Rag Joint Restoration

[wthirty1]

I can't comment on how the Chevy rag joint looks, but the NOS part available for the '70 Olds has a few subtle nuances from the assembly line piece. The splines on the factory clamp go around maybe 45% of the hole, whereas the NOS #7828871 has splines around the entire hole of the clamp. The original rag joint (coupler) also has the letter 'F' stamped in to the tall end of the "pin" (or whatever the permanent fixture is called on these things).

I sent my hardware out to be phosphated, and I'm looking for a source that will copper plate one of the original bolts. There is an awesome article on one of the Chevelle sites that breaks down the reason for the copper plating and how it impacts the ability to torque. I'll see if I can find the link and paste it in this thread.