Colour of Vacuum lines

[Johns]

I am in the process of painting Nev's engine and had assumed that the vacuum lines were engine colour, they are in my blue car. Nev's engine has no paint left on it so that didn't help.

I was speaking to Maco on Sunday and he suggested they should be silver cad or similar. Can someone (Ken, RET) clarify ?

Also, neither of my cars has a painted steering box (nice one Leon ), but which nuts should have paint daubs and what colour?


Thanks
John

[leon]

Hi John.  :)The steering box looking strait at it, the square plug and the bottom left bolt head are the ones as this is the bolt you remove to check the lubricant level and the square plug you remove to top up.
The too on mine were daubed with a Orange colored paint.
The pipes color are the same as the engine, it was on mine.
Regards Leon

[Geoff_K]

Hi John, Leon etc.
Leon's winning car is immaculate, and he has meticulously restored the engine bay and in my opinion correctly painted the fuel and vacuum lines to match the engine colour.  On factory build engines, I have only ever seen painted external plumbing, brackets etc.  Spare parts and after market pipes may have been mild steel or plated. (mild steel if assumed factory painting - most pipes around the engine's I have appear to rust once paint is gone)
With respect to the steering boxes, I have always believed them to be a natural silver colour (natural cast aluminium finish) although on most cars they end up covered in oil/grease and caked on dirt - thus look black.  However, with 56 cars having colour co-ordinated columns, then all black columns there after, it is easy to see how some steering boxes would have been painted.
Cheers, Geoff_K

[leon]

Thanks Geoff RE steering box colour, I will be bringing along to the meeting one of the photos of the engine bay of my car and there in colour for anyone who wants to see for the first time an original black steering box.
We live and learn don't we? Thanks Geoff.
Regards. Leon

[RET]

There was a post here many moons ago that showed an original engine bay with a black steering column. I've had a look around but I can't find the thread, only this mention of it.

cheers
RET

[zulu]

I am sure that the steering box in my FE was black also, so I repainted it black as I found it.

[mcl1959]

I have the pic of the black steering box - it is in the September 1956 copy of "Motor" magazine - a really great shot of a spotlessly clean engine bay with black steering box, you can even see the daub of coloured paint on the filler stud
This is one of the best shots available as a reference for establishing original engine colours and components - I use it lots.
It is in a Sydney registered car (reg number BCP 044)
Will post a pic ASAIC

Ken