Yes on the color. That yellow-golden effect comes from the Zinc plating
done on relay covers, brake lines, etc. Zinc plating protects from rust
because the zinc acts as a "sacrificial anode"--meaning that the zinc
molecules will oxidize preferentially before the steel begins to rust.
(steel boats in salt water will nearly always have a big zinc bar attached
to the hull for the same reason--and you can even do this on your roadster.
It protects steel from a distance--ions and stuff, electro-chemical
reactions, yada yada) As the zinc turns into relatively soft zinc oxide,
it rubs and washes off, slowly dissappearing. You can always have such
parts re-plated in zinc, however there is also a kit sold to mimic the
zinc-plated look without sending the parts off to be replated. The kit
(sold in the Sears autoshop catalogue, among others) appears to be several
different cans of spray paint--you paint a base color coat and then follow
with a couple of slightly different colors to mimic the slight color
variations in zinc plating. Then a clear coat, I think.
Anyway, look around because there are products specifically designed to
restore that new look to such parts.
Alex
At 11:22 AM 1/15/01 +0100, The Belgian Roadster wrote:
>Hi all,
>Can someone place a picture of left & right inner fender?
>Long ago I removed everything in the engine room for the paint job, now I
>start reassembling and want to know where and how the relays etc are
>mounted.
>BTW, is there a color that gives this yellow-golden effect that relays used
>to have when there are new?
>
>Chris-The Belgian roadster
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