Correct Paint Colors '69 Suspension Parts

[Rob'68Net]

I'm sure someone out there can help. I have the front suspension/K frame out of a '69 Bee and am in the process of cleaning everything up. What are the correct factory colors for the K frame, control arms, torsion bars, steering linkage etc. ? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Rob

 

[topside]

Google "correct Mopar suspension colors" - lots of info & images.
Mike Mancini and Dave Walden (RIP) would be the best authorities on the topic.

 

[dadsbee]

Look no further than the members restoration section and the threads that are in it.

I'll start you off with Torsion bars are Gloss, K frame is semi, steering components were bare forged steel, depending on car line and supplier the upper arms could be bare or black and the lowers black or ...

 

[440beep]

You’ll have to zoom in, but here’s a picture from a Mopar restoration book discussing front suspension colors.

 

[dadsbee]

Not sure what year they're talking about ^^^^ there. But 69 sway bars links are black phosphate/bare natural process steel. Brake backing plates are a blackish phosphate colour, not semi gloss black. High heat BBQ paint fakes it well. Torsion bars are DIPPED gloss black.

 

[440beep]

Never can trust the books out there.

 

[dadsbee]

Torsion bars...

OE strut bushing retainer washer.. If you want to paint Champaign Pearl is close...

Backing plates

Wet

Drying to a good fake of OE phosphate coating.

 

[Islandkent]

Love it when you show the cans Wayne. Not much left to question. Great reference!

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Paint it black and hit the track!

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Paint Colors??? Showroom fresh? Or six months later... Cause six months later is mostly rust..... We paint them to look like showroom fresh but mostly there was allot less painted than raw bare steel...

 

[Rob'68Net]

Torsion bars...
View attachment 1405641
View attachment 1405643
OE strut bushing retainer washer.. If you want to paint Champaign Pearl is close...
View attachment 1405640
View attachment 1405646
Backing plates
View attachment 1405647
Wet
View attachment 1405648
Drying to a good fake of OE phosphate coating.
View attachment 1405649
View attachment 1405650

Thanks for the pics and wealth of information! You have been very helpful!

 

[dadsbee]

Thanks for the pics and wealth of information! You have been very helpful!

Like I said in my first post... hit the member restoration threads. Mine is stickied at the top and is close to OE, Justin's GTX thread is a step up on many things and damn near as close to how a car came out of the factory that you'll find.

 

[dadsbee]

BTW... this is my Bee at it's 200 mile inspection. After 4 Summers on the road... I live on a gravel one.... and about 4500 miles later it still looks exactly the same!

All bare metal parts were coated with RPM (Rust Preventive Magic) from ECS. I did my '69 Dart bare parts with Boeshield T9 and in both cases NOTHING has started rusting and both cars have been out in the rain. This shot is the Dart with the bare stuff coated in T9

 

[Islandkent]

So Wayne, are you happy with the results of the RPM?
I know one time you said you weren’t happy with it. I think you said it came
off near the exhaust??
But your overall happy with it?

Sorry for the side question

 

[dadsbee]

So Wayne, are you happy with the results of the RPM?
I know one time you said you weren’t happy with it. I think you said it came
off near the exhaust??
But your overall happy with it?

Sorry for the side question

Both seem to be holding up just fine, the T9 is SOOOO much easier to do. Dip the nuts/washers/bolts and hang the stuff on a TIG filler wire to drip off. Spray the bigger stuff and let it soak in and a light wipe. Here's T9 in action and note the correct sway bar link for '69 lying between the steering knuckles.

 

[440beep]

The angle of the light must be bad, but are the Bee’s LCA still in the cosmoline color? The below pic makes them look dirty.

I’m going to paint my LCA in the cosmoline color and hope the coloring holds up. For the ball joints, did you pack them until grease came out? I dread cleaning up parts only to have the grease/crap ruin it. But I drive my Bee a few thousand miles a year.

BTW... this is my Bee at it's 200 mile inspection. After 4 Summers on the road... I live on a gravel one.... and about 4500 miles later it still looks exactly the same!

View attachment 1405740
All bare metal parts were coated with RPM (Rust Preventive Magic) from ECS. I did my '69 Dart bare parts with Boeshield T9 and in both cases NOTHING has started rusting and both cars have been out in the rain. This shot is the Dart with the bare stuff coated in T9
View attachment 1405739

 

[dadsbee]

The angle of the light must be bad, but are the Bee’s LCA still in the cosmoline color? The below pic makes them look dirty.

Colour? As shown in the 3rd post they are dipped in the real stuff!

As for greasing, done properly you should never blow grease out the boots.. but if you do wipe it off.

 

[440beep]

Yes, I know the LCAs were restored correctly, just curious how the coloring is holding up, because in the photo (post #13) they don't look so yellowish anymore. BUT, the lighting could be distorting the color.

Colour? As shown in the 3rd post they are dipped in the real stuff!

As for greasing, done properly you should never blow grease out the boots.. but if you do wipe it off.

 

[dadsbee]

Lighting.. flash... no flash... here's two fresh shots just taken 6+ years now since the front end parts were done and 4500+ miles of driving. I live on a gravel road to boot...

All the crap on the sway bar is mud and water spots from my son driving through someone's pool backwash running down the street.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

If you'd like a product that looks like Cosmoline but isn't sticky & is more durable look at Krylon Battery Protector... I used it back in 95 & the control arms still look good 27 years & 100,000 miles later...