VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Trucks and Vans Column shift paint/coating?

I'm looking for the correct coating for the steel threaded collar(axial pivot)at the top of the upper shift control rod that threads into the rotary swivel screwed to the mast inside the cab. Control rod, rotary swivel and shift lever are painted the generic interior color according to Bob Adler. I'm interested because of historical accuracy and also because of the tight thread and bore fit that will be affected by coating thickness. Also, does anyone have the correct coating for the steel strap that holds the shift box to the lower steering column mast? Thanks

What year truck ?

I really think it is an unpaintef item. You are talking about the 3 speed on the column part that has for lack of a better description, a clevis end while the rest of it is pretty nuch a threaded tube. right?

Thanks for the responses. Yep, should have noted that it is a '53 3100 P/U. And it is the barrel shaped clevis that threads into the pot metal guide that screws to the top of the mast. It's carbon steel and rust prone so I thought maybe it was flash cad plated. Can't put much thickness or it would mess up the thread fit and bore diameter.

The swivel was not plated. Just raw steel.

Adler is incorrect... The steering column,shifter,wheel & horn button are a different color than the rest of the interior.

I matched up one of my NOS steering wheels to some used shifter parts to show the correct color...
Best way to describe it is grey with a purple tint to it.




I think Chevy Nut is correct on the top shifter mount as I am unable to find any old ones with even remnants of the steering column color on them { unless it is for a 1955 55.1 }

I have that collar NOS somewhere around. It came in one of those buying sprees I think from Obsolete Chev Parts years ago when I bought any NOS part that was listed for H-M transmission.

What do you bet that I will never use it. I don't think I am any smarter now, I just am more broke!

OK, bare steel I can do. So the next obvious question is a color code or source of this "grey with a purple tint" color.
Any ideas?

Thanks. How about the coating (or lack thereof) on the strap holding the shift box to the column? Any info?

I have a milk crate full of used shifter boxes.
After checking the mounting straps....

About 1/2 of them are bare steel & about 1/2 of them show signs of black paint.

Looks like it depends on the year & which plant they were made at.




Closest color I can find to match the steering column & wheel is....

SEM # 15673 "Sequoia".
It is actually a plastic bumper coating & has a flex agent in it which makes it perfect for steering wheels.

Its common to find the shifter parts and possibly the steering column on both cars and trucks to not exactly match the dash colors. The dash, at least in passenger cars, was done in metallic lacquer and the shift parts and column done in enamel.
The smae for the steering wheel.

One last question and I can move on. Who/what is "SEM" in SEM#15673?? And thanks to all for the help.

SEM is the name of the paint company.
Any professional auto paint shop can match that number.