Help! Spare parts identification, brass or else?

[JohnnyRocket]

Hello Everyone

I am planning to replace some parts on my M4. I will replace the timer and frame levers by M2-M3 style and the speed rotary selector. As I want to have this camera black painted I want those parts to be brass. I will replace the speed selector because on some M4 cameras it is what looks like aluminium.

I have found some replacement parts. Can you confirm they are chromed brass? Also I'm not sure of the origin of the speed selector. It's not like the M3, noor exactly like the M2 noor my M4. The bolt looks a bit smaller.
Any idea which camera it comes from?

I'm pretty sure the levers I found are brass, not sure about the speed selector.

Thanks a lot for your help! here are some pics :

 

[Dralowid]

Use a magnet?

 

[splitimageview]

I have never seen an aluminum speed selector on any M and I’ve painted a large quantity of Ms. They are all brass.

 

[johannielscom]

all those parts appear to have some speck of verdigris green on the rear of them, which would indicate brass oxidation.

I have never heard of aluminium parts, although top and bottom plates of later models are a zinc alloy. Don't believe that was used for parts like these though.

 

[JohnnyRocket]

Some M4 seems to have aluminium or non brass speed selector. Or maybe they are brass black chromed (with nickel plating or something) on original black paint M4? I don't know, look at those pics and you will see silver peaking underneath the black on the edges of those speed selectors
Another possibility is it was just painted black on top of a chromed part...!

 

[JohnnyRocket]

I can't use a magnet, the chrome coating itself is magnetic on those cameras it seems...! I have tried on my M4 and the magnet sticks on the bottom plate, separated from the camera. The bottom is brass...

 

[splitimageview]

All are brass. Not all rewind cranks are, however. 🙂

 

[Deleted member 65559]

All are brass. Not all rewind cranks are, however. 🙂

seems that changed sometime in 1968. The aluminum one is visible on the bottom of the stack photo post #5

this one is early 1968

Flickr

 

[Beemermark]

So $3.5~4K for a FrankenLeica? Some pople have too much money.

 

[JohnnyRocket]

seems that changed sometime in 1968. The aluminum one is visible on the bottom of the stack photo post #5

this one is early 1968

Flickr

I think so mine is 1968-1969 1189XXX and the rewind crank seems to be full aluminium but it still has the R and the arrow on it!

 

[Fraser]

mine is a 71 and the shutter speed dial doesn't look brass either and the rewind lever looks like painted chrome plated brass.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

mine is a 71 and the shutter speed dial doesn't look brass either and the rewind lever looks like painted chrome plated brass.

Fraser, check this one. According to DAG, the 2nd series was machined alu. paint wouldn't stick to chrome in theory. that's all the info i could find. Later versions are cast not machined...and also aluminum.

https://www.dagcamera.com/store/p116/2nd_Version_Leica_M4_Rewind_Knob-Chrome.html