what was painted black as delivered

[Duane]

what parts of the truck were painted black? my chassis, springs, trans, snd trasnsfer case are, but so is my engine compt, and I know that is not correct, were the differentials green or black? and whaty was the engine block color?

Thanks

Duane

[MarknessMonster]

Similar in all the other black characteristics as your truck, my engine compartment differs in that it is green. I think all engine blocks were black, with only the valve covers being different between original vehicles, as many are the mill finished aluminum color and some black.

My axles and differential covers are also black, and I don't think that I've ever seen an original M715 with OD painted on anything underneath the body, other than bumpers and wheels. However, the amount of original vehicles I've viewed is probably much more limited than that of other members of this site.

[randyscycle]

This is an age-old debate and I'm not sure there is a correct answer.

Seems that the frames were painted black for sure, but usually oversprayed either at Toledo, or while in service with OD.

Of the several unrestored trucks I've looked at, I've seen both black frames, and oversprayed ones. Mine had never been painted OD, but one time, and the frame was oversprayed in spots, but black was showing through here and there when I pressure washed it.

The axles didn't look to have been painted at all in either my truck, or Grantshires truck, which I have the axles from sitting behind my shop. They had that patina of brown rust and some OD sprayed over on them.

The engines I believe were all OD from the factory.

[george walker]

The only way to know would be to see all the assembly orders for each component to identify what if any color was applied, I cant imagine that you would ever find that info.
However from observing trucks that are mostly still orignal, closely observing pics in the tm's(even black an white show shading diff between colors) and even comparing how a truck is assembled today can give clues. It seems certian that the only other color applied besides green was black. Most engines still have it on them even today, and some other components as well. Many orignal trucks I have seen seem to have little to no paint on the frame, which leads me to beleive that although they prob were painted from the factory, it was a poor -thin covering which came off mostly if not resprayed at some time. A modern GM truck for instance, has a black coating on it, however if a pressure washer is applied it will come off, so someting similar may have been used then by Kaiser? For assembly all components are made somewhere else, painted if required, then delivered to the line to be assembled to the frame or body, except in an accident painting has alreday been accomplished an no more would be applied after assembly. So certianly much hardware would be bare and of course items like carb, fuel pump and steel lines would be also.

[Duane]

I Have a book for judging standards for my 45 gpw, every piece on that has been figured out what to finish is suppose to be on there, I know the m715 does not have the popularity as a gpw, but didnt know if anyone on here has figured out the correct colors for the parts. my front shackles I bought from AB linn are OD, but I am assuming that the replacement parts were sprayed od to stop them corroding, whether they are originally black or not. The diffI am sure could have been black or left as cast, and unless someone has color pics of them new, I dont know if we will know.

I think we have gone through this before, but the blocks were black from the factory, and OD if they went through a rebuild? I also have on OD Valve cover, and a spare that was taken off an original truck stripped for parts almost 30 years ago. so i cant solve that question either.

Duane

[george walker]

The general concensus for this truck is, body- body related green; frame, drivetrain etc. black, obvious parts fuel pump, carb etc. bare.

[Duane]

and thats what I will do, was the heater box black or OD, inside and outside ones

[fng]

Heater box was black semigloss.

[SAC715]

I finally just sat down and cleaned each part off and looked at it really close.
Here's what I found on my truck. Black frame with a part number stenciled in white, black axles, drums and springs all satin black. Shocks and transmission crossmembers semi/gloss black. All yokes on axles,transfercase and transmission bare with light blue inspector paint dots on them. Outter axle hubs OD green. Bottom of cab and bed green. All of that was the original. Now my engine had been rebuilt at Red River Army Depot and it was ALL green, sprayed over bare fuel pump, intake, timing cover and water pump. I have some pictures I could post.

[Duane]

That is some good info, pics would be good, and would be a good refeernce topic to save as a sticky.

Duane