67' steering knuckle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

[Dave K.]

Looking for help in how others are re-creating the steering knuckle orange dipped appearance with drips and runs. My steering knuckle is currently sand blasted to the bare metal. Was thinking of using cast blast to get that base forged steel appearance and then somehow do the orange drip/run look?? I have seen others just paint the entire knuckle orange but not sure I want to do that. Also what kind of points would one lose if it was entirely painted cast metal or orange?

[Kenneth B.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

Looking for help in how others are re-creating the steering knuckle orange dipped appearance with drips and runs. My steering knuckle is currently sand blasted to the bare metal. Was thinking of using cast blast to get that base forged steel appearance and then somehow do the orange drip/run look?? I have seen others just paint the entire knuckle orange but not sure I want to do that. Also what kind of points would one lose if it was entirely painted cast metal or orange?

Castblast will lose you points. Knuckles were natural with orange dabs.

[Mike E.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

Here is what mine looked like after media basting then heated in an oven to about 300 degrees and wiped down with used motor oil to get rid of the fresh blasted look. They will smoke a little when you do this. I then treated with BoeShield. Many folks shoot a light coat of matt clear prior to installation to prevent rust.



I then dipped the ends where the lower ball joint connects in orange oil based paint I got at Tractor Supply. I probably should have dipped the other end too prior to installation. With little effort you could have runs and drips if you want them.



Mike

[Rob M.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

Dave,

I used a light misting of clear, like Mike suggested. I then used marking paint from Quanta and a brush. I just dipped the brush and applied a liberal amount of paint which provided me the drip runs. By the way, my 66 had white and blue inspection paint, not orange.

As far as a deduct for cast blast or all orange, you would expect to lose 20% of the total value assigned to the knuckle (sorry, but I don't know what that is off the top of my head). The 20% would be for incorrect finish.

Good luck

[Bill W.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

From what I have been told the amount of orange depended on how full the paint container was at the time . Also it was held spindle up when dipped .

[Chris E.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

Dave, in looking at the judging sheets for '67 chassis, the knuckles are included in the line item that reads: "Knuckles, spindles, arms & brake assemblies". That line item is only 10 points originality and 10 points condition.

If you painted the whole knuckle to preserve it and then applied the orange over it, I would be surprised if that drew anything more than a 1 point deduction in Flight judging. Maybe 2 points. No big deal.

[Gary S.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

Some knuckles were painted totally orange. A judge should not deduct if you do that unless you mess it up by not cleaning the machined areas etc. Here is a picture of a well known 67 Bowtie car showing such and I have several other pictures with totally painted knuckles.

AxleRF.jpg

[Gene M.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

Please note in the photos Gary posted the orange paint. To have it done correctly using the CDCIF process the assembly sequence should be correct. Note the machining is done after the application of the orange paint. As the orange has been removed on all the machined surfaces. I would deduct for orange on the machined surfaces since the assembly sequence would be incorrect. The amount of orange and evidence of runs is too subjective to take a stand. It is interesting seeing the spindle casting almost completely covered in orange.

[Peter S.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

Dave, in looking at the judging sheets for '67 chassis, the knuckles are included in the line item that reads: "Knuckles, spindles, arms & brake assemblies". That line item is only 10 points originality and 10 points condition.

If you painted the whole knuckle to preserve it and then applied the orange over it, I would be surprised if that drew anything more than a 1 point deduction in Flight judging. Maybe 2 points. No big deal.

Chris, can you explain how this could even be a 1 point deduction, let alone a 2 point deduction? Alot of major items covered in that one line item totaling only 10 points. If we break it down to 5 points a side, you are saying you would give a deduct for the entire finish of that entire assembly because the knuckle may be incorrectly finished? In other words, paint in just the wrong area would be worth a full finish deduct of the entire assembly, same as if I painted the entire assembly blue?

[Chris E.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

I was trying to show the worst possible scenario with a 1 or 2 point deduction. A few examples. If there is no orange paint on the knuckles, I could see a 1 point deduct for that. If there was cast blast or some other type of paint covering the whole knuckle in a grey color, I could see a 1 point deduct.

As long as the knuckles are good in the other 4 areas of originality (configuration, date, completeness, and installation), then all we're talking about here is a Finish issue, and at that, only on the knuckles. The takeaway message should be that as long as the finish looks CLOSE to what is in the pictures above, it should be fine (no deduct) or at worst 1-2 points. That is not a lot to sweat on a whole car that gets 4,500.

[Gary S.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

I pirated this picture off Greg Wyatt's web site of a low mile 67 he had for sale. It is a great example of a fully painted spindle. Note the machined areas....this supports what Gene is saying.

AxleLF.JPG

[Peter S.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

That is not a lot to sweat on a whole car that gets 4,500.

Hi Chris,

In the grand scheme of things, I agree, it is peanuts. But using this mindset while judging the entire section could lead to a significant amount of points lost, effectively 10-20% or more depending on the point totals.

[Gene M.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

Hi Chris,

In the grand scheme of things, I agree, it is peanuts. But using this mindset while judging the entire section could lead to a significant amount of points lost, effectively 10-20% or more depending on the point totals.

Following the CDCIF method many judges will use the dot system with notations and carry over deducts to the next minor deduct. As noted it takes 45 points to equate to 1 percentage. As an example the frame is worth 30 points total (15 original & 15 condition). One could have a total aftermarket tube construction frame (for a full deduction) and numerically still achieve a Duntov. Everything attached to the frame would have to be correct but technically possible.

A bit of a stretch as there is a frame, but total incorrect. The spindle casting with cast spray and then orange applied incorrectly over the machined areas is two areas of the CDCIF infraction. The finish and assembly. So one could be looking at 40% deduction of the portion of the 5 points that is allocated to the spindle casting. But generally if the spindle is cast sprayed the steering arm is also coated. Thus a 1 to 2 point deduct as those are the major pieces in this area.

If one has incorrect finishes (cast spray) on the entire front steering and suspension they are looking at approximately 5 to 7 points deduct.

[Peter S.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

Gene,

Thanks for the explanation. I'm still confused, where is assembly included in CDCIF? If the machined areas are supposed to be free of paint, I can understand that being a finish issue. Are you saying that since the machining was performed after the dipping that this also counts as an installation deduct, or configuration deduct? I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that as paint is a finish.

Trying to learn, thanks.

[Timothy B.]

Re: 67' steering knukle: Re-creating orange dipped appearance

What's the purpose of the orange paint anyway. My 67 has that and you would have to be very sloppy to replicate that look.

I don't think it's completely covered but it's at the top and bottom.