Exact color of front end parts???

[FBJJChallenger]

Hey Guys,

Do any of you know the specific factory color for the front end parts (undercarriage) of a 74 Challenger? I know it was black, but I'm getting all of the parts powder coated and they want to know what "percentage" of black it was so they can get as close to matching it as possible. Any help is much appreciated!

James

fbjjchallenger.wordpress.com

[burdar]

Most of the front end parts were NOT black.  There is a post somewhere on here that lists each component and what the factory finish was. 

Here is a good Moparts thread about painting the suspension components to look factory. 
http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=A12&Number=2669919&fpart=1&PHPSESSID=


Here are the main components...

K-member...black(cheap gloss black paint that didn't really look very glossy)
lower control arms...natural steel/not painted but dipped in cosmoline
upper control arms...natural steel/not painted
spindles...natural/not painted
driveshaft...natural/not painted
rear end housing...black(cheap gloss black paint that didn't really look very glossy)
rear end center section...natural/not painted but with inspection marks
brake backing plates...natural/not painted

There was a post recently on Moparts that said the factory used very cheap paint on a lot of components.  THey didn't set out to create different shades of gloss on certain parts.  The paint was just so cheap, that there was very little gloss to it...or it lost a lot of its gloss very quickly.

I've been experimenting with Rustoleum semi-gloss paint and it looks factory.  Sorry, I don't have any gloss % for you.
 

[autoxcuda]

Here are pictures of the suspension on the finished car that Troy from that thread restored: http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=58273.0

Most of the front end parts were NOT black.  There is a post somewhere on here that lists each component and what the factory finish was. 

Here is a good Moparts thread about painting the suspension components to look factory. 
http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=A12&Number=2669919&fpart=1&PHPSESSID=


Here are the main components...

K-member...black(cheap gloss black paint that didn't really look very glossy)
lower control arms...natural steel/not painted but dipped in cosmoline
upper control arms...natural steel/not painted
spindles...natural/not painted
driveshaft...natural/not painted
rear end housing...black(cheap gloss black paint that didn't really look very glossy)
rear end center section...natural/not painted but with inspection marks
brake backing plates...natural/not painted

There was a post recently on Moparts that said the factory used very cheap paint on a lot of components.  THey didn't set out to create different shades of gloss on certain parts.  The paint was just so cheap, that there was very little gloss to it...or it lost a lot of its gloss very quickly.

I've been experimenting with Rustoleum semi-gloss paint and it looks factory.  Sorry, I don't have any gloss % for you.
 

[FBJJChallenger]

Thanks for the information guys, very helpful!

[Bullitt-]

I've been experimenting with Rustoleum semi-gloss paint and it looks factory.  Sorry, I don't have any gloss % for you.

 I've used Rustoleum Satin Black & Eastwoods Diamond Clear Satin for bare metal
http://www.eastwood.com/ew-diamond-clear-satin-for-bare-metal-quarts.html

[AMXguy]

this is useful for many questions.

 
http://www.moparaction.com/Article/PoP/PoP.html
 

[Topcat]

Roger Gibson 1st one.

[FBJJChallenger]

Thanks guys,

All of this has been very helpful!

James

[Topcat]

One thing you can't see on the pictures is the details on the Torsion bars. Big drips dried on running the length. K member bolts had a lime green paint on em too.

There are so many inspection marks they did at the factory you could almost write a book on them.

[burdar]

The problem is that not all cars got all of the inspection marks.  It's very tempting to start putting a bunch of marks on the car when you see other cars like yours with them.   You may or may not be correct.  The only way you can be sure is to only reproduce the marks that you know for a FACT were origonally there.  Look at your car and let it be your guide.

What if you reproduce marks from a car you saw at a show?  You have no idea if those are right or not.  Now there are two cars that could have incorrect markings.  Someone then looks at your car at a show and marks his car up the same way. 

Only reproduce the marks that you find during dissasembly on the car itself.

[RusTy/SE]

The problem is that not all cars got all of the inspection marks.  It's very tempting to start putting a bunch of marks on the car when you see other cars like yours with them.   You may or may not be correct.  The only way you can be sure is to only reproduce the marks that you know for a FACT were origonally there.  Look at your car and let it be your guide.

What if you reproduce marks from a car you saw at a show?  You have no idea if those are right or not.  Now there are two cars that could have incorrect markings.  Someone then looks at your car at a show and marks his car up the same way. 

Only reproduce the marks that you find during dissasembly on the car itself.