Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

[Michael L.]

Guys,

I need to replace one of the tubings on my 69 wsw and the replacement I ordered is unfinished. What is the best way to replicate that blue-gray finish of the original wsw tubing? If it is a plating I can have done that's fine, or I could just try to duplicate it with paint. Has anyone done this?

Mike

[Patrick H.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

Is it currently zinc plated? Or raw steel?

You could attempt to replicate it on raw steel using some of the gun bluing touch-up products. If it's zinc plated you will have to first remove the zinc and then try it. In my experience, that is difficult to do and have it look correct. I've tried.

Many people just paint it and move on.

[Michael L.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

Patrick,

it appears to me that this is brass. See attached pic. I'm fine with painting it if that's the best/easiest option. Just wondering if anyone had plated or painted it and knew what worked best.

Mike

[Edward J.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

Mike, the washer tubes and arms on my 72 have a dark green hue I can only see this with the right light, not sure you can duplicate this. I would say a semi flat black would be the closest, and they will be under the wiper door as long as they match the arms I think it would fly??

[Patrick H.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

Mike, the washer tubes and arms on my 72 have a dark green hue I can only see this with the right light, not sure you can duplicate this. I would say a semi flat black would be the closest, and they will be under the wiper door as long as they match the arms I think it would fly??

They didn't match the arms on Day 1, and we do check.
In fact, if they match it won't fly. But it's only 1 point.

Mike, check them with a magnet.

[Michael L.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

Ok Patrick I'll check them with a magnet. Can you tell me what the recs would be if it is steel? What if it's not?

[Loren L.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

And the method used to establish that there was only ONE supplier was ........

[Patrick H.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

Ok Patrick I'll check them with a magnet. Can you tell me what the recs would be if it is steel? What if it's not?

See my comments above. If it's not steel, it will be a lot more difficult, and then I'd just paint it.
However, since it was soldered in place I'm going to suspect it's steel...?

[Gary B.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

Ok, I can't take it any longer.

I have a piece of broken tubing off a car sitting around here forever. So this morning I sanded it vigorously with 320 grit paper, down to the brass tubing. It is not steel, it is not magnetic.

On top of the brass tube is a "silver" plating, which I suspect is very light coat of solder. Similar to what they do to wire ends before they have the crimp connectors applied to them, they are dipped into a hot solder bath. (I think they call that tinning?) I suspect they used a solder dip over the whole tube, as the end where the rubber tube is pushed on, a barb is soldered on. The other end, which is flattened closed, was probably also soldered shut, to keep it from leaking under pressure. And then they soldered the clip to the tube. Then I suspect it was plated with ???

Over the "silver" plating, again I think is a solder bath, they applied some sort of a plating before it was riveted to the arm. I don't know what that plating is. If it was bare brass, you might try "Brass Black" by Birchwood Casey. It leaves a black, kind of a green tint. Don't know what it does over solder though. Although, I might try it today.

A picture to show the arm, tubing and solder as installed at the factory.

Gary B

[Gary B.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

Took the sanded end, which is down to bare solder (i think) and dipped it in "Brass Black". It turned black, which might turn a little green with age? So you might just try cleaning the old tube and clip, and trying the Brass Black and let us know how it turns out....

Gary B

[Patrick H.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

Gary,

Did you try that on the brass, the silver solder-prepped part, or both?

PH

[Gary B.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

both plated well. the brass takes a little longer to turn deep black.
Gb

[Patrick H.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

Interesting. I'll have to inspect certain cars a bit closer now.

[Stephen B.]

Re: Best way to replicate the blue-gray finish of the wsw tubing

I mixed gun bluing with some satin dark green paint for the effect. I wrote an article for The Restorer about 10 years ago on how I did it. PM me if you want a copy of the article.