Author Topic: Rear leaf spring paint marks- 69 Q code non-AC  (Read 414 times)

Offline Willy 1

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Rear leaf spring paint marks- 69 Q code non-AC
« on: October 20, 2023, 09:43:31 PM »
Hi everyone. I lurk here often learning things about mustangs. But very seldom post. I do have a question. I am working on my 69 mk 1 Q code non a/c car. I was sandblasting the leaf springs and found paint marks on the rear of both springs violet and gold. One had gold then violet and the other was violet then gold. Does this mean anything left and right possibly. Or just some assembly line guy messing with things.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2023, 03:36:26 PM by J_Speegle »

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Rear leaf spring paint marks- 69 Q code non-AC
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2023, 03:42:54 PM »
Hi everyone. I lurk here often learning things about mustangs. But very seldom post. I do have a question. I am working on my 69 mk 1 Q code non a/c car. I was sandblasting the leaf springs and found paint marks on the rear of both springs violet and gold. One had gold then violet and the other was violet then gold. Does this mean anything left and right possibly. Or just some assembly line guy messing with things.

First it was not the car plant or that assembly line that marked the front or rear springs. It was the provider that supplied the car assembly plant that did it.

Since the marking of parts was likely one seniority step above the guys that sweep the floors based on skill and training they sometimes got the stripes backwards in a batch of springs or even drivelines ever so often. Can envision that a group of these parts were lined up and the worker simple got the brush and paint out and did one after another till the group of parts were all marked, dried then another batch done in the same fashion.   Have a fair number of examples and most of the time, likely since they were delivered to the assembly line at the car plan in bulk most of the time both springs were installed from the same batch or day of production. Its the overlapping from the one shipment to the next that would create the mismatch that you dicovered
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Willy 1

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Re: Rear leaf spring paint marks- 69 Q code non-AC
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2023, 08:11:54 PM »
Jeff thanks for the reply. I guess I was under the wrong impression. I thought the paint was applied on the line possibly after the part was installed and checked that it was installed properly or the bolts were tightened or torked where applicable. So does this mean the producer tested these parts and they passed.

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: Rear leaf spring paint marks- 69 Q code non-AC
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2023, 10:51:36 PM »
Jeff thanks for the reply. I guess I was under the wrong impression. I thought the paint was applied on the line possibly after the part was installed and checked that it was installed properly or the bolts were tightened or torked where applicable.

So does this mean the producer tested these parts and they passed.

Yes they were suppose to be tested m- they did the front springs - but the markings were for identification purposes though in the same case workers could use then as orientation indicators (stripes go to the rear of the rear end housing) also I guess. At the one station for leaf springs there might have been a dozen or more rear spring types that the worker had to choose the correct one for the application as spelled out (coded) on each cars buildsheet. Color coding made this process fairly fool proof, easy and quicker that other processes
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Willy 1

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Re: Rear leaf spring paint marks- 69 Q code non-AC
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2023, 01:35:29 PM »
Thanks for the information. Makes sense guess I have to remember they were working on many cars not just one.