Quote:

Rick,
How do explain the paint on the pads?

Maybe the pads where used after the drawing I posted? Assuming that the plugs referenced were like the ones you show in your picture, the pads may have been an engineering solution to disposal problem with the black rubber plugs. It would make since to replace a pain in the butt part that required removal and disposal with a part that could be left in place. This would explain why cars like mine did not have the pad and there was no sign that it had been there and then removed after paint.

Maybe someone with a later drawing can shed some light on the subject.



I'm speculating too...

Paint on them would be a matter of when they were stuck on... the tar sealer they used was smeared on after dip gray, but before topcoat painting.

Yes, I could see where it could've been a two-part solution... seal the threads from paint & later poke the bolt through with no rubber plugs laying around.
I can imagine those plugs ending up on the floor could've been a real tripping-slipping hazard!