70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

[Travis Williamson]

[Joe L.]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Travis-----

1= zinc plated

2= plain

3= bolt= black phosphate; nut= zinc plated

4= plain

5= zinc or black phosphate

6= nut=plain

7= black phosphate

8= zinc or black phosphate

9= zinc or black phosphate

10= bolt= black oxide; nut= zinc plated

11= plain

12= all metal parts zinc plated

[Joe L.]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Travis-----

1= zinc plated

2= plain

3= bolt= black phosphate; nut= zinc plated

4= plain

5= zinc or black phosphate

6= nut=plain

7= black phosphate

8= zinc or black phosphate

9= zinc or black phosphate

10= bolt= black oxide; nut= zinc plated

11= plain

12= all metal parts zinc plated

[Travis Williamson]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Thank you very much Joe!

[Travis Williamson]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Thank you very much Joe!

[Travis Williamson]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Joe

Here is a good example why I needed help. Thanks again!

Travis

[Travis Williamson]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Joe

Here is a good example why I needed help. Thanks again!

Travis

[Joe L.]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Travis------

The brake line clip bolts, not part of your previously posted diagram, were originally black oxide finished.

A tip: when examining fastners which are thought to be original but with deteriorated finish, if the fastners are seriously rusty, they were very like originally black phosphate or black oxide finished. These finishes deteriorate rapidly in a chassis environment. Zinc or cadmium plated fastners hold up MUCH better. Usually, even if they are rusty, there will be some evidence of the original zinc or cadmium finish remaining. In fact, this photo illustrates that perfectly. I meant to mention that in my previous response but forgot. Your photo reminded me.

[Joe L.]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Travis------

The brake line clip bolts, not part of your previously posted diagram, were originally black oxide finished.

A tip: when examining fastners which are thought to be original but with deteriorated finish, if the fastners are seriously rusty, they were very like originally black phosphate or black oxide finished. These finishes deteriorate rapidly in a chassis environment. Zinc or cadmium plated fastners hold up MUCH better. Usually, even if they are rusty, there will be some evidence of the original zinc or cadmium finish remaining. In fact, this photo illustrates that perfectly. I meant to mention that in my previous response but forgot. Your photo reminded me.

[Chuck S.]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Wow...What a workout! Travis, I hope you know that this kind of information is priceless; better buy Joe a dinner when you meet him next. Huh?...No questions on the bushing retainer bolts and washers, or that big honking 9/16" bolt through the backing plate?

For the most part, the recorded finishes on my late 70 (G30) agree with Joe's info except for a few items. My records show a question mark (?) after some of these finishes where we disagree. That may mean that I couldn't decide if a finish was black oxide (BLO) or black phosphate (BLP)...Or, in the worst case, it may mean that I had already bead-blasted the fasteners before I got organized, and was just GUESSING at the appropriate finish. DOHP! (Well, I'm not sayin'...;I'm just sayin'...) So, this may be an education for me as well.

In cases where Joe gives two choices, I'll tell you what mine had. For reference, Joe's finishes are in parenthesis; any numbers not shown means we agree perfectly.

1. BLO? (Zinc)

2. BLO? (Natural)

5. BLP (Zinc or BLP)

8. BLP (Zinc or BLP)

9. BLP (Zinc or BLP)

10. Zinc/zinc (BLO/Zinc)

[Chuck S.]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Wow...What a workout! Travis, I hope you know that this kind of information is priceless; better buy Joe a dinner when you meet him next. Huh?...No questions on the bushing retainer bolts and washers, or that big honking 9/16" bolt through the backing plate?

For the most part, the recorded finishes on my late 70 (G30) agree with Joe's info except for a few items. My records show a question mark (?) after some of these finishes where we disagree. That may mean that I couldn't decide if a finish was black oxide (BLO) or black phosphate (BLP)...Or, in the worst case, it may mean that I had already bead-blasted the fasteners before I got organized, and was just GUESSING at the appropriate finish. DOHP! (Well, I'm not sayin'...;I'm just sayin'...) So, this may be an education for me as well.

In cases where Joe gives two choices, I'll tell you what mine had. For reference, Joe's finishes are in parenthesis; any numbers not shown means we agree perfectly.

1. BLO? (Zinc)

2. BLO? (Natural)

5. BLP (Zinc or BLP)

8. BLP (Zinc or BLP)

9. BLP (Zinc or BLP)

10. Zinc/zinc (BLO/Zinc)

[Travis Williamson]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Hi Chuck,

Thanks for the fastener info. Youre right, it is some valuable information and Im very grateful for the info you hand Joe have given me as well as others.

What did you do to get back the correct finishes? Did you refinish them or did you just by new ones?

Since I am trying to keep as much original stuff as possible I was thinking about ordering the black oxide kit from eastwood.

http://eastwood.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&w=10238z&submit.x=18&submit.y=13

As for the zinc the plated items I may just have to leave them alone or just buy new if possible.... The tin-zinc plating kit eastwood offers is kind of expensive and I dont even know if its the right finish.

Any ideas?

[Travis Williamson]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

Hi Chuck,

Thanks for the fastener info. Youre right, it is some valuable information and Im very grateful for the info you hand Joe have given me as well as others.

What did you do to get back the correct finishes? Did you refinish them or did you just by new ones?

Since I am trying to keep as much original stuff as possible I was thinking about ordering the black oxide kit from eastwood.

http://eastwood.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&w=10238z&submit.x=18&submit.y=13

As for the zinc the plated items I may just have to leave them alone or just buy new if possible.... The tin-zinc plating kit eastwood offers is kind of expensive and I dont even know if its the right finish.

Any ideas?

[Chuck S.]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

My zinc was plated by a friend in the plating business; now retired. I did the black phosphate myself; it's pretty work intensive if you do all the phosphate chassis fasteners and small parts yourself and do it right. It's not rocket science...it just requires a lot of commitment. The chemicals are available, and The Corvette Restorer has a "how-to" article.

This brings up the dilema you find yourself in when doing a restoration...to get enough fasteners, relay covers, and/or other small parts together, say zinc, to make it worth a platers trouble, you have to completely disassemble a car. Now, you have the car in boxes. Further, no matter how careful and meticulous you are, you are virtually certain to miss some parts and have to find another way to get the remnants done.

I believe you said you plan to drive the car, and restore it slowly over time. In that case, your best option is to learn how to do zinc (Copy Cad?) a few fasteners at a time with the Caswell kit. From recent threads on the subject, it sounds like guys here have a better handle on the plating than Caswell. Greg Linton just became an expert...review his threads on the topic; if you have questions, maybe you can pick his brain.

[Chuck S.]

Re: 70 C3 suspension fastener finsihes

My zinc was plated by a friend in the plating business; now retired. I did the black phosphate myself; it's pretty work intensive if you do all the phosphate chassis fasteners and small parts yourself and do it right. It's not rocket science...it just requires a lot of commitment. The chemicals are available, and The Corvette Restorer has a "how-to" article.

This brings up the dilema you find yourself in when doing a restoration...to get enough fasteners, relay covers, and/or other small parts together, say zinc, to make it worth a platers trouble, you have to completely disassemble a car. Now, you have the car in boxes. Further, no matter how careful and meticulous you are, you are virtually certain to miss some parts and have to find another way to get the remnants done.

I believe you said you plan to drive the car, and restore it slowly over time. In that case, your best option is to learn how to do zinc (Copy Cad?) a few fasteners at a time with the Caswell kit. From recent threads on the subject, it sounds like guys here have a better handle on the plating than Caswell. Greg Linton just became an expert...review his threads on the topic; if you have questions, maybe you can pick his brain.