67 GT500 engine mount brackets

[shelbydoug]

What finish was on these originally? Were they painted black?

[Bob Gaines]

What finish was on these originally? Were they painted black?

Bare steel from the factory.

[Kent]

  I had so many Fastbacks etc. but I have rarely/never seen them in bare metal. And who the hell change the mount brackets? I also had survivour cars etc. and the brackets were black always. Was this only on shelby 67 that they were bare metal?

[Coralsnake]

Bare steel on the cars I have seen.

[shelbydoug]

It's not a part that unless the car was on a lift or you crawled under would be readily apparent.
I certainly never did that and as a result asked those who have.

A thank you to all who have responded.

I don't like flash rust so these two are definitely candidates for the new "metal paint". It actually does give the steel a dark, just blasted look. That seems appropriate since they certainly weren't the light zinc plated color.

[Bob Gaines]

I had so many Fastbacks etc. but I have rarely/never seen them in bare metal. And who the hell change the mount brackets? I also had survivour cars etc. and the brackets were black always. Was this only on shelby 67 that they were bare metal?

Bare steel was a Mustang/Cougar thing from the factory not a Shelby thing . I believe they started being painted from the factory in 1970 Mustang production year.

[427heaven]

This brings us back to the question of do I go original or just make it better then the way it was! Both sides have a strong case so its a personal thing. Many want original finish which means rusty brake calipers, motor mounts, drive shafts and other under car items. These cars were not perfection by any means, crooked poor fitting fiberglass, messy sloppy over spray, all over engine components, paint that had runs, drips, fish eyes, and a host of other imperfections. How you bring it back is very personal.

[Bob Gaines]

This brings us back to the question of do I go original or just make it better then the way it was! Both sides have a strong case so its a personal thing. Many want original finish which means rusty brake calipers, motor mounts, drive shafts and other under car items. These cars were not perfection by any means, crooked poor fitting fiberglass, messy sloppy over spray, all over engine components, paint that had runs, drips, fish eyes, and a host of other imperfections. How you bring it back is very personal.

Getting a little off topic I think . Maybe a stand alone topic so others in the future can search for it better . The question was -"What finish was on these originally"  it was not what is best or what should be done etc. etc.   It is of course up to the owner of each car and what they think is best based on their expectations. The original finish question was answered as requested.

[427heaven]

+ 1 not meant to distract- apologies if it took a detour for anyone.

[Special Ed]

1970 brackets were black painted both big block and small block and the long bolt hole was smaller diameter and the L brackets were plated  not raw steel like 67-69.

[shelbydoug]

It's odd. They are just something that I never remember noticing before. If I had to guess, I would have thought that they were in place when the engine compartment got painted?

I know that on the big block, the manifolds are right up against them so I'm wondering if paint even lasts on them?

I'm sure a service part would have been painted and I don't recall rusty original ones being sold.

[Kent]

As I said, I removed some of these and I have seen a lot fastbacks from 67/68 and also my shelby and other shelby´s I had but I can hardly remember that i ever saw them in bare steel. They were always black from what I have seen. And that 90% or 95% of the cars I had were later painted again in the engine bay is impossible because I see that. I had so many original paint, never removed engine cars but always black mount brackets. But maybe I´m wrong and yes its dark in this area so maybe I thought they are black. I will check this on the next mustangs more detailed.

It's odd. They are just something that I never remember noticing before. If I had to guess, I would have thought that they were in place when the engine compartment got painted?

I know that on the big block, the manifolds are right up against them so I'm wondering if paint even lasts on them?

I'm sure a service part would have been painted and I don't recall rusty original ones being sold.

[J_Speegle]

Nope - not attached to the car when it was painted. If you want to go all the way reproducing the original look you can darken the welds to reproduce the original look of the welds and the bluing of the metal near the welds


Don't have any pictures nor have I seen them painted before 70 on any unplayed with Mustang examples not Shelbys. Use to spend up to three days a week in yards so seen a few. Of course just about everyone painted them black or another color back when these cars were only worth a few thousand dollars or less like so many other parts in the engine compartment

[shelbydoug]

These days, "unfinished sheet metal" would automatically have an anti-oxidation "coating" on them, I suppose to resist "flash rust" that is fairly successful.
In the case of these mounts, I'm without experience of the time so I'm relying on the experience of others that have it and as such I appreciate that input.

What you are suggesting to me about original production line condition is that there likely is no protective coating on the steel of any kind since you're suggesting the original blueing from the welds was apparent at least in your "expectations" in leu of actual "black and white" documentation?

That's fine with me. After all, that's what I asked for? No need to cut you off at the knees on this one.

In my own case, I'm undecided as how to go. No "restoration" that I am aware of is 100% authentic. A change here under the thought of longevity is certainly on the table for me.

[OldGuy]

This could be an example of where to apply satin clear spray paint to resist the eventual rust. It satisfies everyones needs.