Re: Henry's 55 Constellation

Posted by HH56 On 2008/11/16 13:50:11

Not to worry. I'm impressed you've got as much done on the suspension as you have without the weight of the body or the tools.

I'm not sure what the rubber coating was originally other than undercoat material. Glyptol was used in some areas. They had issues with the electrical components corroding from exposure to road conditions and water so anything to give the terminals and openings a good seal--and undercoat was certainly one good option. A modern one might be "Plasti-Dip" from the hardware store. Comes in colors, small cans, & is normally used to insulate & cushion tool handles. Can be applied many ways, and advertises a lot of other uses including sealing/insulating/noise control etc.

Looking at the service manual, I believe gearbox and electrical components were left natural --except the motor & mounting brackets which were black. Probably anything that would rust was painted. I painted the transverse bars & components to match the frame & prevent rust but am not 100% sure they were that way originally. I'd say if you would like things painted, then do so.