71 Hood Hardware Markings

[Cleet H.]

A previous owner chromed all of my hood hardware and I'm trying to decide if the items are original or he bought chrome replacements. The TIM&JG mentions markings on the hood support which I located. On the hinges and latches I found what looks like a W with a line over it and another shorter line through the right side of the W, but I saw no mention of this in the manual. If they are orig parts can I paint over the chrome or do I need to have it removed? Someone attempted to paint over them and it is coming off easily.

[Terry M.]

Re: 71 Hood Hardware Markings

Painting over chrome requires the proper primer to make it stick, but why paint? The originals were a dark gray phosphate. I think the last post on this subject concluded they were a manganese phosphate, or Parkerized, finish. No paint will properly represent that finish. It will always look painted.
I suppose 90+% of the viewers will not know what the finish should be, and you will look at them more than anyone else. So satisfy yourself.

When I painted over chrome (for the '80s euro look on the Orange Suburban) I had to have the chrome removed to make the paint stick. I am pretty sure my painter used a catalyzed primer over the nickel under the single stage urethane topcoat.

[Chuck S.]

Re: 71 Hood Hardware Markings

Cleet, the original finishes depend on which "hardware" you're talking about.

As Terry said, the hood latch hardware was a dark gray phosphate, and there is no suitable paint substitute for that finish. The hood support and hinges were zinc plated, but as a recent post described, the zinc wasn't visible on the hinges after painting.

The "W" icon is a trademark often seen on Corvette stamped metal parts. Parts with that trademark may be original hardware items that an owner had chrome plated, or they may be new original supplier parts chrome plated for dress-up retail decades ago.

In general, you should retain original parts wherever possible. In this case, the hardware's origin is fairly immaterial because these items are not dated; they are generic in nature. If you need replacements, you simply find some NOS, if possible, or good used ones.

For restoration, you'll likely want to have used replacement hardware stripped of the old plating and replated. Conversely, for a car you're enjoying in original condition, you may only need good solid functional parts in great condition.

As to whether you have the present hardware stripped of chrome, or some good used replacements stripped of tired zinc, is a matter of economics. My gut feel is, if you can find some barely used replacements that are not too expensive, that may be the better restoration starting point...you might find a "sucker for chrome" on ebay.