What color was the 1968 dipstick handle originally?

[bull]

Chris says the tube is supposed to be natural and maxwellwedge thinks the handle is most likely black because the 69 handles were black. I'd like some confirmation before I go to town on it.

[bull]

I've never seen this before (Hemi dipstick):

After 30-plus years, most of the original Hemi dipstick heat insulators are badly cracked, turned brown or are totally missing. I have perfected a very correct looking white rubberized Hemi dipstick heat insulator, using my own original Hemi dipstick insulator as a pattern. This is NOT heat shrink plastic. After several months of testing my heat insulator on my own Charger and a friend's 1968 Hemi GTX (which is driven quite a bit), I have found it to be durable. I guarantee that any street Hemi owner will not have any judging points removed with my quality reproduction Hemi dipstick heat insulator. I expect this insulator to age "gracefully" as the originals did, eventually first turning to a cream color, then to a light to medium brown color. These changes in color over time are due to the very high under-hood temperatures generated by the Hemi engine and greasy fingers. The insulators should last many years under normal "abuse". There were many subtle changes that took place in production, from month-to-month, year-to-year and even from B-body Hemi cars to the later E-body Hemi cars, but the dipstick did stay the same over the full six years of street Hemi production.



http://wwnboa.org/specfeatdm.htm

[Dans 68]

Curtis,

I've attached a photo from a 383 2-bbl 4-speed car, vin XP29G8B357700, showing a distant detail on the handle. It seems to be natural finish, i.e., not painted. This car appears to not have been restored ( ) so what you see should be original. Your car is an earlier build as this one has a Hurst shifter.     I'll keep looking in my files.

Dan

[bull]

You posted a similar picture in my other dipstick thread but I didn't know how to tell what it started out as. After 40+ years I think it would be rusty if it was originally painted or not. And this dipstick is a different style than the one pictured above. I think the one above is correct.



BTW, I see that exhaust manifold thing again; log on the pass side and HP on the driver's.