I found - and brought back to life - a hold down clamp that was in my stash. My car had been devoid of one since buying it. In a conversation with Dave Johnson today, he sent me a picture from the assembly manual that depicts a different clamp used on Flint cars only. My OCD is kicking in but I have to draw the line somewhere. Is anyone with an original Flint car able to tell me if there's is painted or clear metal?
Beats me Dave! Those numbers were gone within a year or 2. I was looking at that earlier. By 1973 there was a single new # for the clamp(s). I know the bolt had a loose attached washer. I've seen bolts with a pointed end, I've seen them with like an un-threaded body bolt end. Some original clamps had like an oily wax finish. I know you have to put something on it Brett, some faux finish, it will rust in a nano second.
phosphate more likely....that's what GM NOS clamps I have are but they were made much later. Bare, painted black or phosphate would be my three bets if I had to list more than one finish.
I have an NOS and it has nothing just bare metal, I’ve seen phosphate NOS too. Originals are always rust. Anyone’s guess how they came.
I shot mine with high zinc grey primer and then a clear coat. Pretty much looks like factory grey phosphate.
