Finish on battery hold down clamp

[bowtie68iho]

I just bought three used, original battery hold down clamps.  All three had the two "dimples" on the crimp side, but were covered in crud from years of use.  When I cleaned them off, they all had black EDP coating over bare steel...no phosphate plating..  Well, just two weeks ago a friend if mine had a supposed NOS one that was phosphated.  I've seen NOS GM replacement ones on eBay that were phosphated.  In a different CRG topic on battery clamp bolts, JohnZ said his original clamp was painted black.

Does anyone know what the original assembly line correct finish was?

[JohnZ]

I just bought three used, original battery hold down clamps.  All three had the two "dimples" on the crimp side, but were covered in crud from years of use.  When I cleaned them off, they all had black EDP coating over bare steel...no phosphate plating..  Well, just two weeks ago a friend if mine had a supposed NOS one that was phosphated.  I've seen NOS GM replacement ones on eBay that were phosphated.  In a different CRG topic on battery clamp bolts, JohnZ said his original clamp was painted black.

Does anyone know what the original assembly line correct finish was?

Jerry's '69 book says natural or gray phosphate, but I disagree; Chevrolet would not have used a raw steel clamp adjacent to the battery. The same clamp was used on all Chevrolet car lines from '67-'69, and those I've seen are painted black, llike the battery tray. Service parts frequently had a different finish so they wouldn't rust in warehouse storage, vs. the production parts that were received raw and primed black in the plant.

[x77-69z28]

bowtie, do you want to get rid of one?

[Steve68]

I'm the original owner of my Camaro (68).  The battery hold down clamp is original and is painted black.

Steve

[bowtie68iho]

X77,

Sorry, I need all three clamps.  I'm using one and my friend is using the other two.

JohnZ and Steve68,

Thanks for confirming my suspicions.  I'll go with black paint and reference your (JohnZ) reply to the judges at the Camaro Nationals this year if I get dinged on my battery clamp being painted vice phosphated.  I hope this helps others too.

[Jon Mello]

I have an original battery tray and clamp from a '67 Camaro that was rear-ended and totaled back in '67 with only 1100 miles on it. The original clamp is black, not natural.

-Jon