Topic: 68 San Jose door latch finish

[ruppstang]

We are building a 6-20-68 SJ coupe that appears to have zinc dichromate on the body of the door latches. Has any one seen this or have I just not noticed it because it is so light?

[Bob Gaines]

We are building a 6-20-68 SJ coupe that appears to have zinc dichromate on the body of the door latches. Has any one seen this or have I just not noticed it because it is so light?

It is on the two "teeth" but not the body from all I have seen.

[J_Speegle]

Have seen service replacements that were zinc dichromated (main bodies)  but generally on originals (as Bob mentioned) only find the "jaws" sometimes the pivot pins dichromate.

Sometimes the cosmoline that the NOS/service replacements were coated with still remains on the flat surface "behind" the jaws and gives that area a gold look but it can be scrapped off leaving a residue unlike scraping of a plating

[ruppstang]

I have to admit it is unusual but the date codes on them are consistent with the build of the car. The one I found in my collection of latches had a early 68 date code as well. We are going to replate them as they were. It tough to do because the base is galvanized and it will be tough to only replate the body.
One more strange thing on this car.
Marty