SHOCK TOWER CAPS

[shelbymann1970]

Here is something weird. While blasting these caps this was the end result. The caps are pretty nice but have what appears to be copper on them. At first I thought it was bondo but when I filed it it was metal. The areas on the one cap where I filed it is misleading as it looks white but it isn't. Any thoughts?  Gary

[Bob Gaines]

Washers are brazed on.

[shelbymann1970]

Washers are brazed on.

so someone got messy with the brazing?  Also they are in bare metal and those welded areas are definitely welding rod and not brazing rod.

[Bob Gaines]

They are not typicall brazed but I have seen a mess like that before on various years of what appear as unmolested cars.

[shelbymann1970]

They are not typicall brazed but I have seen a mess like that before on various years of what appear as unmolested cars.

Thanks. I do not know if the paint I blasted off was original on these caps but they are really nice sans the braze rod mess. Gary

[shelbydoug]

I too have seen them both was, brazed and welded. Welded seems to be more common.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Those look welded. The filler is the same color as the welding not gold as brass would be. I wonder if they had been chrome plated at one time which would account for the copper in the odd areas.

[Coralsnake]

Not weird or unusual. I have seen it on a dozen 1968s, I have restored over the years. I cant tell you the process, but since the caps get painted its not a big concern.

[J_Speegle]

Wonder if this is more of a 68 thing and possibly a different supplier since those were installed on the other side of the country

[TLea]

It's called oven brazing gents

[shelbymann1970]

Thanks guys as I never saw that on my 70 caps for the 2 70s I had owned or my 68. When repainted they came out great. A nice set and they are pit free.

[shelbydoug]

Is there a reason to braze them rather then weld?

[pbf777]

It's called oven brazing gents

    In 'welding', this is the process whereby the parent materials are melted, and as witnessed in this case (but not always required) welding wire stock is added to the liquefied pool, forming a melded structure.

    In 'brazing', this is of a lesser heat involved process where the parent material is not intended to be liquefied but rather bonded with the use of particular "brazing-rod' materials.  Also one often will witness this brazing material about the periphery of the seam of the joined units, which here I don't see (maybe a better photo would aid in this observation) as I would expect, but?

    In the case of the pictured, I feel confident in saying there is a welding process presented, but is one saying that then, post welding, perhaps deemed insufficient, these assemblies incurred a further brazing effort; surly seems terribly in efficient?   

    Scott.

   

[KR Convertible]

This is just a guess.  Is it possible that the threaded pieces were oven brazed.  The washers look welded.

[Bob Gaines]

Something to keep in mind is that the vast majority of the shelby shock tower caps do not so evidence of the brazing. My guess is that it was a fix for caps that didn't pass inspection for proper welding.