74 Door Strikers

[Martin N.]

What would be the proper finish for the door strikers? Looks like "Bubba" adjusted mine with a pair of vice grips instead of a "Torx" bit and I want to replace them. The GM replacement ones are black, is that correct? The originals on the car are worn and natural metal.

THANKS....Marty

[Joe L.]

Re: 74 Door Strikers

What would be the proper finish for the door strikers? Looks like "Bubba" adjusted mine with a pair of vice grips instead of a "Torx" bit and I want to replace them. The GM replacement ones are black, is that correct? The originals on the car are worn and natural metal.

THANKS....Marty

Marty-----

I believe the original door strikers for 1974, GM #8770913, were zinc or cadmium plated. They MAY also have had a light dichromate ("goldish") overplate. I have some NOS examples of this striker [not for sale] around here but getting at them is more than I want to get involved in right now. The originals were definitely not black. I think the black one is the GM #15013147, the current replacement.

[Robert S.]

Re: 74 Door Strikers

I looked at the strikers on my 74' convertible. I agree with the previous post - looks to me like it could be zinc plating. Mine also have somewhat of a greenish tinge but that could just be from age and oxidation. Definitely not black.
P.S. I also noticed some Bubba vice grip marks on one of mine so Bubba is alive and well in many places.

[Joel A.]

Re: 74 Door Strikers

They are cad, or zinc on my '74...a white/silver color. I can't say I've ever noticed any greenish or gold-ish color to them, but they may have been at one time. Luckily, Bubba ain't had ahold of them!

[Martin N.]

Re: 74 Door Strikers

JOE-
I ordered a set of door strikers from GMPD even though they are black in color. My hope is to soak them in laquer thinner and remove the paint and plate them myself if the base metal is differant then you stated earlier. Have you seen these new GM strikers?

Marty

[Martin N.]

Re: 74 Door Strikers

ROBERT-
The closer and closer I look, it seems "Bubba" really liked my car.

Marty

[Joe L.]

Re: 74 Door Strikers

JOE-
I ordered a set of door strikers from GMPD even though they are black in color. My hope is to soak them in laquer thinner and remove the paint and plate them myself if the base metal is differant then you stated earlier. Have you seen these new GM strikers?

Marty

Marty------


I think I may have seen them. I think that the black "paint" might actually be powder coat. It doesn't come off nearly as easily as paint.

Powder coat is replacing electroplating for quite a few things these days. That's because it's more "environmentally friendly" than electroplating.

[Terry M.]

Re: 74 Door Strikers

Marty------


I think I may have seen them. I think that the black "paint" might actually be powder coat. It doesn't come off nearly as easily as paint.

Powder coat is replacing electroplating for quite a few things these days. That's because it's more "environmentally friendly" than electroplating.

Not to mention powder coating is FAR LESS expensive than plating.

[Martin N.]

Re: 74 Door Strikers

JOE-
Update on those GM door strikers. I recieved them yesterday afternoon (Mon. 05-12-08) and put them in laquer thinner overnight. I was able to remove the paint / coating with a stiff britle brush and finish them off with a brass wire brush. They were plated and then painted I believe. I don't think powder coating would come off that easy. One other point, they do not have the round rotating sleeve on them like the original, all solid shaft.
Thanks for your time....Marty