Factory Painted Or Not? Cj5 Factory Restoration Question

Probably asked hundreds of times.

Is there a chart anywhere that shows just exactly what on a Jeep came painted from the factory and its color?

For example, I have read in several places that the transmission and transfer cases were left raw cast.

I am doing a full frame off nut and bolt restoration to as it left the factory line.

1) Transfer case and transmission... left raw or painted and if painted what color/ flat black or gloss
2) Dana 27 knuckles... left raw or painted and if painted what color/ flat black or gloss
3) Brake drums... left raw or painted and if painted what color/ flat black or gloss

Also still looking for an answer on what color the original HD 1 3/16" Monroe shocks were.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am ready to install install all of the above into my rolling chassis.

 

I know a couple of you old timers know the answer to some or all of the above.

 

Well, my best guess is that transmission, transfer case and brake drums were not painted. I would expect that knuckles came through as part of the axle assembly from Dana, and that they were sprayed with the axles. Anything that hangs below the body and can be seen - chassis, axles, skid plate - would be painted. Chassis stuff was black so it would not detract from the brightly painted body steel.

Looking under my '75, it has a coat of oil and dirt that protects the bare iron and that hides to components very effectively. No sign of paint on the transmission or transfer case, and I believe they have never been out of the chassis.

Most would paint this stuff black just so that, if they keep it clean, it won't rust. Cast iron does not exfoliate rust as badly as steel, so a coating of rust on these parts is not so bad.

 

^^Timgr, this is exactly what I was looking for. My thoughts are this. I am going to paint the Transmission, Transfer case, Brake drums with "Cast Blast" which is the natural raw color of the cast iron. Everything else under the jeep gets satin black.

This is my rear axle with drums and yoke painted with the "Cast Blast" paint.

 

That looks beautiful! What wheels are you running?

 

These are the original Kelsey Hayes 15X8 deep dishes that it came with. I had them blasted, powder coated black, then the front sides painted #432 Champagne White in acrylic enamel

 

Wow they look great!!

 

I have to defer to others on the color of transmission and transfer case. If you want to keep the appearance of bare cast there is a paint called “Cast Blast” we used at the machine shop that looked just like cast iron. Worked very well and it was surprising how well it matched cast Iron.

 

That is what I used on the drums above

 

Jeepsterjim,
What are you going to do with those for KH's

 

I need 2 of those wheels. Does anyone have a couple of extras?

 

I have seen black paint on the drums and transmission and transfer case before.

 

On survivors?

 

Going to use them.....sadly, some azz jumped my fence and stole 3 outta 5 awhile back so I'm now needing 3 more. They were covered up under an awning so the head knew where exactly where to look. Really would like to find 4 Griffith wheels. They are very similar looking and were made in Escondido, CA in the 60's.

 

^^^

 

Not on survivors, just rusty junks I have taken apart. I can post pictures if you want.

 

That won't be necessary.
I am for lack of a better description doing a museum restoration. I am attempting to replicate 100% as to what the Jeep would have looked like the day it was driven off of the assembly line. This is the reason for my questions here and on other threads looking for any information as to exactly what parts were painted or not and if they were, what were the colors and or finishes.

It has been extremely frustrating so far as the guys on here that have owned their jeeps since new, either cant remember these details from 50 years ago now or over the years, things have been replaced, repaired or repainted.

 

I crawled around under my mostly original late 68 and found this:

• King ping caps and bolts painted black
• Brake backing plates painted black
• No sign of paint on the brake drums
• U-Joint yokes on the axles painted black
• Transfer case painted black - but it may well have been out and rebuilt at some point
• No sign of paint on the transmission
• No sign of paint on the U-bolt plates

You should see if 'mike starck' will crawl under his unrestored low-mileage renegade and take a bunch of pictures.