Project 85 Black 442 frame off restoration

[tobyp]

Toby, you have done a fantastic job on the 442. I do have a few questions about certain finishes on a couple of chassis items. I have original Grad National parts on my car that are unrestored. The steering box on my car has a cast iron finish on the steering gear box and an aluminum top cover. The 8.5 rear axle on mine, is black with a steel rear cover. Was yours like this? Which is correct? Again great job on the car.

Thanks on the props. I would say as of the gear box....from looking at a bunch of cars that I have parted that the cover in alum, stays alum. The case which I believe is plain, however it gets sprayed at the factory (poorly) with undercoating and their representation of paint. The 8.5 has paint on it from the t1 factory which is a plain black chassis satin or flat paint as well as the cover.

Here is a re-build thread from my GN, I had the benefits of being able to do two!!

viewtopic.php?f=69&t=47381

 

[theoldsone]

Hey I just skimmed through your build thread and it looks great. I get the idea of getting the car a factory perfect as possible and cars that look like day 1 are awsome. IMO Im not someone to build a perfectly #'s for #'s matching car. I just couldn't have the fineness for it. But one thing I love is when someone takes factory style car and adds a small amount of personal touches. Adding things that look period correct but where never options. If I had a ton of $$ to blow...well one thing I always think of is a black 442 with ghost badges and stripes. The whole 442 decals except ghost painted on. :idea:

 

[tobyp]

That is kind of what I did with my GN. It has personal touches from the outside could never ever tell what you are up against. I guess the noise under the hood give clues. The GN is my badass toy. THe 81 cutty is my daily during the summer with a loud obnoxious exhaust with all todays updates and is teh test mule, and then the 442 is the trailer queen

 

[xitabl442]

Never fear nit pickers... 😀
It appears there's hope in an NOS set of stripes for Toby's 85 442 will be coming to fruition soon. So don't fret about the aftermarket kit staying for long.

Is there any hope for an NOS style reproduction stripe in the future? I am getting my car ready to paint sometime this winter and would like to use a correct style stripe. We did a black 442 last winter and ended up putting a black stripe below the gold to correct the paint line at the silver.
Do you guys think there would be a demand for an OE style stripe?

I should know something soon.

p.s. My car is in "paint prison", It hopes to make bail soon!!!

Any more info on the stripes and cowl hood for the 442?