Had about 10 or so including parts cars and they were all black ( the whole thingy)

 

heavens forbid that one could have a colour other than black for a thingy

 

Mine came like this...

 

Can someone confirm the original color of the Burman steering boxes

Black

Chris

 

So the box in my pic had the paint erode off over the years? Maybe through heat and power washing and generally bad paint, many end up like mine above. Personally, the aluminum does it for me.

 

Funny, they didn't paint the aluminum engine/head, tranny and diff melon black, but they did the aluminum steering box and idler body . . . I'd personally opt to leave mine bare (with black plates/bits) as it will just be a continuing task to keep it black. My recollection is that aluminum doesn't hold paint very well. I can't recall ever having seen one (in a runner) that was not mottled like a mangy dog. JMO.

 

Funny, they didn't paint the aluminum engine/head, tranny and diff melon black, but they did the aluminum steering box and idler body.

Well yea, but it makes sense. Alfa had to paint the top and front plates, as well as the arm on the box - they're steel, and would rust. Painting them separately, and then installing them, would have been a pain, and the paint would probably get chipped in the process. So, Burman assembed the entire box, and painted it as an assembly.

Ever seen a new farm tractor engine? The whole thing gets painted - radiator hoses and all. For a factory, this is a simpler procedure than individually masking and painting each of the bits.

 

From a production standpoint, that makes sense (perhaps not the tractor bit). From an aesthetic standpoint, it's debatable. The tubes/flanges on the rear axle are painted but not the melon. I think they look good in raw aluminum now with the steel bits painted.

 

From a production standpoint, that makes sense .....From an aesthetic standpoint, it's debatable.

Sure, I agree.

Therein lies the dilemma about restoration: do you finish parts in a way that makes them most attractive, or do you do it exactly like the factory did? Certainly an unpainted aluminum steering box with gloss black column and plates looks sharp. But, should a concours judge ding that treatment as not the way the factory did it?

Most Alfisti - myself included - say "scr*w the concours judges - I'm gonna finish it the way I like". But, there is an arguement for doing it the way the boys at Portello did.

 

Hi Bruce,
I've been threatening to call you for a few weeks. I'll prioritize it for this weekend.

I suppose a way to tell if a box was painted or not is to look at the scalloped portion that faces the chassis since this area would (theoretically) be more protected. However, even if one box (or a 1000) is painted or not, is not an indication (to me anyway) that all boxes would follow suit. Again, without documentation, I would not judge a painted or unpainted box as a concours deduction.

The E/flasher wiring is a similar example. Thanks to you, and verified by 4 other 69 Spider owners, there are two different E/flasher wiring schemes for the 69 although currently known Alfa publications state only one. In other words, all cars may not have been built the same nor may there be published documentation on any changes. The difference between the steering box and the wiring though is that the wiring will not fade nor disappear over time. And since there are (at least) 5 known examples of cars with unpublished wiring schemes, this to me is the documentation.

 

You are and will always be the Alfa Jedi Master. May the force remain with you!

PS: I see I could not draw you into the clamp color debate again. Smart!

 

Nor the idler arm housing color.

 

The conversation seems to have moved on a bit, but to answer the original question - my Burman box was black. I've attached a photo of it after removal of some of the baked on grease. The alloy parts of the other two boxes will remain unpainted, as I think it looks nicer.

Chris

 

Mine was black as well but I couldn't tell if it was factory painted or a result of years of built-up oil/grime forming a black paint like layer. Chris, seeing that you've got a few boxes lying around....any chance you could investigate and provide an answer to a question I posted in this thread?...

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/sus.../suspension-brakes-wheels-tires/169004-steering-column-hardware.html#post908668

 

Rossano,
I'd love to help, but they were old photos. Those boxes have long since been relocated in their respective cars, including mine.
Also, I don't have any photos of the disassembled shaft, sorry.
When I pull another one apart, I'll take some photos for you.
Chris

 

Thanks anyways Chris....hopefully I'll get an answer in the near future.