Topic: Upper Control Arm detailing

[bjf1992]

Were the upper Control arms and spring perches bare steel or were they Phosphated originally?

[carlite65]

what year what plant???

[bjf1992]

Oops sorry!   Dearborn Plant April 1st 1969

[Bob Gaines]

Were the upper Control arms and spring perches bare steel or were they Phosphated originally?

Bare steel.

[Anghelrestorations]

Would always be bare steel regardless of plant from what I have seen.  The phosphate process is just something some people are using on restored control arms and spring perches, was not done originally. 

[Bob Gaines]

Would always be bare steel regardless of plant from what I have seen.  The phosphate process is just something some people are using on restored control arms and spring perches, was not done originally.

Just to elaborate on Marcus's post the reason why some use the zinc phosphate is because it helps in it's slight non corrosion properties as well as providing a microscopic foothold for oil or other rust preventive coatings to cling to. It also builds up the surface ever so slightly helping to disguise pitting.

[Anghelrestorations]

I may as well post some pictures here to show the difference that me and Bob are talking about.  This first picture here shows a phosphate finish on a set of control arms correct for 1969. 





And these 1970 lower control arms are done with a bare metal finish without phosphating that would more similar to the original finish. 

[J_Speegle]

One thing that you loos with phosphate IMHO is the weld bluing of the a arm on top of the lower where the pieces were put together  and the difference in the look (again on the lower) of the two different metals - the ball joint retaining plate and the sheet metal arm. Just me

[Anghelrestorations]

Good point Jeff.  You can see that contrast here in the bare metal arms that I am doing...