Is the top of 1963 Manual Gear Box painted Gold

[Pagoda730]

I know the lower section of the 1963 Pagoda Gear Box is green.   I was told the top of the gear box was painted gold.   Is this true?  If not, what color should it be?

[Garry]

I have not heard that the gearbox was painted green before let alone the top being gold. I have obvoysly missed that discussion.
What was the colour code green that it was painted???

[Lorsar]

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=24815.0
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=28254.0
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=22670.0
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=26135.0

I could find no mention of gold in any previous threads

[Pagoda730]

Hi All,
I searched the threads as well.   Still wonder if anyone out there knows the color of the top of the manual transmission gear box?

[Leester]

Indeed the lower case is green but I do not know the color code. The top is unpainted, mill finish alloy. Therefore the color of the top is silver grey (but not painted). The top is not gold in its original configuration.

If you were told the top was painted gold, I would ask for a citation to the source of the information. Always possible someone painted the top of one gold.

I am sure you can find numerous photos of transmissions on this site, Ebay and possibly Motoring Investments. I doubt that you will find one with the top painted gold.

[Pagoda730]

When I took the transmission out of the car you could clearly see remnants of gold paint.   I have attached a photo of transmission from eBay also showing remnants of gold paint.  I was also told by a restorer that the top was painted gold.  I guess I could leave it unpainted and always paint it if it should be.  Just easier to do before putting it back in the car. 

Your thoughts?

[Benz Dr.]

I've noticed a slight gold hue before but I don't think it's gold paint or anodizing. It could be remnants from under coating or cosmoline.

 It's rather difficult to really clean the top cover and left in bare aluminum it has a tendency to corrode. Paining it with aluminum paint would be an option.

[Pawel66]

No idea how the transmission was painted.

Can you make out anything from the picture enclosed? No automatic sign on the trunk lid. Euro license plate frame, so if it was for Europe automatic sign should appear.

You can see some gold touch there on top if where the gear box should come... but I am not sure, I am not good enough to see by shape on this picture if it is auto or manual and if the gold spot is where the top of manual gearbox comes...

[BobH]

Have a look on here, page 11, his last few posts, shows before and after pictures

Doesn't say what he's used to finish the top part of his gearbox, but looks pretty convincing, perhaps message him and ask what he used and what he based the colour on

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=28229.250

[Pagoda730]

Great! thank you.  EeVeeWee did a fabulous job.  Wow!  His pictures match the remnants of the finish on my gear box.   I have messaged EeVeeWee.   This seems to confirm there was some sort of “goldish” finish.  I have attached pictures from his posting. 

[Pagoda730]

FYI.  I had the case “vapor cleaned/blasted”,  a non-invasive process that totally cleans the alloy and leaves a nice fish.  It does not remove any metal!

[EeVeeWee]

Great! thank you.  EeVeeWee did a fabulous job.  Wow!  His pictures match the remnants of the finish on my gear box.   I have messaged EeVeeWee.   This seems to confirm there was some sort of “goldish” finish.  I have attached pictures from his posting.

The guy who did the revision of the gearbox explained he did blast the cover and after that washed in a special washing machine. Probably this gold touch is because of the soap.

[zoegrlh]

I like the finish the green and the slight gold. Looks good

[Pagoda730]

Great,  thank you.   Could he have used a Zinc Chromate wash.   This is what Mercedes used on all the bolts and other parts.   It also gives a goldish look.

Thank you,
Mitch

[Pagoda730]

FYI

Zinc chromate's main use is in industrial painting as a coating over iron or aluminium materials.[8] It was used extensively on aircraft by the US military, especially during the 1930s and 1940s. It is also used in a variety of paint coatings for the aerospace and automotive industries.[9] Its use as a corrosion-resistant agent was applied to aluminium alloy parts first in commercial aircraft, and then in military ones. During the 1940 and 1950s it was typically found as the "paint" in the wheel wells of retractable landing gear on US military aircraft to protect the aluminium from corrosion. This compound was a useful coating because it is an anti-corrosive and anti-rust primer.[8] Since it is highly toxic, it also destroys organic growth on the surface. Zinc chromate is also used in spray paints, artists' paints, pigments in varnishes, and in making linoleum.[5]

[Pagoda730]

It turns out that you can get zinc chromate rust preventive washes in green as well gold/yellow color.   See the attached zinc chromate sample color chart.   I wonder if that was what was used on the lower section of the gear box?   Anyone know the answer?

[BobH]

According to this, it was painted

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=28254.0

[Pagoda730]

Great information.   I would think that they used a rust inhibiting paint, probably Zinc Chromate based, maybe?  They may have been concerned about corrosion of the gear box, especially due to the different types of metal in the engine and drive line components.    There was a lot of focus at Mercedes in the '60's since their cars were known to rust.  So, maybe they painted the lower end of the gear box and may have used a green zinc chromate based paint.   They could have done the same with the gear box top, except they used a yellow based chromate solution -  just guessing.   Hopefully someone out there knows the answer?

Thanks