1970 Trans Am 12-Bolt Axle Color

[jeffschevelle]

Worth the time to read the other thread mentioned above: https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=174044

It sounds from all of this like axles for installation in Chevrolets were painted black through 72, but at least some (if not all) Pontiac axles were not painted.

[BCreekDave]

Originally Posted by ronzz572

Hopefully this helps. This is how I restored my 70 L78 camaro rear 12 bolt. Pretty much painted everything with the drums on it semi gloss black. The paint used on the rear axles wasn't very good and didn't hold up well.

Don't want to get too off-topic here, but are the sway bar bracket caps silver or is it just the flash?
Now, back to your regularly scheduled thread......

[ronzz572]

Originally Posted by BCreekDave

Don't want to get too off-topic here, but are the sway bar bracket caps silver or is it just the flash?
Now, back to your regularly scheduled thread......

The sway bar drop rods and caps were NOS and came with no paint natural steel. The sway bar mount caps at each end are the originals and are painted semi gloss black. When I removed them there was black paint inside the caps. So based on that I painted them semi gloss black. Also after a evaporust treatment evidence of black was on the exterior. The rear end appeared to never been out of the car when I removed it. So I went with the finishes I saw.

[RamAirBirds]

I think we are determining here that what happened with Chevrolet did NOT necessarily happen with Pontiac. In this case in seems that the 12 bolt installed in the PONTIAC F Body did not get the black paint as researched through several original cars now including one that I own. In the case of Chevrolet who DID get the axles delivered to assembly painted black YES the entire assy was painted after being built including the axle cover and bolts. The axle backing plates however seem to have been painted just around the tube leaving much of the backing plate natural metal. If you look at the other thread I started before this one
"69 F Body Rear Axle Color *Latest Consensus*"
you will see the discussion of the Chevrolet axles a little more in depth.

[L16pilot]

Originally Posted by RamAirBirds

I think we are determining here that what happened with Chevrolet did NOT necessarily happen with Pontiac. In this case in seems that the 12 bolt installed in the PONTIAC F Body did not get the black paint as researched through several original cars now including one that I own. In the case of Chevrolet who DID get the axles delivered to assembly painted black YES the entire assy was painted after being built including the axle cover and bolts. The axle backing plates however seem to have been painted just around the tube leaving much of the backing plate natural metal. If you look at the other thread I started before this one
"69 F Body Rear Axle Color *Latest Consensus*"
you will see the discussion of the Chevrolet axles a little more in depth.

I'm on the "Chevy side" of this discussion but my understanding was that the 1970 F-body 12-bolt was the same regardless whether it was installed in a Firebird or Camaro and even carried the same codes. If this is the case, would it make sense to have a different paint process and how would the production plant differentiate Chevy vs. Pontiac?...I know, I'm trying to instill logic in a mass production environment from 52 years ago... My theory, (unsubstantiated, but plausible), is the paint used on the rear axle assembly was the same as used on master cylinders and brake calipers...and it "evaporated" early in the vehicle's life...but again, that is just a theory.

[Tracker1]

Originally Posted by L16pilot

All indications are that the '70 F-body 12-bolts were painted as a completed assembly.

Not Trans Ams.

[Tracker1]

Originally Posted by RamAirBirds

Great Pic Tracker1. This is pretty much what i have seen on my survivor 70 TA. Very Very Light surface (almost impossible to describe as) Rust. You ca brush it off. Easy to see it was Bare Metal as well.
Thanks for posting....Look at all that over spray.

yeah this one was crazy with overspray - the line painter must have been a new hire from a Mopar plant

[Formula455SD]

Mine is the color of dirt...

[RestoRacing LLC]

Originally Posted by RamAirBirds

I think we are determining here that what happened with Chevrolet did NOT necessarily happen with Pontiac. In this case in seems that the 12 bolt installed in the PONTIAC F Body did not get the black paint as researched through several original cars now including one that I own. In the case of Chevrolet who DID get the axles delivered to assembly painted black YES the entire assy was painted after being built including the axle cover and bolts. The axle backing plates however seem to have been painted just around the tube leaving much of the backing plate natural metal. If you look at the other thread I started before this one
"69 F Body Rear Axle Color *Latest Consensus*"
you will see the discussion of the Chevrolet axles a little more in depth.

Would this be accurate for both Norwood and Van Nuys Trans Am's?