Leaf Springs Painted Or Bare?

[69hemidaytona]

I was wondering what most Daytonas and other B bodies made during that time frame had for leaf springs.  I know at least some were painted but we cannot find any evidence of paint on my springs.

[Ghoste]

I'd paint them just to preserve them. 

[maxwellwedge]

Seen them both ways....depends on vendor, plant, time period etc. etc.  If there was no evidence of black paint go with the slight cosmoline-ish look....Roger has that dialed in perfect

[Mopar Nut]

I'd paint them just to preserve them. 

[maxwellwedge]

Yes - But this car is an O.E. resto - so, the entire car will be done exactly as the factory did them....warts and all. See Hemigeno's short thread...

[hemigeno]

I agree with JB - if there's no evidence of paint, don't go the painted route.  As Jim's already said, either bare or painted could be considered "correct"; but if you can tell how your particular car came out, that's the way it should go back if at all possible. 

Hopefully your springs aren't as pitted up as mine were!   

[Ghoste]

Ah, I didn't realize it was an oem resto.

[Mopar Nut]

I didn't know it was an oem resto either. 

[69hemidaytona]

I agree with JB - if there's no evidence of paint, don't go the painted route.  As Jim's already said, either bare or painted could be considered "correct"; but if you can tell how your particular car came out, that's the way it should go back if at all possible. 

Hopefully your springs aren't as pitted up as mine were!   

OK thanks guys. I was leaning that way but I wanted to hear what some other knowledgeable guys had to say on the subject. Luckily my springs are really nice with no pits. It will make it that much easier to make them look good bare. Roger and I looked at photos he had of super low mileage Daytonas and at least two of them were painted and a third looked like it was too. However as nice as my springs are I have to believe that if they were painted that at least a speck of it would be left somewhere, and there wasn't any.

[Old Moparz]

I spent a lot of money on a pair of HD leaf springs & left them bare & it didn't take long for them to look like s**t from moisture. While doing the rear end swap, I disassembled the springs & had them dipped to clean them up. Once I got them back I then painted them with Seymour's "Cast Blast" bare metal colored, paint. Personally it doesn't matter if it looks stock or not, but I do like the gray color contrast with the black under the car.