What was the factory UCA color?

[bull]

What color were the upper control arms originally? I'm guessing black.

Moreover I'm planning on giving a nicer-than-rattle-can finish and I've got a few choices. Of course I could go with powder coating in pretty much any color but I'm thinking about going with black zinc as opposed to powder coating this time but I think zinc will cost a bit more. Opinions?

They will probably look like this in black zinc:

[John_Kunkel]

The UCA is bare steel (rust).

[khodne]

Bull,

Before I did mine I had found somewhere on here but looked again and I can't find it.  Most of the front suspension I thought was bare metal, which was why I painted mine cast after sandblasting.

[bull]

Thanks. In that case I'll either go with clear zinc for the stock look or black powder coat for the not stock look.

[khodne]

Here's one for you Bull.  I don't know if it's correct but he sure did a nice job on it.  Kirk

[bull]

Here's one for you Bull.  I don't know if it's correct but he sure did a nice job on it.  Kirk

That looks very nice. I wonder what finish was used on that UCA. And what's with the primer look on the bottom of the frame rails? Is that stock too?

[maxwellwedge]

Looks like natural bare steel on the UCA's. The bottom of the frame rails is the factory "Dip" color.

[66FBCharger]

I don't recall where I read it, but I saw an article (I believe by Roger Gibson) that the UCA were dipped bushing end first in black paint up to almost the ball joint hole. That is how I did my '70 RR UCAs.

[maxwellwedge]

For sure it wasn't Roger Gibson - At the most he puts on some of them a very marginal cosmoline film over bare metal. They were all bare steel from the factory. Some NOS over the counter ones (like some NOS lowers) may have been black.

[66FBCharger]

I will have to look into it. I am fairly certain it was Roger Gibson. I will have to check my restoration binder and see who wrote the article. Roger had written a series of resto articles in the early '90s using survivor cars as references.
Before I say for sure let me look into it. Maybe my memory is not as good as I think it is.

[maxwellwedge]

My memory is good - just short! 

[66FBCharger]

The series was in Mopar Action and it was titled "Panning for gold" by Roger Gibson. I will try to dig it out and see how well my memory is working.
I might learn I need to start taking Gingko (or whatever that stuff is that improves your memory!).

[maxwellwedge]

I think it was a three part series on Jack Stuarts (R.I.P Jack) F8 70 HemiCuda. Since that article Roger did about 4 cars for me...1 complete and three semi resto's. And I have all the ransom notes - I mean invoices still.    But you could be right - He has evolved from his earlier restorations as he discovers more data.

[66FBCharger]

Maxwellwedge.
I will let you know what I find out.
I wanted to have Roger do my car, but Mo. is too far from Ct. He was gracious enough to help me over the phone and look at what I was doing to the car everytime I saw him at Carlisle and the Mopar nats. He is a great assett to our hobby. I tried to pay him as a consultant to help me out, he refused to accept any money. He is a great guy!

[maxwellwedge]

You could give him the keys to your house - He is a great help to the hobby and honest as heck!

[bull]

Hmmm. Clear zinc is starting to look better all the time...

[66FBCharger]

I found the article I was referring to in my earlier post. It is an article titled "Pan for Gold" by Roger Gibson. It was in the Dec. 1993 Mopar Action. All info was obtained from examining original cars.
I didn't have a chance to scan the article. I will try to find time to do that tonight and then I will post it. I did take a few digital photos of some of the article. I am not sure if you will be able to read it or not.
It did state that upper control arms were painted flattened black. The article gives the paint codes and percentages of what degree of flat or gloss is used. The article details the front and rear suspensions as well as the floor pan details.

[maxwellwedge]

I think if you ask Roger now he will say bare metal. Tell him "Ike Minner" sent you! 

[Shakey]

I found the article I was referring to in my earlier post. It is an article titled "Pan for Gold" by Roger Gibson. It was in the Dec. 1993 Mopar Action. All info was obtained from examining original cars.
I didn't have a chance to scan the article. I will try to find time to do that tonight and then I will post it. I did take a few digital photos of some of the article. I am not sure if you will be able to read it or not.
It did state that upper control arms were painted flattened black. The article gives the paint codes and percentages of what degree of flat or gloss is used. The article details the front and rear suspensions as well as the floor pan details.

I used that article as a guide for when I did mine.  I think I may have posted it on this site a long time ago.

[66FBCharger]

Shakey,
I also used the article to do my complete under carriage on my 70 RR.
I have a hard time believing that what is written in the article is no longer correct. Since the information was obtained by examining the original finishes on original untouched cars, it is difficult for me to believe that this info is no longer correct. I know that parts may have had different finishes depending on the supplier, year part was manufactured, etc. I also know that parts were finished differently if it was a replacement part (NOS) versus what was originally installed on the assembly line.
I guess what I am saying is that considering how the info was obtained and who wrote the article I still believe the UCA were dipped in black paint. I am sure there could have been cars that had the UCA left in bare steel. With Chrysler you can never say things are always this way or that they never did this.

[maxwellwedge]

Well - Spoke with Roger about this today. He pulled the old article out and we went through it. At the time he was improperly quoted on the UCA's. He had told the writer he had seen a couple in black and that all the NOS ones he had were dipped in black. He spoke with the original manufacturer of the uppers and lowers (A.O. Smith - who made a lot of locomotive parts as well) and obtained original prints. The fellow told him the finish depended on what they were doing along with locomotive parts that day/week. The bottom line is he has seen a few in black but the majority is typically bare steel. As we were combing through the article he has since changed his opinion on 69 sway bars as well. Since that article he has restored and seen many good examples and has determined the sway bars were totally painted black. The hardened steel and oily coating caused the paint not to stick the best to that part giving the appearance they were not painted.

I myself have many survivors and have looked at 100's of good original cars and all that I have and have seen have bare UCA's and cosmoline over bare steel lowers. All have black painted sway bars.

That's why I was scratching my head here.  I found it odd Roger would say that.

[bull]

Thanks for the info.

[66FBCharger]

Well - Spoke with Roger about this today. He pulled the old article out and we went through it. At the time he was improperly quoted on the UCA's. He had told the writer he had seen a couple in black and that all the NOS ones he had were dipped in black. He spoke with the original manufacturer of the uppers and lowers (A.O. Smith - who made a lot of locomotive parts as well) and obtained original prints. The fellow told him the finish depended on what they were doing along with locomotive parts that day/week. The bottom line is he has seen a few in black but the majority is typically bare steel. As we were combing through the article he has since changed his opinion on 69 sway bars as well. Since that article he has restored and seen many good examples and has determined the sway bars were totally painted black. The hardened steel and oily coating caused the paint not to stick the best to that part giving the appearance they were not painted.

I myself have many survivors and have looked at 100's of good original cars and all that I have and have seen have bare UCA's and cosmoline over bare steel lowers. All have black painted sway bars.

That's why I was scratching my head here.  I found it odd Roger would say that.

Maxwellwedge,
Thanks for the update!I am glad you were able to get the real scoop on the upper contol arms. I wasn't trying to argue with you. I was explaining my source of info and why I said the UCAs were dipped.
I guess I will have to remove my UCA's and strip the paint off of them. That kind of stinks, but at least they will be correct.
Thanks for taking the time to call Roger!
John

[maxwellwedge]

Hey John - No arguing - just struck me funny.   

Remember - he has seen a couple in black so you would be ok unless it is driving you crazy! 

[bull]

So is there a consensus here? Black or bare?

[maxwellwedge]

The majority are bare. A small number have been black but they may have been changed in an early wreck and look original 30+ years later. If it was my car.............Bare.