68-72 tie rod tube finish

[Ralph A.]

From the archives (nice thread in the 1st archive) and JM, I believe these to be natural finish. When I removed the paint from my 69 the finish looked like the half shafts? Seamed bright to me, or did the previous owner bead blast a dulled finish off them before painting. Can someone post picture of original looking or confirm.
Thanks in advance as always

[Joe L.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

Ralph-----

The tie rod tubes were part of the steering assembly as delivered to St. Louis from Chevrolet-Buffalo. The were coated at Chevrolet-Buffalo with the rest of the assembly with a black, asphaltic coating.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

Ralph,

Natural finish, at least for 70-72s. I "suspect" that 1969 was the same.

Patrick

[Ralph A.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

"Black asphalt coating" I saw your thread indicating that holidays may be found and that they were "mitted". Can you elaborate on what a "mitted" finish looks like?
Ok, how can I reproduce this? Is this like an undercoating material?
Ideas welcome. They now are bare metal.
Thanks

[Dick W.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

Ralph, mitted is a myth. I suspect that what gave the "mitted" appearance was the oils on the metal causing the top coat to "fisheye". John Hinckley and others that were at the St. Louis said that there was NEVER any thing like mitting done. Any finishes on the underside were sprayed.

[Ralph A.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

Thanks Dick,
So a thin coat of flat black, or blackening solution may be close. I have some gun metal blueing solution..whould these be close?

[Dick W.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

A good coat of semi gloss on everything (ends and sleeves) but the studs would work.

I wanted to say that this morning in my other post but I would have been relying on my feeble memory. I wanted to look at a couple of Bowtie Cars before I made that statement. I did not stay at the Holiday Inn last night

[Ralph A.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

all but the studs (bolts)....Do you mean the tubes, the clamps, the tie rod ends, the main shaft? The JM calls for blackened studs with zinc grip nut...

[John H.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

Ralph -

The entire steering linkage assembly (except the pitman arm on power steering cars) was sprayed with asphaltic chassis black at Buffalo, with cardboard or plastic caps protecting the outer tie rod end studs.

[Ralph A.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

How confusing, the JM calls for unfinished...yes, but covered up with a substance. May need an adjustment to the JM.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

Joe Lucia and I are at the National here in Boston.
I noted on Tuesday (when I first responded) that two of the Bowtie cars I judged had nice, bare tie rod sleeves - which matches the manual. I went back this morning and noted that the other two have black sleeves. And, last evening, Joe Lucia noted to me that while my own car was on the lift here, he took particular attention of the tie rod sleeves ... which are black.

Apparently black is getting the "nod" out here.

Patrick

[Ralph A.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

Thanks, pictures would be nice for my history book. I will coat them. Also it was mentioned that the tie rod END is coated all but the stud...can you confirm on the Bow Tie cars if some are natural or coated....
Thanks again everyone

[Dick W.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

Ralph, looked at '70 ZR1 and it had evidence of the asphaltic coating that John referred to.

[Terry M.]

Re: 68-72 tie rod tube finish

Most of the good Boy Scouts clean it off -- I even did that on a few cars before I learned what it was. It looks and feels like residue of seepage from the grease on the tie rod ends, but it is all over the linkage -- not just on the ends. Once the tie rod ball stud is installed into its mating part, one can not tell if it was coated or not.