Topic: Front Spring Finish

[69eliminator]

Thanks both Bob and Jeff
I greatly appreciate the help.
Regards,
Brian

[69eliminator]

Is the brown stripe a light brown (tan) or dark. Any photo or testers color would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for the help.
Brian

[J_Speegle]

Is the brown stripe a light brown (tan) or dark. Any photo or testers color would be greatly appreciated.

The brown would be a medium mud brown not a lighter tan (they used TAN for that color

If your using the little bottles of model paint your going to need a number of them - it will take a bottle for each stripe I would guess - don't want to run out  half way through the project

Below is an example of what the suppliers of the springs were using as brown (two leftmost stripes) Please ignore the paint on the side of the leaf - just overspray from a repaint of the car. And yes wish it was a clearer picture but you can still see the tone of brown for your purposes

[Aussiemach]

Hi Jeff, I cleaned mine in evaporust recently, here is a photo which show some splatter present.

[J_Speegle]

Hi Jeff, I cleaned mine in evaporust recently, here is a photo which show some splatter present.

Yes yours looks like there was a little splatter of at least on of the colors. Must say that overall I'm surprised that there wasn't more splatter or drips everywhere

Thanks for sharing

[emptys]

Still on the topic of spring finish,  are there any differences for a dearborn 10/68
set of 428 springs?

[J_Speegle]

Still on the topic of spring finish,  are there any differences for a dearborn 10/68
set of 428 springs?

The finish of the springs were pretty consistent IMHO through the years - heat treated steel/iron

Paint markings to indicate application differed of course

[70qcode]

I had been under the mistaken impression that front springs were painted black. So it sounds like my Oct 69 Dearborn CJ Mach 1 would have had the heat-treated bare steel as well? If so is the "cold" gun bluing a possible way to protect the metal and produce a replica of the darker finish? Thanks!

[J_Speegle]

I had been under the mistaken impression that front springs were painted black. So it sounds like my Oct 69 Dearborn CJ Mach 1 would have had the heat-treated bare steel as well? If so is the "cold" gun bluing a possible way to protect the metal and produce a replica of the darker finish? Thanks!

Workers have described unpainted "phosphate colored" front springs. Never yet been able to find an original set where the finish would bubble and flake off (such as it would with paint) from an application of paint stripper. Though many of the organizations still allow "painted black" for some classes (as well as unpainted) I feel real comfortable with the idea than none of them were originally at the plant - NOS and service replacements were often painted to maintain a rust free condition while in storage

Gun bluing will not provide a rust protective - the follow up oil treatment is for that but it will provide (as well as a couple of other products) the dark heat treated look or you can use light coats paint (I've use phosphate - then interior charcoal - then oil in the past) both with success. Though it can be a challenge to get a consistent tone using the gun bluing unless you get a vat of the stuff to dip the complete piece in and work it fast from one end to the other

Hope this helps

BTW in response (mine) #6 the first and last example in the pictures are painted while #2 is original and #3 is gun blued

[69eliminator]

I put my springs in Evaporust today and once cleaned they have 3 stripes on them.  2 Light blue and one brown. Has anyone else seen three stripes on front springs?

[J_Speegle]

I put my springs in Evaporust today and once cleaned they have 3 stripes on them.  2 Light blue and one brown. Has anyone else seen three stripes on front springs?

Not on any Mustang or Cougar yet from the classic period that I can find other than when one stripe is a (typically) sprayed over/under white stripe . You might just have an odd set where the stripper added an extra one.

[69eliminator]

I believe they are original to the car.  the entire front end seems original. Does having the photos of the car and springs enough documentation to restore this way even if odd set? I think I should restore what I find? Thouhgts
Thanks

[specialed]

You have A/C springs & they are different than non A/C regular springs

[J_Speegle]

I believe they are original to the car.  the entire front end seems original. Does having the photos of the car and springs enough documentation to restore this way even if odd set?

Yes documentation especially where non other exists is important and can be enough (always depends on the judge

I think I should restore what I find? Thouhgts

Yes since there may have been a change in the markings between the time your car was built and when the car in my example was built IMHO

I would also find a place on the springs were the paint is the thickest, cut or sand through the top layer and wet it again (WD40 works well) to see if the color your seeing the light blue or could be the lavender I found on the build sheet for sure   Taking pictures again of course

[69eliminator]

Thanks for the response. Did the factory ever put spacers on springs for the a/c cars like my photo shows? I thought they were aftermarket and why I questioned where to purchase replacements in an earlier post. Maybe time to move to different section but how do you check tolerances on front coil springs?
Regards,
Brian

http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=7515.0;attach=10664;image