Just paint it to match your nails.........or your favorite purse. Just don't paint a Chevy motor any color other than orange, there's rules against that.
The correct factory color was natural rust on the outside and oxide on the inside. Some would have a spot of some color somewhere on them but I never figured out that it gave you any meaningful information. Scott...
I believe the centers were red oxide primer...which is why there's no paint on it now. The primer is porous which leads to rust...but they look great primed and in a black housing! Prime it and then spray it with a satin clear for some rust protection. Trac-Loc or open was only part of the selection as you also had different gear ratios and even different axle spline counts. Colors wouldn't be enough as far as I'm concerned...and might even be confusing. My bet is they used "toe tags" until the center was installed and the proper steel tag was fastened to the stud.
I've painted a few of them bright silver. I have no idea why. Maybe I just like it to be obvious when someone looks under there that it has a Ford 9" pumpkin. A bright color makes it easy to spot leaks and easy to see when you're working underneath the car in near darkness. I think this was just high temp silver engine enamel from a spray can. Most of the swap meet pumpkins you see guys selling are painted red oxide primer. That looks good too, but red oxide primer won't stop it from rusting unless you put something that seals it up (like other guys have said). Mask the saddle areas where the U-joint cups set into the yoke so you'll get a nice solid metal to metal fit there.
Lot of rodders paint theirs with aluminum spray paint. Mine is actually ALUMINUM I believe they were red oxide from Henry Ford. .
The 9" center sections are red-oxide from the factory, inside and out. PPG DP74 epoxy primer is very close and is pretty much dead-on with a little splash of red added. If you had an N-case sometimes they add a splash of yellow marker/paint in the 'window' in the webbing where the N is located....but not always. The yolk was natural colored, the correct washers are copper and the nuts holding the center section to the rearend housing are natural with red ink on them. The rearend housing itself was usually satin black. The rearend ID tag was natural or zinc plated and held on to the rearend via one of the retaining studs/nuts sans washer. The location of the hole for the vent tube is sometimes marked out with a green line running around most of the axle tube circumference. Backing plates were typically black (satin or gloss) with natural surfaces on retaining hardware, drums were usually natural and retained with spring clip/washer/things....usually green/yellow in color.
Dang , mines out of the coop as of today , putting 3.89's & a mini spool . Gonna paint it chevrolet orange !
I believe the paint on the inside is glyptal red...like the paint used on the inside of engines. GE loves the stuff and it insulates as well...
Not sure of the spelling.....Glyptal (?) or something like that. It's the red oxide color that a lot of engine builders use to seal lifter galleys and block crankcase internal castings. It resembles the primer, but seals. Its used by electric motor builders on the inside of the housings. Should keep the moisture out, much as it seals any foreign material in the block areas mentioned. I think Eastwood sells it, but I've seen it in Grainger and McMaster.
I'd paint it with clear, that would be soooo cool to see the gears inside when it's going down the street.
Its a red insulating varnish, for electrical use. Very durable. You are correct about Grainger and McMaster
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