1969 L36 intake manifold orange overspray

[Greg L.]

I'm at the point where I'm ready to paint my engine and have one burning question that I still really haven't received an answer for yet.

To what degree and areas did the intake manifold have overspray from the engine painting process?

I know that it had a mask placed over it and then painted but what exactly did the end result look like? Does anyone have any pics that they could post or send me of what this overspray pattern should look like?

If not, then should I just use masking tape and meticulously tape ALL around the perimeter of the manifold say about a 1/4" up from the gasket surface and call it a day? I would think that this would be too "neat" so I don't think that's how it should look like. I also wonder if the area between the manifold and chrome valve covers should be painted or if the factory mask covered the intake manifold and valve covers as well?

Lots of questions I know... Posting a few pics would be the easiest if that's possible.

Thanks,
Greg Linton
#45455

[Jack H.]

Re: 1969 L36 intake manifold orange overspray

The drop-down mask was known to 'settle' in different places depending on the characteristics of that specific painter at that point in time. Often, you'll see clean crisp parting lines from the mask, but you'll also see ragged/irregular parting lines too.

Looking at pictures of other cars, simply tells you how that particular engine was painted and/or how that individual elected to restore their car...

[Greg L.]

Re: 1969 L36 intake manifold orange overspray

Thanks Jack.

So I guess then HOW I mask it isn't as important as WHERE I mask it which leads me to my next question...

Did the mask cover just the intake or did it also cover a portion of the machined gasket surface of the cylinder heads between the manifold and valve covers?
Take this pic for example Note how the central portion(near the heat riser passage) of the intake gasket and gasket itself is not painted and how the area just ahead of the first intake runner has some overspray and just forward of that is actual paint. Is this typical or should these bare areas be painted as well?

I have a few pics from two other original L36 cars that suggest that these bare areas should have engine paint on them so that is why I am now a bit confused. Maybe the Tri-Power cars were painted with a different mask or maybe as you suggest, this is simply how this person chose to paint his engine.

Either way I'd like to get mine to be as close to the way it was and not how I wished it was so any advice, hints or tips would really be appreciated.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1969 L36 intake manifold orange overspray

My guess is that the engine in your picture has been restored/repainted, and thus should not be used as an example of "how the factory did it." I may be painting with too broad a brush, but some of the carburetor details indicate to me they have been reworked, and the engine paint looks too perfect to be original. I mean no offense -- just my couple of pennies.

My understanding is that the masks they used were imperfect and sometimes moved during the painting process. Thus there may be no certain answer to your questions. If you have examined photographs of several original engines you know how they did it in those cases. Replicate one of those -- your choice which -- and you should be OK.

[Greg L.]

Re: 1969 L36 intake manifold orange overspray

Thanks Terry and yes you are correct in that this is a pic of a restored engine that was at the meet in Kissimmee last week. I was just using it for reference.

The two sets of pics that I do have of original L36 cars however don't show if the area near the heat riser passage is painted or bare like in the pic that I posted because the air cleaner hid most of this in my shots. What I was hoping was that someone here might have some pics of an original L36 that would show what this area looked like or possibly explain to what degree it got painted.

I'm thinking that the mask covered JUST the intake so there should be paint all the way from front to back of the intake gasket surface of the cylinder head but I'm just not quite sure.

Can anyone confirm or dispute this?