Re: 67 Hood Catches and Latches
I'm always skeptical that zinc can be distinguished from cad by visual inspection. The only definitive way to make the determination is to test the material. As for my personal experience, it is largely from C2 parts, but some C1 and C3 as well. The reason I know that all of the parts I have restored were originally zinc plated, is because of my plating procedure. Specifically, I thoroughly clean and then use minimal media blasting to prepare the surface for plating. I never remove all of the original plating as it is not necessary, and I want to be minimally invasive. Cad and zinc do not play well together. Plating zinc over properly prepared zinc plating - no problem. Plating zinc over cad - big problem. Not only will the plating not work, but the plating solution will become contaminated and require replacement. I have never had a problem zinc plating over original plating - therefore it is most certainly zinc. I can't say cad was never used, but I am confident that is was not commonly used if at all. Again I am speaking primarily of C2 parts.
Another indication would be that GM specs which typically called for either zinc or cad. Given the choice, why would a supplier use the more expensive option of cad when either option would be acceptable to GM?
I'm always skeptical that zinc can be distinguished from cad by visual inspection. The only definitive way to make the determination is to test the material. As for my personal experience, it is largely from C2 parts, but some C1 and C3 as well. The reason I know that all of the parts I have restored were originally zinc plated, is because of my plating procedure. Specifically, I thoroughly clean and then use minimal media blasting to prepare the surface for plating. I never remove all of the original plating as it is not necessary, and I want to be minimally invasive. Cad and zinc do not play well together. Plating zinc over properly prepared zinc plating - no problem. Plating zinc over cad - big problem. Not only will the plating not work, but the plating solution will become contaminated and require replacement. I have never had a problem zinc plating over original plating - therefore it is most certainly zinc. I can't say cad was never used, but I am confident that is was not commonly used if at all. Again I am speaking primarily of C2 parts.
Another indication would be that GM specs which typically called for either zinc or cad. Given the choice, why would a supplier use the more expensive option of cad when either option would be acceptable to GM?
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