1970 Fuel Pump 40769 Finish

[Jeff Heuer]

Hello,

Does anyone know on the original fuel pump if the lower portion of the fuel pump is supposed to be a silver cad plating or gold iridite?

Thanks!

Jeff Heuer

[Joe L.]

Re: 1970 Fuel Pump 40769 Finish

Jeff-----

The lower, stamped steel portion of the pump was finished with a gold irridite finish.

[Dale Pearman]

Real Gold Irridite or Zinc Dichromate? *NM*

[Joe L.]

Re: Real Gold Irridite or Zinc Dichromate?

Dale----

The term "gold irridite" is one of the terms used in the vernacular to describe the overplating often used on cadmium or zinc plated parts. "Bright Dip" is another term. Actually, the goldish color is imparted by hexavalent chrome (chrome in the +6 valence state) contained in the "secondary" plating solution.

[Dale Pearman]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, That's What

I suspected. 4656 fuel pumps must be plated with real gold! I just paid $350.00 for an NOS example still in the box. I think that's cheap considering that real 4656 pumps go for $250.00 IF you can find one!

Thanks Joe.

Dale.

[Joe L.]

Re: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, That's What

Dale------

GM never used any real gold plating on any Corvette parts that I'm aware of. I have seen some aftermarket C4 decorative trim items that are real gold plated. But, those are WAY TOO TACKY for me.

Also, Pratt and Whitney once used many gold plated parts on the J-58 jet engines which they manufactured for use in the Lockheed A-12, YF-12A, and SR-71 "Blackbird" aircraft. It seems that at 90,000 feet altitude and Mach 3+ speed, gold does serve some useful, functional purpose in the external plumbing for these engines. However, no Corvette has ever gotten close to Mach 3 speed (even the Le Mans racers on the Mulsanne Straight) so gold plated parts probably serve no useful purpose. I'm sure that's one of the reasons that GM decided against their use.

As beautiful as those gold lines, fittings and pumps are, not many folks ever got to see them on the engines of the above-referenced aircraft. No prying eyes are or were ever allowed out at "the ranch". But, there is at least one place where you can see them today if you know where to go.

Sorry for the excursion; I got carried away. But, we were on the subject of gold plating, after all.

[Gary S.]

Re: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, That's What

Yes, we are talking about gold plating. However, only one of you is serious. Gary