Topic: 1966 center-link 6 cyl

[Maksim27]

I just did a restoration on a NOS center-link that was painted black from the Ford service parts.

I used perma-blue but now that I'm finished it looks darker than a natural finish should look like...Will I loose points if the center-link looks like in my pictures.

Also I was wondering if the caps have to be bare metal as I made sure to have the round plate bare metal.

The last picture is how the center-link looked like when it was NOS black painted.

Let me know if there is a way to brighten up the blueing to a more natural appearance before I use final RPM wax coating.

[jwc66k]

Most of the tie rod associated items were forged so they will be a darker shade of steel (tie rod ends, center link). The tie rod adjusting sleeves and clamps were drawn and machined steel, but should be not as dark, a lighter contrast to the center link. The associated hardware is phosphate and oil but will be dark.
Don't bother with the wax.
Jim 

[J_Speegle]

Let me know if there is a way to brighten up the blueing to a more natural appearance before I use final RPM wax coating.

Guess you applied it very heavy. You can lighten up a little by burnishing with steel wool but its not likely to do change the tone allot. Or at least how dark it looks in the pictures. May have to strip and redo the bluing by adding a little at a time with a steel wool pad rather than dipping, soaked rag or by brush.  It may just look dark in the pictures from the lighting or digital settings. Here are a couple of examples that have been posted before from other years and applications.





Finish currently looks very shinny do you have something on it that is producing that look

[Maksim27]

Charles on Facebook concours group told me that the center link was too dark so I used a green scotch-brite to brighten the finish earlier today.  Some Facebook members kept telling me that the center link should look a bit darker natural steel. 

The reason the center-link looks shiny as I don't have any blasters, or tumblers.  I just used a red round scotch-brite pad on a angle grinder.  Then used a green hand scotch-brite.  If there is another method to tone down the shine without blasters or tumblers please let me know.

Charles also mentioned to me that the circular daubs look wrong and that the daubs should be brushed a quarter-40% and not fully round.  I told him that I just copied the daubs from this NOS center-link when it was Ford service black painted.  My original link was long gone and I didn't know how the original daubs looked like and where they were located.

[J_Speegle]

Think you might have gone too far with the lighting of the finish. Does not look (if what I'm seeing is what your seeing in person) like a heat quenched part any longer. I'm just considering what the process was to make the parts and the results we even see today on similar parts made for our cars as well as well maintained NOS pieces. 

We don't look for allot of the 6 cylinder paint marks since restoring them is not as popular and people often don't buy and take care of them like V8 cars. I've got 65's with roundish with runs paint identification marks from unrestored V8 center links and by 66 (on V8s but still C5ZZ part numbers) the identification marks moved to the knuckle that attached to the pittman arm

Not sure what the green stripe is but would not suggest using a service part as your guide for the paint marks since it may have been made 5, 10 or years later than that by a different supplier possibly

[Maksim27]

I tried darkening the center link again... Now it does look lighter than my first attempt.  Still has that gun metal grey look.  The last picture I took was early morning outside.  From the LED lights on the ceiling it does appear to be darker.

Was thinking of maybe using a grade 00 or grade 0 pads to lighten the shade if you think the center-link is still dark in appearance.

[J_Speegle]

I think, for future projects, you need to forget the pads and the machines your using to start with. You buffing away the texture  it appears which is not helping

As far as tone if the true color your seeing is closer to the indoor pictures I would stop and call it good and think about how your going to reach a similar finish to the other steering parts you will be refinishing. When the center link and the other parts will be viewed they will be in the shade and under the car so that is likely the conditions we need to view them in and compare the "look" IMHO