color of carburator

[kermkep]

What was the original color for the carb., starter, and generator on a z tractor?
 

[Doug Cotton]

Factory everything was painted with the chasis. So carb,starter,generator is all prairie gold.
 

[Alan K]

I often wonder if some of the pictures that were in the manuals with the black parts were photos before production tractors were produced. I rememeber seeing pictures like that in the ZA manuals. And also MM did reuse ALOT of photos in different manuals even for different models. Ive seen pictures from UTs in ZA or ZB manuals and if I remember right a 5 Star picture in an M5 book.
 

[maj-mm]

If older tractor, and originally ordered with out Starter & or Generator, and then added later, they would probably be "Delco" black. Roger Mohr & several others have told me this over the years, and seems to match up with my research. However, having talked to many former Moline Employeers over the years, if there was a tractor on the assembly line ready for paint, and short starter, Generator or other part, MM would have painted & added the parts later. I have seen ZA's & ZB's with original "black" starter & Generator, never changed per original owners, so perhaps this explains that?
 

[Daniel L. Croy]

The Carbs on both my 1937 ZTU and 1939 RTU are unpainted. Both tractors were sold without electric. My dad added starter and lights to the R in 1944 and to the Z in 1951. I remember both events. The starters and generators are Delco black. The Magnetos were also unpainted.
Last week I rebuilt the Schebler TRX-12 on my ZTU. After complete cleaning I sprayed exterior with clear coat. Carb sure looks nice. Was clear coat a mistake?
Dan Croy