ConcoursMustang Forums
Restoring - General discussions that span across many different groups of years and models => Processes, Products & Techniques => Topic started by: J_Speegle on February 06, 2013, 06:22:23 PM
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We've often made reference to reproducing natural finishes here at ConcoursMustang.com by way of gun bluing repair fluid so I thought an article on the process is past due. This is NOT the only method to achieve these results but one that has served me well for 20 or so years. Not really expensive and it fits well IMHO with all the DIY focus we like to do here when we can - at least for the guys that like to get their hands dirty a bit;)
What follows is a little taste of what the article covers. You can find it in the list of How To Do's posted under each specific year library section in this sites Members Only Library.
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One of the more common mistakes we often see on restored cars is the incorrect finishes found on suspension parts. In total the complete suspension and steering is a combination of many different finishes due to the way the parts were made, formed and processed. Unfortunately many restorers treat all of these the same way and since this does not truly reproduce the original look they lose points. Basically the vast majority of non-painted parts fall into the following major categories:
- Heat treated cast parts - Tie rods, pitman and idler arms, strut rods, spindles, springs
- Formed/stamped steel - Upper and lower A arms, steering stops, rear spring plates, front spring saddles
- Hardware - Nuts, washers, cotter keys….
Many of the items listed previously are really subassemblies made up of different materials that require different finishing. One example would be upper A-arms. The main body would have been bare stamped steel formed through a process using very large stamping machines which produced areas of metal where the metal was stretched, marked and pressed during the process. At the same time you have the ball joint that was attached to the A-arm which included a plated boot retainer and a heat treated ball joint body and rivets.
Most long time restorers have developed techniques to reproduce the original finishes found on these parts. They may include tumbler or vibrator polishers, phosphating, chemical baths or other processes. A product called Insta-Black is popular for large parts such as leaf springs. The process covered in this article shows using simple gun bluing repair fluid that is available in most US regions but this is only one of many process hobbyist and professional use to accomplish the desired finish.
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/8/6-300817152637-86031346.jpeg)
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/8/6-300817150647-86001152.jpeg)
The following parts have all been restored using gun bluing - as you can see the finish can vary allot depending on the process and technique
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/7/6-110817161326-7883793.jpeg)
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/7/6-110817161321-78801629.jpeg)
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/7/6-110817161338-7895111.jpeg)
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/7/6-110817161350-7904980.jpeg)
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/8/6-300817151104-8601708.jpeg)
This article focuses on the refinishing of tie rods but the process and techniques can be applied to many of the suspension parts used on classic Mustangs and Shelby's.
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/8/6-300817151235-8602895.jpeg)
NOTE: This article only addresses the visual aspects of refinishing these parts and makes no guarantees as to serviceability or safety of reusing old suspension items. Often a good indicator of the condition of the internals is the condition of the boot. If the boot has been damaged its likely let in water and dirt, resulting in damage that can go undetected to the eye. All aspects should be considered and weighed, the final choice is yours alone.....................
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Hope you find this useful and of some value as you work on your projects
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Awesome Jeff. I'm just getting ready to restore some natural finish parts, and was wondering how the "experts" got their great results. Thanks for posting.
PS: One part will be a hipo motor mount I just picked up. At least I hope this is a Mustang hipo motor mount. :)
Thanks,
Rich
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how do i make the article bigger so i can read it?
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Jeff,
Great Article. I am working on my steering components now, and will go back and improve them with this info. Perfect timing.
Thanks,
Tony
Carlite65, I was able to view it with no problem. If you are using Adobe reader, you can zoom in. There is a + and - at the top.
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how do i make the article bigger so i can read it?
What browser are you using - I've got Firefox and mine pops up with a small grey tool bar over the bottom of the page that allows me to increase or decrease the size as well as print and other things to the file.
To all added some additional pictures of the heating and oiling step - don't know how those got overlooked :(
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using IE7.....i don't get a tool bar. tried right click to save & nothing.
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using IE7.....i don't get a tool bar. tried right click to save & nothing.
Shooting in the dark here since we've got different programs. What is the results of pressing the escape key? Also if you bring the file up press refresh since I reloaded the file with some different settings I thought would help.
BTW is this what happens with all the other articles or only this one?
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escape does nothing. refresh also nothing. all articles i tried are same/small. guess it is my program/browser.
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whoa.....my brakes must be dragging tonite. the escape key did in fact enlarge the pages.............thanks!!!
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Good - I can sleep tonight :)
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Awesome Jeff. I'm just getting ready to restore some natural finish parts, and was wondering how the "experts" got their great results. Thanks for posting.
PS: One part will be a hipo motor mount I just picked up. At least I hope this is a Mustang hipo motor mount. :)
Thanks,
Rich
The K motor mounts are relatively easy, but having a vibratory tumbler does the trick for surface finish. Here's some I did a few years ago:
http://65kresto.blogspot.com/2010/08/8910.html
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Thanks Charles. I have your blog bookmarked. I love the pics of the of sea of finished hardware! I really appreciate all the information everyone has made available. Between you, Jeff, Jim, Fred (on hipo), Bob Mannel, and other contributors, there seems no question that can't be accurately and quickly answered. These sites and everyone's assistance are invaluable resources.
Many thanks,
Rich
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Let me start by saying this website is a dream come true for a DIY'r and die hard Mustang fanatic. I can't say thanks enough.
So I hate for my fist post to be dumb question, but here goes...where can I find the full article? Am I missing something?
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if you are on the home page then scroll down to the library section. lots of good stuff there...............welcome to the site!