Topic: Upper Control Arm Finish

[mustang65ld]

Does anyone know if there was a difference in the finish on Upper Control arms from the different factories or even Ford replacement pieces for 1965 and 1966? I have seen ones that were completely natural, completely dipped, and only half dipped in paint.

[Bob Gaines]

Does anyone know if there was a difference in the finish on Upper Control arms from the different factories or even Ford replacement pieces for 1965 and 1966? I have seen ones that were completely natural, completely dipped, and only half dipped in paint.

The factory 65/66 units were typical partially dipped regardless of factory from what I have seen .Others may have different observations. I have seen service replacements that were that way . Others service units I have seen were all bare steel and some were bare steel but were black oxide plated which gave the appearance of being completely dipped in paint because they were completely dark.

[jwc66k]

A friend restoring a 66 GT350, got a pair of NOS upper A arms from e-bay. The steel was dark gray, the correct ball joints were riveted with the correct checkerboard pattern, there was no shaft installed and they were not dip painted (I did that myself and installed the shafts). The factory arms were about the same dark gray stamped steel color with the shaft end dipped in semi-gloss black up past the spring saddle mounting holes but before the ball joint area.
Jim

[CharlesTurner]

Should look similar to this, of course there were variations in how far the black dip line was.  These are original control arms that were restored.

[Oz390]

Always wondered.... what's the reason/logic behind the partial paint? 

1. make is black "behind" the tire (if someone look hard)
2. paint it, but avoid the ball joint?

And why no paint on the perch?

Always wondered why the kinda lame (IMHO) half-painted look....

[CharlesTurner]

My guess is to minimize surface rust and maybe the lowers being dipped were an aesthetic thing (can't be seen when looking at the car straight on.)  Ford paid more attention to some of these things than we give them credit for.

[Bob Gaines]

My guess is to minimize surface rust and maybe the lowers being dipped were an aesthetic thing (can't be seen when looking at the car straight on.)  Ford paid more attention to some of these things than we give them credit for.

+1

[jwc66k]

I ran across this picture from my upper A arm paint exercise last October. The four stacked A arms in front I bead blasted and lightly phosphated, the two A arms behind them are NOS Ford about 20-25 years old with the ball joints properly installed so I didn't bead blast them. You can see the natural finish. There was some surface rust so I used carefully applied steel wool and gun blue to take care of the rust. The four arms I did have darkened somewhat closer to those two NOS arms over time. The blue tape attached is to let me know how deep to dip the arms.
Jim

[bryancobb]

Jim,

I NEED 2 for my March 66, Metuchen C-Code.  Got any?
I don't need shafts or BJ's or painted.

[specialed]

I have got some from out west if you need cores

[bryancobb]

I do need a couple of nice cores.  I think the 66 San Jose' jobs were the same as easterners.

b r y a n d c o b b AT a t t DOT n e t

Thanks

[nham3407]

While visiting the shop of a well known mustang collector/restorer this was a wall diplay he had for 71-73 front suspension components.  The upper control arms were not dipped in black as I have noted in this thread.  As I do not have original upper control arms to go off of, I purchased the Scott Drake arms and I am considering stripping off the black and going all natural colored.  I am torn between what I have seen on Gold level concourse trailered and what I have seen in this display.  Feedback??

[CharlesTurner]

65-66 uppers were black dipped, later were natural.

[rodster]

Interesting 'X' on the UCA.  Here's a similar 'X' on an UCA from a 68 NJ car.

Previous discussions about this from many years ago is that the 'X' is very unusual and could have been an indication of a stop or start point in the line or an indication of a problem that would need attention.

[lscman]

Does anyone do resto on early 65 arms that don't want you to build them a house?