C1 - Aluminum Intake Orange Overspray

[Brad K.]

In the past couple years that I've had my '59 judged, I've seen and heard a variety of stories from judges and owners about the extent of orange overspray onto the aluminum intakes. All the way from "zero/nada" to as much as a couple inches onto the inner head surface and intake manifold.

From page 45 of 58-60 JG: "The engine was painted all at once at the engine manufacturing plant as a partial assembly; therefore, aluminum manifold (because of poor fit of paint mask) and engine grounding straps may show slight orange overspray"

Questions.....Are the key words here "may show"?.....so the variability of comments here is OK ? What was the configuration of the paint mask? Was it a straightedge located under the valve cover which could explain why some folks don't have any overspray? Was it a jagged-edge piece of cardboard which could explain why some orange paint was accidently sprayed on the intake?

Did anyone on the discussion board ever witness at Flint how this was done?

Just curious.....

[Dennis C.]

I wait with great anticipation for the...

responses to Brad's post. I hope the subject receives viable input from several of our learned members... DC

[Dennis C.]

I wait with great anticipation for the...

responses to Brad's post. I hope the subject receives viable input from several of our learned members... DC

[Tom D.]

Think Variables (Ops., Paint, Templates, Etc.) *NM*

[Tom D.]

Think Variables (Ops., Paint, Templates, Etc.) *NM*

[John H.]

Re: I wait with great anticipation for the...

The mask used on engines with aluminum intakes and valve covers was a fairly crude vacuum-formed plastic thing, made from a wooden form in the Flint V-8 toolroom. They weren't particularly precise, and didn't produce a "concours" paint application; some were better than others.

[John H.]

Re: I wait with great anticipation for the...

The mask used on engines with aluminum intakes and valve covers was a fairly crude vacuum-formed plastic thing, made from a wooden form in the Flint V-8 toolroom. They weren't particularly precise, and didn't produce a "concours" paint application; some were better than others.

[Dennis C.]

John, Was the basic engine assembly...

...complete including exhaust manifolds, aluminum intake manifold or FI adaptor manifold and aluminum valve covers? If so, did a single mask cover the valve covers and intake manifold during the engine paint process? Thanks, Dennis

[Dennis C.]

John, Was the basic engine assembly...

...complete including exhaust manifolds, aluminum intake manifold or FI adaptor manifold and aluminum valve covers? If so, did a single mask cover the valve covers and intake manifold during the engine paint process? Thanks, Dennis

[John H.]

Re: John, Was the basic engine assembly...

Dennis -

The intake and exhaust manifolds and valve covers were in place during painting through 1964 or so, and used three separate vac-form masks to cover the intake and valve covers; they were installed just ahead of the paint booth by the same guys who masked the thermostat housing neck, carb pad, spark plugs, water pump hub/shaft, distributor, etc. 300 per hour (one every 12 seconds) kept them pretty busy. Exhaust manifold installation was moved after the paint booth in 1965 or so.

I never saw the Flint V-8 Fuel Injection assembly process (which was done off the main line), so I'm not sure what was/was not on an F.I. engine when it went through the paint booth.

[John H.]

Re: John, Was the basic engine assembly...

Dennis -

The intake and exhaust manifolds and valve covers were in place during painting through 1964 or so, and used three separate vac-form masks to cover the intake and valve covers; they were installed just ahead of the paint booth by the same guys who masked the thermostat housing neck, carb pad, spark plugs, water pump hub/shaft, distributor, etc. 300 per hour (one every 12 seconds) kept them pretty busy. Exhaust manifold installation was moved after the paint booth in 1965 or so.

I never saw the Flint V-8 Fuel Injection assembly process (which was done off the main line), so I'm not sure what was/was not on an F.I. engine when it went through the paint booth.

[Dennis C.]

John, Thanks for your reply... On aluminum...

...valve cover equipped engines, I have never believed that there would be any real reason for engine orange overspray on the sides of the intake or the cylinder head surface adjacent to it. I feel the process you describe tends to support my belief. With 12 seconds to devote to a paint job, why would the painter take the time to try to spray paint between the intake and valve cover mask. I can understand and believe small amounts of orange overspray may appear in varying amounts on the front and rear of the intake manifold, depending on the fit of the mask. On the few aluminum valve cover C1 engines I have seen that have never been apart, I have never observed paint on the side of the intake or on the cylinder head surface adjacent. I sure as heck haven't seen them all, but I have been lucky enough to have seen enough to form my thoughts on the subject. I have a pet theory that the big intake/cyl head overspray belief came from looking over the fenders of BBC engines with orange valve covers - then, I can understand how some overspray might violate the sides of the intake. As usual, JMHO...

[Dennis C.]

John, Thanks for your reply... On aluminum...

...valve cover equipped engines, I have never believed that there would be any real reason for engine orange overspray on the sides of the intake or the cylinder head surface adjacent to it. I feel the process you describe tends to support my belief. With 12 seconds to devote to a paint job, why would the painter take the time to try to spray paint between the intake and valve cover mask. I can understand and believe small amounts of orange overspray may appear in varying amounts on the front and rear of the intake manifold, depending on the fit of the mask. On the few aluminum valve cover C1 engines I have seen that have never been apart, I have never observed paint on the side of the intake or on the cylinder head surface adjacent. I sure as heck haven't seen them all, but I have been lucky enough to have seen enough to form my thoughts on the subject. I have a pet theory that the big intake/cyl head overspray belief came from looking over the fenders of BBC engines with orange valve covers - then, I can understand how some overspray might violate the sides of the intake. As usual, JMHO...

[Brad K.]

Re: John, Was the basic engine assembly...

John,
I was under the mistaken impression that ALL engines (when they were painted) had steel valve covers that were used as a mask and that the mask itself was only covering the aluminum intake and fuel system. After painting, the steel covers on high horse engines were lifted off and replaced with aluminum units.

Are you saying that one mask covered all the way from the RH aluminum valve covers, across the top of the fuel system and then across the LH aluminum valve cover ?

That means there should be no examples of any paint from front to rear of the intake nor on the steel surfaces on the heads where they mate with the intake. This would mean that the un-painted steel on the heads (where they mate with the intake manifold) would be subject to rust. Also the only location for potential oversray is on the front and rear of the engine at the line between block and intake. Is this true?

[Brad K.]

Re: John, Was the basic engine assembly...

John,
I was under the mistaken impression that ALL engines (when they were painted) had steel valve covers that were used as a mask and that the mask itself was only covering the aluminum intake and fuel system. After painting, the steel covers on high horse engines were lifted off and replaced with aluminum units.

Are you saying that one mask covered all the way from the RH aluminum valve covers, across the top of the fuel system and then across the LH aluminum valve cover ?

That means there should be no examples of any paint from front to rear of the intake nor on the steel surfaces on the heads where they mate with the intake. This would mean that the un-painted steel on the heads (where they mate with the intake manifold) would be subject to rust. Also the only location for potential oversray is on the front and rear of the engine at the line between block and intake. Is this true?