Car was built March 2, 1968, only 73k miles. Search results on this forum indicate that the steering box color should be natural (or cast/grey/etc, whatever you want to call it). I pulled the box out for a rebuild and based on the footprint of dirt and crap under where the box mounted to the frame, I don't think the box had ever been off the car. However, the box was clearly black in color... is this possible?

Not being an NCRS nut here, it's just all apart now and I gotta know which color spray paint to buy at pep-boys...

Same question on the color of the pitman arm...


So question is which is it?

 

Yes. The old original in my 68 (April car) is also semi-flat black.

Pitman arm might also show semi-flat black.

 

Thanks! Yeah I think my pitman arm was some sort of black as well.

Mike I have another question, does your steering box have the aluminum cover or the cast iron version? Mine has the aluminum one but search results here seem to indicate that the aluminum one didn't start until somewhere in 69. (By the way, my box does have the early style input shaft with full splines and no flat... )

 

Aluminum.

 

Perfect! Thanks for your help...

 

The 68-69 NCRS Judging Guide is being revised. Once it becomes available, some of the strange little odds and ends might be corrected.

Does your cover show evidence of black paint? Mine has one spot about 1/4" in diameter near the center which could be old semi-flat black. The rest of the cover, including the edges, is unpainted.

 

I found this information from Joe Lucia (National Corvette Restorer Society) a little more than a year ago. He doesn't address the black paint issue but he does indicate some sort of timing for the aluminum top cover and the flat added to the input shaft.
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From: Joe Lucia
22JN2011

Regarding: Changes to the C3 Steering Gear


Jim------


I think there were several steering gear changes for 1969. I think the cast aluminum cover was used for most, if not all, of the 1969 model year. I have a friend who is the original owner of his 1969 and his car was built in October, 1968. His car has the aluminum cover. If any cast iron covers were used, it must have been limited to VERY early 1969's.

My original owner 1969 also has the aluminum cover. In addition, it has the "full round" input shaft configuration like 1963-E69. My car was built in September, 1969.

Sometime after my car was built, I believe the steering gear changed again to the "with flat" input shaft. I don't know just when that occurred but it must have been sometime during the mid-September, 1969 to late December 1969 period.

Joe Lucia
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Here is a 1971 thru 1974 Corvette Steering Gear Assembly Drawing. It indicates that the steering gear is to be painted black (all over) except the pitman shaft thread and splines. The pitman shaft nut was loosely attached to the end of the pitman shaft but was not painted. The pitman shaft was attached at St. Louis so it would have been painted black before being attached to the gear (possibly it was purchased already painted).

Here is a 1975 thru 1982 Steering Gear Assembly drawing. The revision box indicates that the black paint note was removed in February 1975. I don't know if the effective date to stop painting production Corvette steering gears was during the 1975 model year or start of 1976 production.

Jim




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Mike, no evidence of black paint on my cover.

Jim, thanks for the information here and also your papers you have published. I have already gone through the upper column and steering box using your papers and the OEM instructions. You are truly an asset to C-3 owners everywhere.

One more question, the pitman shaft seal in my rebuild kit from Zip Corvettes is a disaster. It is a single lip seal that actually misses the shiny part of the shaft almost completely and makes contact just about where the splines start. It's the way the seal is made, the seal umbrellas out of the seal housing and makes it too long. Is there a part number for a more low profile double lip seal that could be used in it's place? NOT fond of the Zip pitman shaft bushings either because of the single vertical grease groove but I did make them work...

 

Mooncricket,
I would ask Gary Ramadei (GTR1999). He is the expert on rebuilds and I am sure can answer your question.
Jim