'72 alternator finish??

[Douglas M.]

My came with the car, numbers and date correct alternator seems to have some sort of silver paint on the case halves. Not chrome paint, but brighter aluminum than the casting underneath, as i found out using some lacquer thinner to get some over spray off of it. The fan and pulley were painted black, also. (there is no silver paint on the thin piece that separates the case halves)

I have another Chev alternator in the parts pile off a '69 Chevelle or something,a nd the case haves do not appear to be painted, yet the fan and pulley are painted some sort of dull black.

Is correct unpainted bare aluminum case halves and unpainted fan and pulley? Or something else?

Thanks,
Doug

[Joe L.]

Re: '72 alternator finish??

My came with the car, numbers and date correct alternator seems to have some sort of silver paint on the case halves. Not chrome paint, but brighter aluminum than the casting underneath, as i found out using some lacquer thinner to get some over spray off of it. The fan and pulley were painted black, also. (there is no silver paint on the thin piece that separates the case halves)

I have another Chev alternator in the parts pile off a '69 Chevelle or something,a nd the case haves do not appear to be painted, yet the fan and pulley are painted some sort of dull black.

Is correct unpainted bare aluminum case halves and unpainted fan and pulley? Or something else?

Thanks,
Doug

Doug-----


I have never seen an original alternator case that was painted with any sort of paint. I suppose it could have happened but I greatly doubt it would ever be considered "typical of factory production". I suspect that someone painted your case halves when the alternator was dis-assembled.

I'm not aware of any 1972 application that used a black-painted pulley or fan. All that I have seen were zinc plated.

[Douglas M.]

Re: '72 alternator finish??

thanks.

I had never run across a painted alternator either, and never really paid attention to the fan/pulley, as i was more interested in it working and looking clean than being correct, before.

Ah, well, more things to make right. :/

At least the alt is correct for the car, though I noticed the dizzy has the right number, but wrong date (Nov 30, '71 car build, April 9th, '71 dizzy tag), and someone did something kinda strange with a bolt and lock nut at the rear of the tach drive gear housing.

Doug

[Paul J.]

Re: '72 alternator finish??

My came with the car, numbers and date correct alternator seems to have some sort of silver paint on the case halves. Not chrome paint, but brighter aluminum than the casting underneath, as i found out using some lacquer thinner to get some over spray off of it. The fan and pulley were painted black, also. (there is no silver paint on the thin piece that separates the case halves)

I have another Chev alternator in the parts pile off a '69 Chevelle or something,a nd the case haves do not appear to be painted, yet the fan and pulley are painted some sort of dull black.

Is correct unpainted bare aluminum case halves and unpainted fan and pulley? Or something else?

Thanks,
Doug

Back in the 70's when we were detailing cars for shows we would paint all dirty aluminum with silver paint. We all did it, hots rods and classics. If I had only known....

[Steve D.]

Re: '72 alternator finish??

I found that if you dip some steel wool in lacquer thinner and give the case a good scrub it does a pretty nice job of restoring the finish.