The Ford Barn

farmputzer · 02-18-2015, 02:17 PM

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.

Mike V. Florida · 02-18-2015, 04:31 PM

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

glenn in camino · 02-18-2015, 08:29 PM

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

gwhite · 02-20-2015, 11:03 PM

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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...

02-18-2015, 02:17 PM	#1
farmputzer Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Andover, Minnesota Posts: 35	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.

02-18-2015, 04:31 PM	#2
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florida between Sarasota and TampaSouth Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Shock absorber paint question Yes, painted gloss black after assembly. I read this in a restoration manual. __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

02-18-2015, 08:29 PM	#3
glenn in camino Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Camino, CA. Posts: 3,086	Re: Shock absorber paint question I've seen a Model A chassis with painted shocks but bare metal shock arms.

02-20-2015, 11:03 PM	#4
gwhite Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Texas: Where Bob Wills is still the king! Posts: 354	Re: Shock absorber paint question Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) 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...