Body Bolt Resto A simple How To

[mockingbird812]

[CamarosRus]

I wanted to suggest that Manganese Phosphate plating is/was the correct finish for many fasteners........

Below are comments from Jeff Betz..........known Camaro restorer, Carlisle judge, former GM and current Chysler engineer at eng mfg plant in metro Detroit..............

I am certain that Zinc Phosphate is not correct for the bolts. I'm
also certain that the manganese phos is correct! I looked up the plating
spec on bolts and believe me there are only 3 major suppliers of bolts:
Ring Screw (Textron), Cold Heading, and I can't remember the other one. We
still deal with them all here and nothing has changed. To each their
own...so I won't tell someone how to restore their car. I will always give
my opinion if asked, and will always reveal my restoration method or a
better one if I know one. Good luck to your friend with the zinc plating
on the fasteners. Just another side note, I believe it would be okay to
dock points off a diamond car for having painted fasteners, a practice that
I told you some of the "top" restorers do use.

Actually zinc phosphate is an excellent plating to use on something before
you paint it. It is a recommended plating to be used under painted parts.
I did my door hinges in the zinc phos before I put them on the car and
painted them of course. It is an excellent "primer".

As far as your bolts coming out too dark? Not sure. I know some of mine
are pretty dark. Your bellcrank...remember, different amounts of iron and
densities of metal will plate different. The bellcrank is a tube (drawn or
stamped and welded) with two stamped brackets. Notice the tube has less
pores than the brackets welded on each end. That all factors in to how
well they will plate.

I just use one of those camping type cooktops with two propane burners.
Coleman makes it. Works great. Fasteners and items that are to be
somewhat "black" get the manganese phos and the latches and such get the
"grey" zinc phosphate. Nice thing is different metals plate different
shades of the stuff, so it doesn't all look the exact same.

MANY people have found that BoeShield T-9 works very well as a rust inhibitor. Any process will need periodic maintennace to keep fresh look.

Below is address for chemical supplier


PALMETTO Enterprises
2311 A Old Parker Road
Greenville,SC 29609
864 246 3836

[Salvatore]

Hey Jeff, I am sending a box of stuff your way!! Thanks for the info. Sam

[beater68427]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Jeff, I am sending a box of stuff your way!! Thanks for the info. Sam

[/ QUOTE ]
Any time Sam I will be sure not to set it by the bar now where did I put that thing

[Salvatore]

[WILMASBOYL78]

Here's another idea on this subject...I don't know how hot the propane torch makes the bolts..but, why couldn't you just "bake" them in a 400* oven for a half hour or so and then do the oil bath....if opening up the pores in the metal is the goal then this should work....you could also do a bunch at one time....just an idea.

ps...don't use your wife's good roasting pan

[beater68427]

In a conventional oven that will heat the metal too slow, metal will hold water, when it heats slow you can see the moisture pull from it, in a slow heat process it will get a golden glow from rusting during the slow heat process, changing the finish too a more brown color, also it might be hard to keep up on the oil process without the bolts cooling. The process posted is the nicest hardest finish process I have found, a repeat is sometimes needed for the correct shade and practice helps, When set up to do a multitude of bolts it only requires a small amout of time in the heat and oil process. This is by no means a new process I learned this in Metals class 25 years ago for hardening steel I always liked the finish you could get and I use it for a multitude of things.