Another dumb CMP Chev question

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Early Chev CMP steering columns were painted black. Did this practice continue so that all factory CMP Chevs had gloss black columns? If not, any guess when the factory started painting those columns the overall paint colour?

So basically my question comes down to...what is the right colour to paint a 1944 Chev steering column?

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Bruce

Reason I say there may not be a conclusive answer to the color of the steering column is that all three of my Chevy CMPs have black painted steering column. This includes 1941 C60L, 1942 C60S and 1945 HUP all have black painted steering columns.

I suspect that all steering columns came from supplier painted black, and that the color other than that was decided by the guy with paint gun when the truck was assembled or got it's finial paint job.

One place to look for the original color would be were the column is covered by the mounting bracket at the dash.

Cheers Phil

PS my color determinations is based on my pre-restoration photos of my trucks.

[Jordan Baker]

My steering column was black as well.

[m606paz]

Factory picture

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Well black it's going to be. The wooden wheel will not get a coat of brown paint as it originally would have. It will be natural wood with linseed oil. That concession to original I'm prepared to make.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Bruce

Now as to the steering wheel all the plastic or cast were I believe black. But I'm not sure of the ones with steel spokes and wood ring. I don't remember seeing any of the wooden ones fully painted.

The natural wood is more comfortable as is the size. My HUP has the wood wheel and any paint could have been over spray close to the spokes.

Cheers Phil

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

Hi Bruce

Now as to the steering wheel all the plastic or cast were I believe black. But I'm not sure of the ones with steel spokes and wood ring. I don't remember seeing any of the wooden ones fully painted.

The natural wood is more comfortable as is the size. My HUP has the wood wheel and any paint could have been over spray close to the spokes.

Cheers Phil

I'm basing my comment that wooden Chev wheels were painted on seeing NOS ones always painted. Relying on trucks for evidence is very hard because the paint has either weathered off or many had post war black green over the original paint which I never had the opportunity carefully check under.

[Jordan Baker]

Going by the factory photos it appears that the external portion of the steering tube got overstayed with the body colour after final assembly.

I ended up painting my steering wheel as the wood portion needed some epoxy repairs. It was painted with flat olive drab paint. After a few drives it’s highly polished to a very nice finish.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Going by the factory photos it appears that the external portion of the steering tube got overstayed with the body colour after final assembly.

I ended up painting my steering wheel as the wood portion needed some epoxy repairs. It was painted with flat olive drab paint. After a few drives it’s highly polished to a very nice finish.

By 'external portion' I assume you mean the cast bits at the forward bottom end?