Restoring front and rear suspension - correct factory colors

[Rocket]

I am in the process of rebuilding by frona and rear suspension on my 69 Barracuda. Are there any specific colors and finishes (mat, gloss, semi-gloss) to use on the suspension components if I were to paint or coat them? I am replacing all parts including rear springs, front torsion bars, idler and pitman arms, sway bar, tie rods and adjustment sleeves. I will be cleaning and repainting the upper and lower controll arms as well as the K frame.

Thanks

 

[markolson]

The K frame is chassis black, the lower control arms would be raw steel with cosmoline coating - I simulate that with a brown primer - it was a waxy like substance that kept them from rusting. Upper were chassis black except for the area around the ball joint - they dipped them and did not dip the ball joint to keep the threads clean. main tie rod was heavy coat of gloss black - side tie rods - raw steel. Raw steel on the struts and sway bars too. You can clear coat them if you want to keep them from rusting but the factory did not care.

 

[375inStroke]

Here are some pics from Mopar Action of a "perfect ten" '71 6-Pack 'Cuda. Remember that each assembly line had different procedures sometimes, and parts varied depending on vendor or engineering revisions. Many experts say that the lower control arms were bare metal with Cosmolene. That's what we see in these pics, but some say that their original, unrestored, purchased new car has black painted lower control arms. Some cars came with black leaf springs, others unpainted. On my cars, it looks like the only things that were painted were the dufferential and K-frame. Everything else is rusty. I've always heard that the upper control arms are painted black, but on the ones I cleaned, there was bare shinny steel under the grease at the ball joint end. Who knows? Maybe the degreaser removed the paint too.

 

[375inStroke]

Here are some more pics I found:

This is a 1970 Challenger:

Here's a 1970 Hemi 'Cuda leaf spring and gas tank:

Here's a '66 or '67 B-Body leaf spring:

I got them from this site: http://www.mmcdetroit.com/ICCA/References/Chassis/#pop01
Compared to the pics I posted earlier, I see that the upper control arms, drag links, and tie rods are unpainted, and the lower control arms are unpainted with Cosmoline. I also see that the leaf springs, sway bar, and strut rods are black on one car, and unpainted on another.

 

[375inStroke]

Here is a 1971 Plymouth Cuda Conv built at Hamtramck, MI March 17, 1971:

Here's a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T conv. built at Hamtramck, MI on Nov 11, 1969:

Another view of the Challenger:

Here's the right wheel:

The 'Cuda has unpainted backing plates and strut rods, but black lower control arms. The Challenger has unpainted lower control arms, but black backing plates and strut rods.
These photos are courtesy of http://www.mmcdetroit.com/ICCA/References/Inspection_Marks/

 

[markolson]

The Cuda looks very good - don't get me wrong - but the upper "A" frames were originally dipped in crappy black paint held by the ball joint hole - the dip went to almost the ball joint hole then he tip of the "A" was bare metal. Most people never saw an original "A" frame and because all the crappy black was gone by the time they got it they assumed it was all bare steel.

Also, what is with the red paint on the brake backing plate nuts - I think that may be carrying inspection daubs a bit far. In all it looks very good - I like the color of his lower control arms better than what I get with primer - the original cosmoline coating was kind of sticky when fresh and wore off in a few years.

Mark

 

[AdamR]

The Cuda looks very good - don't get me wrong - but the upper "A" frames were originally dipped in crappy black paint held by the ball joint hole - the dip went to almost the ball joint hole then he tip of the "A" was bare metal. Most people never saw an original "A" frame and because all the crappy black was gone by the time they got it they assumed it was all bare steel.

Mark

From what I have read was the uca's were bare from the factory and replacement parts were black.

Either way its hard to fin a A arm that isnt pitted and wont look bad left bare. I all ways paint mine black.

 

[dodgeb]

I did some more searching around under my car and found my shocks are red and the lowers look to have a thin coat of black. Can not tell if its paint or an anodizing. I have letters from the two previous owners and neither mentioned changing and susension parts just hoses, belts, cap, rotor, valve seals.

 

[MileHighDart]

I just used gold Rustoleum on mine. I'm not trying to be factory correct or anything, just liked the look.