Whenever possible original hardware should be retained. Typically the hardware used on the original Cobras were either Cadmium 1 (clear Cadmium) or black oxide. Cadmium 1 is silver in appearance. Finding sources to have Cadmium plating are becoming harder and harder to find because of the chemicals used in the process.
Zinc plating has become an alternative to Cadmium plating but there is a noticeable difference in the finish.