Dave, I can't wait to see this car at the nats!
It frustrates me though, as I can't imagine my T/A restoration can ever come out as "day 1" as I would like as you have set the bar so high!
I have a question on your drum brake master cylinder. Can you post a close up of it on this car?
I did a lot of research on master cylinders back when I was an engineer at a very large aftermarket brake company and had access to several thousand NOS OEM samples from applications dating back to the 50's. Due to house cleaning in storage the only Mopar drum brake sample for the '67-'70 applications left was a newer Bendix sample that had a natural cast iron body and plated cap. From that I assumed that is how they were back to the start of production of this part in mid '66 in preperation for the '67 model year.
Sadly, shortly after an article I wrote on the subject went to press in Mopar Action, I came into an early datecoded used example, that when I started to clean the surface rust off, I found traces of black paint or e-coat. Subsequently I was able to purchase several very early date coded NOS examples that had black bodies with plated caps. E-coated prior to the casting being machined in fact. This actually agrees with my observations on most Bendix master cylinders made back in that era for Ford and GM. Disc Mopar MC's oddly enough were different, painted, not coated black, after final assembly of the master cylinder.
I've posted these observations along with pictures here on occasion but have grown hesitatant to discuss this issue further as the mob gathers to attack with their belief that Mopar drum brake master cylinders were originally bare cast iron and anyone who says otherwise should be burned at the stake!
Having NOS examples in hand and having been involved at my old work in a project to make both e-coated and bare metal versions of the same part (premium vs. budget line), I know what a nightmare and ultimately nearly impossible it is to segregate coated vs non coated parts in a manufacturing line. (black coated MC's were made only as replacement parts, the crowds theory goes).
In your extensive research and observations, what have you concluded on this subject?
Brad