Where the Bellhousings on early 67 427's (Nov 2,66), painted the orange engine color or retained there natural aluminum finish.
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Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
Don-----
Tonawanda painting practices generally had all or most of the bellhousing painted engine orange. This applied to all 65-74 big blocks. There was one notable exception, though: the bellhousings used on 1969 ZL-1 engines were unpainted.In Appreciation of John Hinckley -
Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
i usually paint the foeward half(approximatly) of the bellhousing chevy engine orange . mikeComment
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Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
Mike,
Yep, that was the target at the engine plant. The target was the cast iron of the block but because high pressure/volume pressure feed paint systems were used, there was a lot of paint that wound up on the forward section of the clutch housing also. The spray pattern was nearly 12" wide. It went fron nearly total coverage at the front to just a mist near the rear of the housing. (not something that can easily be duplicated with a spray can)
One of the reasons that a lot of guys with big blocks think almost the entire housing was painted was the pictures and captions in David Burrough's book, "Corvette Restoration, State of the Art". The clutch housing in that 14971 car appeared to have been factory painted that way at disassembly but the truth of the matter is, it was painted by the guy that replaced the clutch when I owned the car before David had it.
I'm not saying no big blocks were ever painted that way but it's definitely not typical of the engine plant to cover the entire housing that way.
MichaelComment
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Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
Michael,
See that you are still in Florida and not blown away. Good for you! You know, I was looking thru that book just last week and noticed the bell housing painted on the 65 car. Looking at it, I said there must have been some that were painted anyway. Really funny how things get turned around after a few owners. Screws up judging manuals too many times.
Regards,
JRComment
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Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
Joe,
Yes, I made it through "Jeanne". Sort of... Had a lot of roof/shingle damage and then some water came in to trash a few walls but it sure could have been worse. Lot of houses around here that don't exist at all now so I guess I was lucky. No damage to the old cars but the 89 had to sit out so there area some new chips and scratches. No big deal, it's a driver anyway. We're getting used to these hurricanes now.
I still haven't heard anything from Mike Cobine. Hope he's ok.
I remember discussing the clutch housing paint deal with David Burroughs but it was too late. The book had already gone to print as I remember. I think I even remember their being some orange paint on the transmission mating surface on the back of the housing. Tonawanda wouldn't have done that.
MichaelComment
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Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
Michael------
I just took a look at Dave's book and you're right; it does appear that he's completely painted the bellhousing in the "after restoration" photo. What's strange is that Dave would have been so easily fooled by a bellhousing for which the paint must have looked non-original. After all, there's just no way that whoever painted the bellhousing could have made the paint exactly match what was on the engine; even the slightest difference in shade between bellhousing and block should have been an easy tip-off that the paint was non-original. Also, the difference in the age of the paint should have been readily apparent. The paint on the engine, as evidenced by the "pre-restoration" photos, looks very original in all respects. Dave is such a methodical, fastidious sort of guy that it amazes me that he would have been "lead down the primrose path" to believe that a bellhousing painted as you described was original to the car.
Also, if one carefully examines the photo on page 324 of Noland Adams' book which shows the undercarriage of a new 1966 Corvette with L-36, it appears that the bellhousing is completely painted with the exception of the rear 1", or so. It's a little hard to see, but I find it convincing.
I've seen several '621' bellhousings from big blocks that appeared to have their original paint on them. In all cases, the bellhousing was either completely painted or just the last inch, or so, was left bare just like the engine in the photo described.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
Michael,
Reminds me of the Michael Antonick books that came out back in the 70's. A friend of mine, Paul Kitchens of Jackson, TN., had his 64 Coupe featured in one of the earlier books. It had a hole below the left rear bumper in the glass that was featured in one of the pictures in the book. We laughed and said we bet everyone around the country was drilling that hole so it would be exactly like the one in the book.
Of course the hole was for a CB antenna that had long since disappeared from the 64.
Glad to know you and the rest of the gang are OK. Already looking forward to NCRS Florida in January. See you there.
Regards,
JRComment
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Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
Joe,
You should consult Michael via e-mail sometime and ask about the 65 featured in the book. Not only did Michael own the car before the restoration, he consulted on the restoration of this 65 for the book. He could write a book on the 65 much more detailed than the Burroughs book.
My contribution to the 65 was the restoration of the radiator and the engine paint as I had the original formula for BB orange. Had as in the past tense since the original pigments for the BB orange are long discontinued.
Regards,
JRComment
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Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
JR-----
There's really not too much that I need to know about the car and I don't question, at all, Michael's information that the bellhousing was painted by another owner previous to Dave Burrough's work on the car. What surprises me is that such a painting should have been indiscernable as far as its originality to the car.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
Joe,
After I added that last post, I started thinking about the events of the clutch replacement when I owned the car. I think the housing had actually been painted by someone years before I had the car. The reason I thought I remembered it being painted by the man that replaced the clutch for me was the fact that he must have washed the housing and the orange paint looked new when I got the car back.
The car had several different clutches in it's life, especially because of the fact that it spent most of it's life in San Francisco with all the hills.
The last one that Schneider (orig owner) installed was, I'm sure, designed for a tug boat. It took three people to push it in. As soon as I returned to Illinois with the car, I had the clutch replaced immediately.Comment
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Re: 67 BB Bellhousing
JR,
That's quite a complement! Thank You. However, I must add that there were a LOT of people from all around the country that were involved in that restoration in one way or another. You, on the radiator for example, and people like Bob Zimmerman who was/is probably one of, if not "the", most knowledgeable 65 guy on the planet for misc details on 65's. Dale Smith for just about everything that David couldn't find. (by the way Dale, I'm still waiting for my free complete set of your reproduction glass from 20+ years ago for my 66) The list of people goes on and on.
It was fun working with David during the restoration of that 65 car. I learned a lot also. I think we all have.
MichaelComment
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