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Location: Cambridge, MA
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50s Car eletrical parts
I'm doing all the clear cadmium plating for a factory supercharged 57 Thunderbird. Restorer wants these two electrical components plated.
I may be able to protect the wires and core surface but would rather take them apart. Can these be safely disassembled?   
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08-22-2016, 02:31 PM
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Gary H 1978 911 SC
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Fort Worth Texas
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You would never get them to work again.
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08-22-2016, 02:34 PM
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Quote:
(edit) You might give these guys a ring. http://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_thunderbird/index.php
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08-22-2016, 02:40 PM
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Condensers are basically capacitors. Inside, you'll find a long strip of foil and paper rolled up tightly. No chance of opening it and having them work again.
Somebody surely makes a plated version (the wire on the one looks a bit sketchy anyways); otherwise, I'd bet you could polish them with a bit of compound and a buffing wheel and it would look good.
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08-22-2016, 02:43 PM
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OK, thanks. I'll try to protect them.
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08-22-2016, 02:45 PM
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what about masking? I think something like hot wax on the top and onto the wire. We did stuff like that with anodizing.
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08-22-2016, 03:20 PM
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that's what I'll do but will use silicone.
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08-22-2016, 03:48 PM
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The chances of those being factory original are very slim. A lot of work for over the counter parts.
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08-22-2016, 03:58 PM
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Control Group
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That, and they may not even work. Insulation on the wire looks sketchy
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08-22-2016, 04:47 PM
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These are wear parts. They are going to have to be replaced in the future anyway. Buy a couple of new ones from NAPA, not only will they be plated as original, but they'll be functional.
I don't like to come off as an old curmudgeon, but these things got replaced every 3000 miles when the car was new. Getting these plated in the hope that they still have some life in them is nuts. Who the heck is ever going to know if a condenser has been replaced with an identical but perhaps more reliable piece?
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. Last edited by wdfifteen; 08-22-2016 at 05:28 PM.. |
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08-22-2016, 05:18 PM
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In the 50's, 60's, and 70's doing a tune up regularly included points, plugs, condenser, cap, & rotor, so the chance of them being original is pretty close to nil. Many vendors sell NOS Ford stuff, so it shouldn't be to hard a proper replacement.
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08-22-2016, 05:25 PM
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Parrothead member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Monmouth county, NJ USA
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Check out Dearborn Classics, or Dennis Carpenter, for Ford replacement parts. They definitely carry those.
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08-22-2016, 05:57 PM
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Im pretty sure they aren't (or weren't) cad plated anyway. Its just an aluminum case made pretty much the same as they are today.
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08-23-2016, 04:07 AM
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I'm dropping off seat rails and hardware to the restoration shop tomorrow, I'll talk with them then.
They are steel and plated. They are a little greyer than today's clear cad but are pretty old. I would lean toward yesterday's clear zinc on them for both being greyer and cost. Today they would be blue.
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08-23-2016, 04:21 AM
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coulda, woulda, shoulda
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Location: Louisiana
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I've got a bunch of pre 70's cars including a 64 t-bird. I replace condenser every time I tune one up and I can get one at just about any parts store. they are probably aluminum. never paid too much attention because it's a less than $10 part and is hidden inside the distributor cap. I think I've seen one on a regulator maybe. I have 2 friends with 57 tbirds, I can ask them. you can get catalogs tbird specific like mac's antique auto parts. I just looked in my copy and a 57 tbird condenser is a $4.95 but thats an old copy. might be $5.95 now
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08-23-2016, 04:36 AM
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Preferred pronoun:Maestro
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So rather than use parts the restorer knows aren't original (by buying new or perhaps NOS) he, in the very off chance that these condensers are original to the car, wants you to make them unoriginal for the sake of originality.
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08-23-2016, 04:48 AM
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Control Group
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Do you suppose it has the original spark plugs and points? About the same chance as those parts.
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08-23-2016, 04:50 AM
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The Unsettler
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I think I still have a few bottles of original 57' Ford factory air for the tires if he's interested in buying them.
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08-23-2016, 06:24 AM
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Talked with the shop, these are original to the car, not typically replaced and if they were, they were replaced using a Ford part. The stamping on the case is what's important. It doesn't matter if they work or not. Being original to the car is a big deal.
The latter is good news for me. I can do a lot to them now. There were only 211 of these cars made. Thanks for all the help!
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08-23-2016, 06:57 AM
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coulda, woulda, shoulda
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Location: Louisiana
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original 1957 condenser? wow. they must change out points fairly often. I've had a few cars with bad condensers that wouldn't even start or ran very rough if they did
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08-23-2016, 07:15 AM
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2004 Mazda Miata
