Hood Latch Striker and Catch Finish

[Topcat]

Anyone with a hood latch that is still bolted to their core support and aint been messed with can easily unbolt it and still see it's black zinc on the back side.
As I said...the black dye exposed fades to brown.
Same with safety catch where it bolts to hood.
NOS (over the counter) parts are not always what they used on the assembly line as far as finish.

So what your saying is that the Strut rod washers that were in the original factory box that Dave from ECS has, faded inside? 

Not likely to happen!

[a440plus6]

Believe what you want...can be easily verified by taking original parts off and looking at the back side.

[Bluemonster71RT]

Ok just because I wanted to know what the deal is I looked at my latch and release bar. My car was bought new by my father and has never be restored till (well working on that) now. The latch that bolts to the hood on the inside it is brown and in exellent shape and its not rust. However the release lever is black on the mounting face. So it seems that both are correct in some cases or some parts were treated differently.

[a440plus6]

That's very interesting.
Do you have the ability to take pics and post?
I have never seen an assembly line car come with brown unless it was a weak black solution or they did not heat after the dipping process.
The chemical composition for both the dips are extremely close in makeup.
I would be interested in seeing the pics of the pieces with date codes ledgable so I can amend my thinking....I only give advise on things that I have personally seen during my 30 years in the hobby.
I would appreciate your help.
Here is a pic of an NOS Charger hood latch date coded 1669 that I have left over from a past project that I did not use because the original was black zinc.....so they did come brown.......NOS over the counter.
Jerry

[Bluemonster71RT]

I can do that when I get home from work. I should also look for my catch and see what that looks like. I don't think anyone is wrong imo. It is a chance that it is infact both ways. Hell I have a 71 challenger built with mostly 70 stuff.

[a440plus6]

I can do that when I get home from work. I should also look for my catch and see what that looks like. I don't think anyone is wrong imo. It is a chance that it is infact both ways. Hell I have a 71 challenger built with mostly 70 stuff.

You are quite right....not a matter of right or wrong....for me it is a quest for knowledge.
Any 71 built from Aug to Dec 70 will have 70 date coded stuff.

[Bluemonster71RT]

Black

zinc


I tried to get good shots but I am not sure you can tell the zinc with the camera.

[a440plus6]

That's deteriorated black zinc in my eyes....you can see  hint of the dark black still about the middle of the latch bolt slot.
I thank you for spending your time and helping me affirm what I believe and have seen on so many original cars.
With that said....with Chrysler....never say never...lol
Jerry

[burdar]

Unfortunatly my camera didn't capture the image very well but here is the saftey latch on my 73.  There is no trace of black.  It is brown just like the pic of the NOS Charger unit.  There is one section of the first pic that looks black in the picture.  I can assure you that it is an illusion.  There is no trace of black.  I can't however tell what the hook itself used to be.  The brown color is on the bracket that accually bolts to the hood.  The rest of the assembly is corroded.

[a440plus6]

Thanks again....that one is clearly brown.