they were zinc coated underneath to protect the sections where the paint could not reach. Either way, I'll be zinc plating mine prior to painting.

 

Hi George - we had a similar discussion about the original finish on the bonnet hinges this week, when we did a slight thread hi-jack here - 

http://www.viczcar.com/forum/topic/13990-1971-240z-original-survivor/?do=findComment&comment=166260

Edited September 18, 2015 by GongZ

[GongZ]

Just a follow up about the bonnet hinges.

 

It seems that early cars might have had cadmium plated hinges and they were painted on later cars. This is a photo of HLS30-00013, a very early (10/69) and original looking car, showing the plated finish.