Shock absorber paint question
 

How were the original shock absorbers painted? Before assembly? After assembly? Was the shaft masked off or the entire shock painted?
Thanks for a response.

Re: Shock absorber paint question
 

Yes, painted gloss black after assembly. I read this in a restoration manual.

Re: Shock absorber paint question
 

I've seen a Model A chassis with painted shocks but bare metal shock arms.

Re: Shock absorber paint question
 

Late 1930's Houdialle factory service manuals call for them to be painted "M-1713 Air Dry Black Enamel" FWIW, M-1713 corresponds with Ford chassis paint (V8 era).

Model A era shocks were most likely sprayed with asphaltum-based enamel and would have a gloss level similar to wishbones and axles. Marco's website (www.abarnyard.com) features a photo of a chassis on the assembly line with painted shock bodies (approximately similar in sheen to the wishbones/axles) and unpainted shock arms. It is likely that the shock arms would have been sprayed with pyroxylin (nitrocellulose) on the line during touch-ups, so the shock bodies would also probably have some overspray from that process.

I spent many hours filling and blocking my shock bodies trying to make them 'perfect'. They're not quite as glossy as the photo illustrates, but the black color is a spot-on match for contemporary Ford black asphaltum enamel (not all 'blacks' are 'black'). Oh, and the shaft should definitely be masked off...

http://scontent-a.cdninstagram.com/h..._7221660_n.jpg