Platings/Coatings Used on The Beloved Mopars

Here's a list of various platings/coatings used on the beloved Mopars:

1. Phosphate- inexpensive coating in various shades of gray to black. This is a hot solution dip process that provides a moderate level of protection. Often seen on bolts, nuts & washers.

2. Parkerizing- appearance similar to phosphate, but it is a cold dip process and gives poor long-term corrosion protection. This is what the Eastwood blackening kit is. NOT USED ON ORIGINAL MOPARS!

2. Black Oxide- similar to phosphate, but somewhat more "charcoal-like" in appearance.

3. Clear Zinc- often called silver zinc...this is a base of zinc followed with a clear chromate dip. The chromate dip gives the bluish hue and varies depending on the particular dip.
A straight zinc without chromate looks very close in appearance to cadmium.

4. Black Zinc- this is a zinc plating blackened by a chromate process. Can vary in appearance from brown to a rich black color and usually has a rainbow effect as well. Black zinc plating will degrade to an appearance that closely resembles gray phosphate. Careful inspection is required!

5. Zinc Dichromate- sometimes called yellow zinc..
This is straight zinc plating followed by a dichromate dip that creates the red, green, golden colors.

6. Red zinc- a couple fasteners used this color of zinc plating.

7. Galvanizing- this is a plating characterized by a leaf-like appearance. Seen on parts such as headlight cups, side marker brackets, etc.

8. Lead-Tin- a soft thick coating used on fuel filler tubes, etc.

9. Cadmium- used VERY little on post 66 cars. Has excellent corrosion resistance. Has a somewhat duller & grayer appearance than zinc plating.
(Testing by dipping the part in a muratic acid solution can be used to determine if it's zinc or cadmium... zinc will fizz like an Alka Seltzer tablet.)



The appearance of the plating is directly affected by the metal's amount of polish and/or texture. This is why you should never sandblast parts before sending them in for plating.


Thanks to Resto Rick (Rick Kreuziger) for the info!  http://www.restorick.com/tech/default.asp 

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ANOTHER Plating Run!!

See Anything You Need???? I love it when I get a plating run back, it's like Christmas, but I'm a little tired of sorting through hardware and separating it...I like the big stuff, it's easy

Wiper Motor Prep For Plating

We take alot of pride in our effort and our workmanship, consistency of the "look" of our motors and the prep before plating plays a huge part of the process.

Extremely time consuming, we start with breaking down cores, soaking to degrease and remove paint.  From there it's an acid bath to remove all rust on the cylinder and inside the cylinder.  After that process comes the bead blasting to even the finish and then, the "fun" (and probably most dangerous part of the process), grinding rust pits, etc. from the cylinder and bringing them, systematically and step by step, to the cylinder we feel is "right" for plating.  Alot of work, alot of effort and anyone who works, even occasionally, with a grinder of any type, knows how it has a tendency to snatch the object you're working on from you and throw it at you at lightning speed....LOL

Time consumption?  Grind a cylinder, even with heat gloves, and you'll find out you can't finish even one before you have to put that bad boy down and start another...down the line.  Final process?  Buff and "spin" the cylinder to remove all grinding marks...without removing/wiping the stamped part number, date code, etc.

Now THAT is ready for plating   ;o)

And THAT prep makes for a nice looking motor

What I get when I open a box and what I build for return   :o)


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