Steering box color: Natural or matte black?

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Before I install my new FFeel box, I intend to give it a thin coating of matte CLEAR or maybe just gear oil to go with the cosmoline look, which I THINK is how these cars were delivered. Same for the pot coupler, which I'm 99% sure was natural. The guys at FFeel seem to think the matte clear/natural appearance is correct, but what do THEY know?

Does anyone know any different? Were these power steering boxes natural or black from the factory? I'll be looking at hunnnnerds of Mopars at Kissimmee over the next few days (and the four Hursts) , but rattle-can black is sooooo prevalent in old cars because it was "easy".

I've searched jillions of Mopar underhood photos....never really get a glimpse of the steering box!

 

[CBODY67]

"Case" satiny black as the air cleaner, mounting brackets, and such. Seems like the "ring" on the top is natural silver? As the adjusting nut/stud on top is.

CBODY67

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

I respect your advice, but are you sure of that? Doesn’t make sense—because knowing as we do that an entire assembled engine including the damn ground strap and exhaust manifolds were draped in one color—that the unasembled steering case was masked (to protect the innards) and sprayed black, then the guts and “ring” went in unpainted.

Yes? No?

And the pot coupler? Au natural?

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Point is, LCAs, lower balls, etc were cosmoline. The stuff that wasn’t seen when the hood was opened at the dealer....

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Pot coupler was natural. Black gasket as opposed to the orange service gasket quite often seen.

It's my understanding that the steering box case was semigloss black, and some fasteners and stuff that was bolted to it after were natural. That was the case in all 3 of my 66 C bodies. I can't speak for other years and things definitely changed as assembly procedure was made more efficient. Things were also different between various assembly plants within the same year...

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Okay, you fellas have convinced me....satiny black it is, with maybe some bits masked and left "natural" depending on what I see at Mecum.

Much thanks for your inputs.

 

[73Coupe]

When I rebuilt the control valve on mine last year, it still had some of its original black paint. It had a flat/satin sheen, although well-worn after years in the engine compartment.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

When I rebuilt the control valve on mine last year, it still had some of its original black paint. It had a flat/satin sheen, although well-worn after years in the engine compartment.

Good info, thanks.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

This how my project ended up looking, with matte black, bare aluminum return valve, proper 11/32 return hose and red clamps.