To Paint or Not to Paint?

[Fred Pennington 25635]

Greetings
For those of you who know far more about these things than me.

Is it better to paint items that are usually bare cast iron like Master Cylinders and Steering Gears with a cast iron colored paint or a clear coat or is it better left bare. If left bare do you want to keep it clean or let it rust? If you let it rust how far do you let it go, just a light rust or just let it age naturally.

Hope this is clear
I am working on a 40' LaSalle but this is applicable to all years of Cads / LaS

Thanks
Fred

[Tom Hall 7485]

I don't think those parts normally were left bare.  Sometimes the factory used a wash of black tar to keep the rust off of certain parts long enough to sell the car.  A mechanic rebuilt a '41 brake master cylinder for me and used the same treatment when he finished.  It remains tacky and collects dust.

[Jim Beard]

I usually put the whole brake system together, bleed it and get it working properly with the parts in bare metal form. Then I clean up all the cylinders and master with degreaser and hand paint them with a few good coats of black caliper paint. I have been doing it like this for years on my cars and they always look good, and if a little paint comes off just get the brush back out and touck it up. These parts start looking crummy in bare metal after a few years of rusting in my opinion.

[Fred Pennington 25635]

The authenticity manual shows these as bare metal. I have work with many older cars and these two items are usually bare when new.
My question goes to what is preferred by judges and enthusiasts who prefer the car correct,

Thanks
Fred

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Eastwood has a very good "cast iron metal gray" paint that duplicates the original
look and will inhibit rust.

In my opinion (as a judge) this is much preferred to rust, which developes on these
surfaces very fast.

Eastwood's web site is:  http://www.eastwood.com/?srccode=ga200220&gclid=CNGZkcehkqMCFSQ65Qod2zgaqw

That's what I use on my cars.

Mike