We've often made reference to reproducing natural finishes here at
ConcoursMustang.com by way of gun bluing repair fluid so I thought an article on the process is past due. This is NOT the only method to achieve these results but one that has served me well for 20 or so years. Not really expensive and it fits well IMHO with all the DIY focus we like to do here when we can - at least for the guys that like to get their hands dirty a bit;)
What follows is a little taste of what the article covers. You can find it in the list of How To Do's posted under each specific year library section in this sites Members Only Library.
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One of the more common mistakes we often see on restored cars is the incorrect finishes found on suspension parts. In total the complete suspension and steering is a combination of many different finishes due to the way the parts were made, formed and processed. Unfortunately many restorers treat all of these the same way and since this does not truly reproduce the original look they lose points. Basically the vast majority of non-painted parts fall into the following major categories:
- Heat treated cast parts - Tie rods, pitman and idler arms, strut rods, spindles, springs
- Formed/stamped steel - Upper and lower A arms, steering stops, rear spring plates, front spring saddles
- Hardware - Nuts, washers, cotter keys….
Many of the items listed previously are really subassemblies made up of different materials that require different finishing. One example would be upper A-arms. The main body would have been bare stamped steel formed through a process using very large stamping machines which produced areas of metal where the metal was stretched, marked and pressed during the process. At the same time you have the ball joint that was attached to the A-arm which included a plated boot retainer and a heat treated ball joint body and rivets.
Most long time restorers have developed techniques to reproduce the original finishes found on these parts. They may include tumbler or vibrator polishers, phosphating, chemical baths or other processes. A product called Insta-Black is popular for large parts such as leaf springs. The process covered in this article shows using simple gun bluing repair fluid that is available in most US regions but this is only one of many process hobbyist and professional use to accomplish the desired finish.
The following parts have all been restored using gun bluing - as you can see the finish can vary allot depending on the process and technique
This article focuses on the refinishing of tie rods but the process and techniques can be applied to many of the suspension parts used on classic Mustangs and Shelby's.
NOTE: This article only addresses the visual aspects of refinishing these parts and makes no guarantees as to serviceability or safety of reusing old suspension items. Often a good indicator of the condition of the internals is the condition of the boot. If the boot has been damaged its likely let in water and dirt, resulting in damage that can go undetected to the eye. All aspects should be considered and weighed, the final choice is yours alone.....................
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Hope you find this useful and of some value as you work on your projects
