I just received my front brake calipers back from Muskegon Brake and was surprised to see the finish on them. It is a cast blast finish. I was sure that brake calipers were painted a semi gloss black originally. All the old pictures look like black. Can someone verify what they are supposed to be, and what is the best type of paint to use. Thanks in advance. Sheldon
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Re: FINISH ON 65 CALIPERS
Sheldon------
Most original C-2 and C-3 calipers were painted a semi-flat to flat black. The paint was applied before the castings were machined so machined surfaces appear unpainted. I recommend the use of an epoxy-type paint when painting calipers. Epoxy paint is very resistant to glycol-based brake fluids(DOT 3 and DOT 4)and also provides a very durable finish for chassis parts which are exposed to the rigors of road debris. Ordinary paint, when exposed to the inevitable brake fluid "drips",will be instantly removed or marred. Of course, if you use silicone-based DOT-5 fluid, this is not a concern.
You can purchase epoxy paints in most hardware stores or from Eastwood. The trick with using them is that you have to get the paint right on the first application. If you need to "touch up" or recoat, you will have to wait AT LEAST a few weeks for the epoxy to FULLY cure. Otherwise, the existing paint will "mottle" and lift when you re-apply the paint.
I should also add that it is my belief that not all calipers were actually painted. My original owner 1969 calipers were never painted. So, I am sure that one car had non-painted calipers, but I can't say about others.In Appreciation of John Hinckley -
Re: FINISH ON 65 CALIPERS
On the other hand, if you avoid the epoxy paint, you can touch them up whenever you need to. A brush works fine for touchups. If you're going for originality, mask off the areas which were machined before painting.
Regards,
- GregComment
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