1966 327/350 40083 fuel pump coloring

[Patrick H.]

Hello All,

I have had the bottom cover and the screws for our 40083 fuel pump replated, but the plater could not assure me that he could recolor the top half of the fuel pump. For those that recognize it, the color is a dark gray. I might call it a gray phosphate, but it appeares flatter than that.

Anyway, because the plater thought the top half of the pump was pot metal (and I don't know if that's true) he did not plate or recolor it as he didn't want to ruin it.

Does anyone know of a source to recolor the top half of the fuel pump? And what type of metal is the pump?

Thanks for any advice,

Patrick

[Joe L.]

Re: 1966 327/350 40083 fuel pump coloring

Patrick-----

I always thought that the upper body of these pumps was aluminum. However, it's possible that it's zinc diecast ("pot metal"). The lower sections of the pump are, in the case of screw type pumps, zinc diecast with most having a stamped steel lower cover. The crimped type pumps have a stamped steel lower section.

I don't know where to get the cast components refinished, as original.

[Joe L.]

Addendum

Also, it just occurs to me, I think that the upper section of some of the pumps, including very possibly the 40083, was originally magnesium. Later SERVICE may be aluminum, though.

[William C.]

Re: Addendum

40083 Was Magnesium, all production pumps I have seen, the dark color is very natural (usual)from the judging perspective.

[Gary B.]

Patrick; How was the bottom cover plated?

Patrick,

Joe says the bottom of the 40083 screw type pumps were zinc diecast. I've seen bottom covers that were almost a yellow-gold and some that were more like dull aluminum. What did you have done to the bottom cover on yours in terms of replating to make it look original?

Thanks,

Gary

[Joe L.]

Re: Patrick; How was the bottom cover plated?

Gary------

The bottom COVER is stamped steel. The "mid-section" (the part between the bottom cover and the top) I believe is zinc diecast. However, it may also be aluminum or magnesium.

[Gary B.]

Thnx Joe. Patrick, how was stamped steel plated? *NM*

[Loren L.]

This line made me go FIND 40083

out of 65 #23561 - Darkest on the top, lightest in the middle and the bottom is somewhere in the middle - closer to the dark top than the light middle. Also noticed that the two gr8 bolts - one is a "U" and one is an "R". The bottom of the pump is the only one that takes a magnet.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Patrick; How was the bottom cover plated?

It was plated in zinc chromate (yellow like a shark headlight canister or midyear brake booster), and the screws were originally the same. The replacement screws you get in the rebuild kit are black.

Thankfully most of my screws were in excellent shape so I cleaned them and had them replated. I also stripped and plated a few of the repro screws (differ also by lack of an S on the head) as spares.

Thanks for all the suggestions. It appears that time will oxidize my fuel pump upper to gray.

Patrick