While working in the Safety-Kleen tank yesterday, removing the original, vintage "gunk" from the transmission control and kickdown linkage belonging to my 71 340 Cuda convertible (one owner car and never previously apart, per the original owner), I discover red paint, apparently dipped rather than sprayed, on the small kickdown lever (There was none on the valve body lever below it). The paint, some of which came off during cleaning, is on both the upper and lower surface of the lever, and can be seen in the small hole as well. The shiny area is where the additional paint was. OK, so my car coincidentally IS FE5, which more than likely has no relevance to this scenario, but has anyone ever seen anything like this?

Thanks,

Bill Rolik

Opposite side view.

Bizarre.

BR

I've never seen any color on linkage parts like that. Since it's just on the lever, and not on the clip also.....that kinda rules out it being an inspection marking.