lower control arm paint

[Richard Cranium]

What kind of paint are you guys applying to the lower control arms to achieve that  factory look, and who carries it? 

Thanks! 

[The70RT]

Mine were painted black from the factory. I just powder coated them. That may not be the correct gloss but It will hold up better in the long run. They also make a semi gloss or matte black powder as well.

[bull]

LCAs were usually cosmoline coated which was a gold colored rust inhibitor. I used a gold rattle can and sprayed it thick enough to where it ran in streaks to replicate the look. They turned out pretty good. Eastwoods sells a kit that replicates the look too and RestoRick has cosmoline spray.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=39032.0
http://www.restorick.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CosmoAero

[375instroke]

What about using Cosmoline?  I had to reapply some to a part at work.  Didn't think it was the same stuff, but when I looked up the drawing, it said Cosmoline, so they still make it.  I used a heat gun to apply it and smooth it out.  I guess one would need a lot of it to dunk a LCA into, but with the steps I see some people go through to duplicate the factory look, it doesn't seem like that big a deal.

[The70RT]

Actual cosmoline will attract dirt then moisture and then turn rusty again. I would do the gold paint thing if they came with cosmoline unless you are showing an original car and are getting judged. Most of them are pretty rusty and hard to tell how they looked factory, but some were painted black....at least in 70 they were.

[375instroke]

That's strange.  What I put Cosmoline on was on the inside of a landing gear pin for corrosion protection.  You thinking it won't work?  We have access to all sorts of extremely dangerous and affective products.  Can't see it not working as intended.  I'm thinking, if you need to replicate the factory appearance, you aren't going to be driving your car that much, so it really doesn't matter.

[The70RT]

That's strange.  What I put Cosmoline on was on the inside of a landing gear pin for corrosion protection.  You thinking it won't work?  We have access to all sorts of extremely dangerous and affective products.  Can't see it not working as intended.  I'm thinking, if you need to replicate the factory appearance, you aren't going to be driving your car that much, so it really doesn't matter.

It will work, im just saying after 40 years most are rusty by now. I'm sure landing gear is cleaned and reaplied every so often 

[maxwellwedge]

The only Black LCA's I have ever seen were some over the counter replacements. This has been debated for years and in most cases the original parts were either replaced or spray bombed black very early in the cars life. We used to spray bomb the bottom of new cars that went into the showroom because they already had plenty of surface rust on bare steel components already showing.

To do it factory style I don't use cosmoline - I use the Eastwood rust preventative spray which looks more authentic. Use many light coats. Mask off the ends to simulate the dip line the factory units have. The "rockers on the LCA's were I.D. painted. Sometimes one was orange one was a baby blue...sometimes they were both orange etc. etc.

There - My secret is out!   

Once the stuff is really, really dry nothing sticks to them.

[The70RT]

I just restored mine a couple years ago and I have had my car since 78 so if doubt they were ever replaced. Now I agree that when you went to Chrysler to order new ones back in the day they were painted black. I seen somewhere that someone had painted new old stock ones they had from back in the day, could have been over on the 70 site. Here is another thread showing black - http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,60775.0.html