Dipstick Too:WTF?- A POLL

[Joe C.]

I just recieved my new dipstick tube from Pa----n Reproductions. This is the "correct" type, with the super duper, handy dandy, swaged down (tapered)end, as original. I don't want to cast any aspersions on an otherwise respected Corvette parts supplier, BUT, if they went to all the trouble to taper the end, as origggggionalllllllie, then WHY THE HELL WOULD THEY FLASH CHROME THE DAMN THING-WHICH IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BIBLE. Now, either the Bible is wrong, or P-----n's purchasing manager has had a frontal lobotomy! Furthermore, they are the only outfit that I know of, which sells the CORRECT!!!????? swaged down, tapered, super duper, deeeeeeeeeluxe dip**** tube.

So, here I am with this really NICE LOOKING, flash chromed, correctly swaged, otherwise unavailable dip**** tube. It would be really easy to remove the chrome plating and leave it "au natural" or black (sparsely applied, et al)as per the Bible, OR leave it as is.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

[Jack H.]

Re: Dipstick Too:WTF?- A POLL

Are you certain your gauge tube is smack chromed? The one I purchased from Paragon (#1786 -- got tired of my original wiggling out/falling over) came just as their ad copy reads, "Tin coated steel"....

[Joe C.]

Yeah Jack... She's A 1786.......

but, she's flash chromed. Looks so nice, I hate to remove the smack and paint 'er. Mebbe I'll just say "!@#$%^&*(*&^%$#@$%^& the points", and leave her be.

Joe

[Chuck S.]

Re: Yeah Jack... She's A 1786.......

Joe, removing plating is no problem...putting it on is the hard part.

You may want to check with Paragon first. Like Jack says, they have a tube that is not chrome plated. I think some C1s may have had chrome plated dip stick tubes. Possibly they have a similar chrome plated part they shipped by accident or substituted. If it's their mistake, they should pay the freight both ways.

If you are SURE it's chrome plating, and you want the tube to be raw steel, I can fix you right up. Well, it won't matter if it's tin...if you don't want it shiny, then this method will also take off the tin plating and leave you with raw steel.

Mix up a dilute solution of muriatic acid, say one part acid to three or four parts of water (remember, acid into the water slowly, not the other way around), and immerse the tube in the solution. I can't tell you how long to leave it...check it every five minutes or so, and watch the bubbling activity. When the activity begins to slow, the plating is probably already gone. Don't leave it long after that. Have a strong basic solution of bicarbonate of soda ready for immersing the tube to neutralize the acid.

When you remove the tube from the soda solution, either thoroughly blow it dry, wipe it down with lacquer thinner, and paint it (sparingly); or, oil it as you choose. You will need to do one or the other soon, because that clean, raw steel will rust almost instantly.

Wear eye protection and rubber gloves when working with the acid; i.e. don't be fishing that tube out with your bare fingers. :-) Don't make up any more acid than you absolutely need. Slowly mix the leftover acid and soda solution to neutralize the acid. Go slow; you never saw such churning and boiling. Neutralizing the acid is going to take a lot of soda, maybe an entire box. Continue to slowly add strong soda solution until there is no more activity when fresh soda is added. The result will be a distasteful-looking chocolate brown stew that is harmless...well, relatively harmless when you consider there is are trace amounts of chrome and other metals in it. Dispose of the stew properly.

[Tom Merkel]

Re: Dipstick Too:WTF?- A POLL

Joe - I can't help[ you. I can only say it's a pretty funny post.

Tom

[Patrick H.]

Re: Dipstick Too:WTF?- A POLL

I thought it was moderately annoying.

Instead of calling Paragon and asking for an explanation, or seeing if they sent the wrong part, he spouts off here. It seems to me that a call to the seller would be a lot more productive.

Just my thoughts.

Patrick

[Dennis C.]

Patrick : I agree *NM*