69 headlight hardware finnishes

[Greg L.]

What is the correct finish for:

1) the headlight aim adjustment screws
2) springs that retain the bulb housings to the cast aluminum doors
3) the collars with the set screw used for the lateral adjustment of the doors

Thanks

Greg Linton
#45455

[Chuck S.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

If the same as 70, those finishes are:

1) zinc
2) zinc? Dr Rebuild says yellow dichromate; recommend NOS or Dr Rebuild.
3) black phosphate

[Harmon C.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

Greg
I thought the collars were zinc or cad.

Lyle

[Greg L.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

Thanks guys...anyone want to break the tie on the collars?

[Chuck S.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

Even in severe corrosion environments in Canada, I would expect zinc plated parts to retain some finish even if it's only some spots of gray zinc oxide with the rust. You did, however, ask about three parts, two of which I would have expected to be zinc plated...there's nothing left on ANY of those parts to identify the original finish?

[Terry F.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

I will mix things up. I think the adjuster screws were probably silver cad plated. The springs were either silver or gold cad. The collars were natural, the set screws black phosphate. Clear/silver zinc looks a lot like clear/silver cad. I have a few real nice original doors and the collars looked natural??? I have seen silver and gold springs. Take your pick. Take care, Terry

[Greg L.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

No Chuck I don't see any remains of zinc or cad on the collars so I was leaning towards them being a natural finish but I wasn't quite sure. I suspected that the screws would be zinc or cad and the springs I had no idea. Now I know, thanks guys.

[Terry F.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

I greatly lean towards the natural finish on the collars. All the ones that I have taken apart were either rusted because of no protection or they were in good condition and I didn't see any plating. The best I have ever seen were on my car and it came from Arizona. Terry

[Harmon C.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

Greg
The collars may be natural but I think they were a silver color not dark like most natural steel. Back in the day they were probably made on an automatic screw machine out of round stock.

Lyle

[Chuck S.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

All right! To find out if you guys...who are on opposite ends of the finish spectrum and are somehow agreeing...have even been in the vicinty of these headlight doors, I'm going to ask a simple question and see how many answers you have for this one...

What, then, is the finish on the original door bearing housings?

[Greg L.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

I'm gonna stick my neck out here Chuck and say dip painted black.

I say that because there was an obvious old crusty drip on one end of each of them and, well, they were black. At first I thought that maybe I incorrectly painted them black back in 88 when I first restored my car but then noticed the drips and there is no way that I would have put the paint on so heavy as to have runs in it back them...today I know better.

Did I guess right?

[Chuck S.]

Re: 69 headlight hardware finnishes

You have mail...Don't want to let these guys know the right answer...just yet.