Does anyone know what kind of plating or finish was used on mundane parts such as the larger metal axle spacers, coil brackets or the exposed end of the axles? After 33 years, those parts on my 73 750GT are a dull gray but a little while with a buffer made them shine. I'm sure they aren't chrome/ Was is just zinc? Paint?
There had to be something covering the bare iron otherwise they would have been rusted by now.
Plating on exposed metal parts?
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Craig in France
- Paso 906
- Posts: 974
- Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 3:58 pm
- Location: Montpellier, France
Original plating of non-painted parts
Hi
Most likely to be cadmium plating - at least that's what was used on my 72 Scrambler.
Cad plating can now be very hard/impossible to get done, at least here in the UK, 'cos of issues about disposal of heavy metal plating residues. I got mine done by one of the few companies that has a licence to do it because they do defence work where cadmium is still preferred for situations of extreme exposure. (It was this company that tested the original finish and diagnosed it as cadmium.)
But, frankly, zinc plating is just as good for our uses - and it doesn't have to be bright zinc. You can get a perfectly acceptable light gey finish.
HTH.
Ciao
Craig in UK
Most likely to be cadmium plating - at least that's what was used on my 72 Scrambler.
Cad plating can now be very hard/impossible to get done, at least here in the UK, 'cos of issues about disposal of heavy metal plating residues. I got mine done by one of the few companies that has a licence to do it because they do defence work where cadmium is still preferred for situations of extreme exposure. (It was this company that tested the original finish and diagnosed it as cadmium.)
But, frankly, zinc plating is just as good for our uses - and it doesn't have to be bright zinc. You can get a perfectly acceptable light gey finish.
HTH.
Ciao
Craig in UK