Topic: A/C Plenum Box Metal Hardware door lever finish.

[1967FEGT]

I am restoring my A/C Plenum. I bead blasted the box and the metal components.  There was quite a bit of light surface corrosion. Should they be painted semi-gloss black as the brackets, natural metal or phosphate?

The vacuum motors are also different colors. Some seem to be silver anodizes, others are a transparent green. Did Ford do this to camouflage  their appearance where they could be seen, or were all original units the transparent green?

Thank you again for the pointers.

[carlite65]

what year are you working on?? suggest you add the car's info to your signature so you will not be asked each time for it.

[1967FEGT]

1967

[Bossbill]

Since this thread is in the 67 Mustang area ...

Here are some pics of a very, very early 68 A/C system. Hopefully it is of some help with respect to finishes (depends on when your A/C system was made):
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm5BXEP2

Found some more here (with duplicates):
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yJWn1eLSJvg5WEzLA

[1967FEGT]

Bill, thanks for the post. I see your metal components are surface rusted too. I see black paint on the re circulation door grill but nothing on the cowl seal or fan seal collars. I think they were black, but I'm not sure.

[Coralsnake]

The two collars were bare steel unpainted. That is why they rusted.

[1967FEGT]

Thank you. One mystery down.  Are the control levers and arms painted or bare steel?  Now I can get to work with assembly once I know if I should paint the arms.

[Coralsnake]

They are all bare steel.

[1967FEGT]

Thank you again for the information.

[Coralsnake]

The rods might have had a light phosphate coating on them. Not 100% sure?

[Bob Gaines]

I am restoring my A/C Plenum. I bead blasted the box and the metal components.  There was quite a bit of light surface corrosion. Should they be painted semi-gloss black as the brackets, natural metal or phosphate?

The vacuum motors are also different colors. Some seem to be silver anodizes, others are a transparent green. Did Ford do this to camouflage  their appearance where they could be seen, or were all original units the transparent green?

Thank you again for the pointers.

I believe the the vacuum pods were black chromate. It can appear and change to different colors during the oxidation process. When there is no chromate left it appears silver because zinc silver is the base coat that the chromate sticks to. It has the same iridescent colors as the gold chromate(also called zinc dichromate). The black chromate has the dark color predominate just like gold chromate has the gold color predominate.

[1967FEGT]

I'll photograph what I have. I have seen both colors. One is green without a doubt. It looks like a transparent green. It may even be anodized. I agree that the vast majority and all replacements look to be silver cad. I thought the dark color may have been to help camouflage the one vacuum motor that been can seen in clear view on the side of the housing.

[Bob Gaines]

I'll photograph what I have. I have seen both colors. One is green without a doubt. It looks like a transparent green. It may even be anodized. I agree that the vast majority and all replacements look to be silver cad. I thought the dark color may have been to help camouflage the one vacuum motor that been can seen in clear view on the side of the housing.

You mis understand what I previously said based on what you wrote. To do the process of ether zinc gold chromate  or zinc black chromate the part has to be plated zinc silver as a base . Typically the vacuum pods are black chromate as I described before. I have a high confidence level on that observation.  Depending on a lot of different factors the part may end up with a lot of green in the finish look. Underneath the chromate finish regardless of which kind is zinc silver . The thin coating of chromate has to have a base of zinc to stick to. When the thin finish wears off from oxidation the silver color is prominent.  Because of the silver that is left sometimes it gives people the mistaken impression that the part was only silver all along.  Not to say that some where, some how ,for some reason done to a different finish but in this case more typically black chromate is what was the factory finish on the many A/C vacuum pods that I have observed  . FYI although called black chromate the finish typically has a bronzey shade to it.

[J_Speegle]

The vacuum motors are also different colors. Some seem to be silver anodizes, others are a transparent green. Did Ford do this to camouflage  their appearance where they could be seen, or were all original units the transparent green?

Have not seen green tinted ones used on 67 (the focus of the thread as stated)  In later years and in service replacements you can find other tinted colors from what I've got pictures of and have seen. Green would not really camouflaged the pods IMHO in a car given the dark, black and shadows in the general area

[1967FEGT]

I pulled the pods. They vary from bright zinc to a black satin phosphate appearance. I agree. I can see some bright finish underneath the black-ish finish.