Painted Trans ?

[TopBanana72]

I have a 72 Charger with its original 318 and 904 and about 120K miles on it. I bought the car which is an older restoration, maybe 20 years with a color change. Supposedly the engine and trans has never been rebuilt. I suspect this is true as the engine compression is around 125 and I had to replace valve stem seals as well as trans shift shaft seal.

My question is the trans supposed to be painted Corp blue just like the engine? It is blue and that doesn't seem right. I'm trying to tell if any trans work has been done. Everything runs and shifts great.

 

[Evan Frucht]

I might be wrong but I think the trans was bare originally

 

[Kern Dog]

All transmissions were left bare whether they were automatic or manual. The manual transmission bell housing was painted though, right?

 

[andyf]

I have a 72 Charger with its original 318 and 904 and about 120K miles on it. I bought the car which is an older restoration, maybe 20 years with a color change. Supposedly the engine and trans has never been rebuilt. I suspect this is true as the engine compression is around 125 and I had to replace valve stem seals as well as trans shift shaft seal.

My question is the trans supposed to be painted Corp blue just like the engine? It is blue and that doesn't seem right. I'm trying to tell if any trans work has been done. Everything runs and shifts great.

A painted transmission is sure sign that someone has been messing with the car. Most likely a rebuilt trans but it could just be someone took the car apart to detail it and put it back together. Check the numbers on the trans to see if it is original. If it is original then it is probably rebuilt. If the trans is not numbers matching then you have another clue. Is the engine numbers matching?

 

[mmissile]

All transmissions were left bare whether they were automatic or manual. The manual transmission bell housing was painted though, right?

None that I've had.

 

[Lefty71]

My question is the trans supposed to be painted Corp blue just like the engine?

This came up a while back. By Blue, you mean the later 70's blue, not Aqua right?? Someone said here that there was a trans rebuilder painting them Blue, like Ford Blue, for their own warrantee purposes, but I don't remember who it was. I also have a '65 only BB 727 that was painted blue, but im sure every one I have ever seen that hasn't been messed with has been natural from the factory. Chrysler didn't use Ford Blue on anything back in '65 as far as I know. HTH, lefty71

 

[moparnation74]

All transmissions were left bare whether they were automatic or manual. The manual transmission bell housing was painted though, right?

The manual bellhousings did receive paint originally. They where assembled at the factory on the motor prior to paint. Typically the lower portion of the inspection cover including the bolts received little to no coverage....

This has been well documented.......

 

[mmissile]

I'm not into the OEM thing, but all the aluminum housing I've had were old and bare. Of course, paint doesn't stick to aluminum well.....especially after 5 decades.

 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

We had a tranny builder in town that painted ALL his units green... It's no different than a salvage yard putting their mark on a part

 

[Islandkent]

Best way to clean/restore bare tranny ? Just thought I'd ask since we were on the subject. I hope that's Ok.

 

[TopBanana72]

A painted transmission is sure sign that someone has been messing with the car. Most likely a rebuilt trans but it could just be someone took the car apart to detail it and put it back together. Check the numbers on the trans to see if it is original. If it is original then it is probably rebuilt. If the trans is not numbers matching then you have another clue. Is the engine numbers matching?

Yes the engine and trans are matching. I'm sure the car was apart as it was a color change and good job... engine bay painted, etc.

 

[TopBanana72]

This came up a while back. By Blue, you mean the later 70's blue, not Aqua right?? Someone said here that there was a trans rebuilder painting them Blue, like Ford Blue, for their own warrantee purposes, but I don't remember who it was. I also have a '65 only BB 727 that was painted blue, but im sure every one I have ever seen that hasn't been messed with has been natural from the factory. Chrysler didn't use Ford Blue on anything back in '65 as far as I know. HTH, lefty71

It was the 72 and later blue and matches engine.

 

[andyf]

Yes the engine and trans are matching. I'm sure the car was apart as it was a color change and good job... engine bay painted, etc.

I think you have your answer. Someone took the car apart and did an extra special resto complete with painting parts that the factory didn't paint.

 

[TopBanana72]

yep, thanks everyone!

 

[gary h]

I think AAMCO used to paint their Trannys.