[cadtech]

I am confused about what color the steering linkage should be from the factory on my 1967 GTO. I see many folks saying it is the natural plain steel color. But I read in my LeMans/GTO/Tempest Assembly Manual it says same color black as frame. What would you folks recommend? Thanks.

[6d7gto]

I too am interested in opinions on this. Individual NOS center links come painted black (looks like they were dipped)...but that doesn't mean the entire car was done that way on the assembly line back in the day.

[Keith Seymore]

There may be variation based on final assembly location.

Some components were sourced locally, so there could be variation in the amount of coverage and color gloss based on the supplier. Suspension components and underhood components (radiator support, radiator cover plate, wheel liners) come to mind.

Frames were completely painted at the supplier but each assembly plant would run the completed chassis through a paint booth right before body drop. "Chassis black", a really watery black coating hardly worth referring to as paint, would be drizzled in the general direction of the chassis, hitting mostly the top surfaces of the suspension components, front A arms, drive shaft and rear axle/brake drums.

This step would introduce a second level of variation, as it could be different all the way down to which shift and which operator was present when the car went by.

My recommendation is to do whatever you want. Nobody will be able to prove any differently (unless they have an unrestored car built in the same plant on the same shift as yours).

Plus - I'd be really disappointed if I took the time and effort to restore a car and it looked the way they were actually built back then.

K

Oldsmobile build in Lansing shown as reference:

[242177P]

Originally Posted by 6d7gto

I too am interested in opinions on this. Individual NOS center links come painted black (looks like they were dipped)...but that doesn't mean the entire car was done that way on the assembly line back in the day.

NOS pieces aren't necessarily OEM. Take the 67's oil breather for example. A lot of the NOS ones didn't have those dimples. So while you could get pieces from the actual production run, you could also wind up with service replacements made years later. OR you could get even earlier pieces. Just because a part number was superseded, didn't mean old inventory wasn't exhausted first. NOS lower A-arms were still perfectly viable parts, even if the new ones now had oval bushings. And the assembly line was not a retail environment, bulk was king.

[cadtech]

Thanks for the help. I have all AC Delco replacement parts made in the USA supposedly as it says on the boxes. I am going to paint everything satin black except for the boots, zerks, cotter pins, and nuts.

[G.T.O.boy]

I have been doing much research on this and it is dependent on the plant more than anything. Fremont installed the parts then sprayed a black out coat, look at this website has good info, as many of these plants built multiple lines of cars. Pics of tempest/lemans with a 326 before suspension black out and after

http://www.ultra-high-compression.com/fremont-tour.html