C1 axel U bolts painted or not?

[Troy P.]

I'd like to know if the U bolts that hold the rear end and springs together are bare steel or painted black. I suspect they arrived on the assembly line unpainted and the only paint they got was via the chassis black out process. In which case they may only have been partially painted. Just guessing here.

[John H.]

Re: C1 axel U bolts painted or not?

I suspect they arrived on the assembly line unpainted and the only paint they got was via the chassis black out process. In which case they may only have been partially painted. Just guessing here.

Troy -

That's correct - the U-bolts were plain steel.

[Troy P.]

Re: C1 axel U bolts painted or not?

John, as I recall from a previous post concerning chassis black out you indicated there was a black out station on the 56 assembly line just before body drop. Do you happen to know if that station was there in 54 and 55 as well? Wouldn't the rebound straps have gotten painted in the process of trying to cover other parts in the vicinity?

From the photos in Noland's books it looks like there was no black out station on the 53 line, which of course was in a different plant.

This whole subject of what got painted on the chassis and when really interests me for some reason.

[John H.]

Re: C1 axel U bolts painted or not?

John, as I recall from a previous post concerning chassis black out you indicated there was a black out station on the 56 assembly line just before body drop. Do you happen to know if that station was there in 54 and 55 as well? Wouldn't the rebound straps have gotten painted in the process of trying to cover other parts in the vicinity?

From the photos in Noland's books it looks like there was no black out station on the 53 line, which of course was in a different plant.

This whole subject of what got painted on the chassis and when really interests me for some reason.

Troy -

I don't have any information on the '53-'55 blackout operation; a known-original unrestored car would be a good source for "clues".