Stepdown Hood Support Bar Color

pseftoncomcastnet
pseftoncomcastnet Senior Contributor
edited February 2014 in HUDSON
This may seem like a frivolous topic, as my car is no showmobile -

The hood support bars (rods with a spring-hinged elbow joint that attach to the inner fender) were coated with surface corrosion, which I evapo-rusted away. It looks as if the coil spring was originally painted black, but that the metal rods were unfinished. Is there some trick to refinishing them in a way that repels rust with a quasi-original look or shall I just spray them silver-grey?

Peter S.
'51 Commodore

Comments

  • Park_W
    Park_W Senior Contributor
    edited February 2014
    Eastwood's silver carburetor paint works well for this. Gives a soft grainy metallic look. It's also a perfect match for the silver paint areas around the instruments, etc. on '51-'53s.
  • pseftoncomcastnet
    pseftoncomcastnet Senior Contributor
    'll give that a try.

    The residual paint in the engine compartment looks like the inner fenders, etc. were glossy black. Does that seem right? Maybe it's specific to the car color?

    It just surprises me since I was expecting matte black.

    Peter S.
  • pseftoncomcastnet
    pseftoncomcastnet Senior Contributor
    I guess the zinc plating worked for a time, but mine were a sheet of light surface rust on a car that came from the dry climate of eastern Montana and has no corrosion issues beyond surface rust after an ill-considered paint-stripping by a prior owner. Cad plating sounds like a great idea but probably something to fantasize about on my budget.

    peter S.
  • kamzack
    kamzack Senior Contributor

    Had mine stripped and powder coated a raw metal color and springs PC black. 3 years and holding up.
    Kim
  • lostmind
    lostmind Expert Adviser

    Try soaking them in oxalic acid first. They might clean up enough to clear coat them and have the 

    stock look. 

  • J Spencer
    J Spencer Expert Adviser
    edited February 2014
    The ones on my 51 Pacemaker were powder coated black by previous owner about 27-8 years ago and still look fine.  Word of caution, should you or any one plan to powder coat, make sure the springs are off, the man that did the ones on mine left them on and the heat made the springs loose their tension.

    Jim Spencer
    Western New York Chapter
  • Park_W
    Park_W Senior Contributor
    The plating process can also make the springs very brittle, and they shatter.
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    I bead blasted mine and then clear-coated with a semi-gloss clear.  Similar look to cadmium-plated or zinc-plated like originals. 
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