Drive Train Component Paint Color

[#1 Trans Am Fan]

Engine and transmission work on my 1976 Special Edition Trans Am restoration is done and the differential will be done soon.  The engine is, of course, anniversary blue.  When I bought the car back in 2019, the transmission and differential were painted black.  Is that the way that they came from the factory or did someone paint them over the years.  I don’t think that manufacturers typically painted the transmission and differential, but maybe GM did back in ’76 as part of the anniversary package.

Were the transmission and differential originally painted black or unfinished?  If painted, does anyone know the correct spray paint color (or paint code)?

[roadking77]

First, would love to see some pics of that car 
Pretty sure the trans and every thing rearward would have been left natural. Drive shaft should be bare steel, and there should be a couple of painted rings on it. Not sure what colours would be on the 76. The rear was most likely natural from the factory as well, keep in mind the centre diff, is cast and the axle tubes are steel.

On my 77 I used Eastwood paint. They have different colours of silver, for bare steel, cast grey, bare aluminum.  In the end they look nice but they still look like paint compared to the real thing. On my current build I am taking or at least attempting to take everything back to bare steel and coating it with a product called 'shark hide'. Its a clear that is supposed to last, not yellow and be very durable. Parts are not supposed to rust with it applied. Time will tell. 

[79W72]

I am not sure how the 76's are, I agree with roadking that the Trans and the driveshaft are natural.  However the differential and axle on my 17,000 mile 79 and the little remaining paint on the differential and axle on my 78 SE that I am restoring is black (again 76 may be different).  Springs were also a natural color.  The springs on my 79 had sagged over time and I replaced them.  When I got them from the vendor they were black so I took them apart and used a color called "Cast Blast"  and it came out looking close to a natural color.    For my 78 I intend to bead blast the T-10 trans housing and leave it.  The drive shaft I will probably paint a similar cast blast color or try the  shark hide. My drive shaft has a green and yellow stripe around it and I have seen some with a blue stripe and some with a red.  I have no idea what the differences are.   

[roadking77]

79w72,  I am also mid restoration of a 79 4 speed. Interesting about the rear in your car. Mine is all surface rusted and does not appear to have been painted. Its removal and restoration is next on the to do list so we shall see once I remove it. There is a colour code for the drive shaft rings on the build sheet. I have seen several 79's(4 sp) that show yellow, yellow. I have no idea what they mean either.

I tried to get my driveshaft to natural but it was just too pitted so I am going to paint it with a steel look paint. Bit of a disapointment  but didnt want to get a new one.

[Wallington]

The bands are different colour combinations for tailshafts on the production line for different lengths and transmissions used. They were done at time of balancing where a spinning shaft was given a dab of paint.

In later years the 403/400/301 with auto had 2x Brown bands, the 4-speed had 2x Yellow bands.

It's also on the buildsheet in square 43 for VN, square 42 for Norwood builds.

[another10th]

The build sheet for my '79 (square 42, prop shaft) shows BR-BR. 403 / auto, Norwood build.

[Wallington]

aaah...yes, I've posted that backwards...corrected. Thanks