1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

[Dan H.]

Just wondering how long an engine would sit after being assembled and stamped until it was painted. Minutes, hours, days? On FI engines, was the FI unit installed at engine assembly time or later prior to painting operation? Thanks for any insight from you 'old' guys!
Dan

[William C.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

Based on a tour of the plant I took about 1964, Minutes...Can't speak to FI, but I believe the baseplate had a mask over it (like the 340-365-350hp) engines.

[Dan H.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

Thanks Bill, guess my next question would be were they then pushed off to waiting storage areas and for how long? Already on order from St. Louis or just stockpiled? I went on a tour of the Mustang plant in Detroit in 1964, they really crank those components out. Walked next to a bare frame and saw them start it and drive it out of the plant. Maybe took an hour.

[John H.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

guess my next question would be were they then pushed off to waiting storage areas and for how long? Already on order from St. Louis or just stockpiled? I went on a tour of the Mustang plant in Detroit in 1964, they really crank those components out. Walked next to a bare frame and saw them start it and drive it out of the plant. Maybe took an hour.

Dan -

Nothing was "stockpiled" at Flint V-8; 300 engines per hour (one every 12 seconds) came out the end, 18 hours a day, and they all went into racks that then went into rail cars. F.I. units were installed after engine painting. In contrast to the cabureted engines, St. Louis only installed a few small parts on F.I. engines.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

Dan -

Nothing was "stockpiled" at Flint V-8; 300 engines per hour (one every 12 seconds) came out the end, 18 hours a day, and they all went into racks that then went into rail cars. F.I. units were installed after engine painting. In contrast to the cabureted engines, St. Louis only installed a few small parts on F.I. engines.

John,
Your Flint numbers are for both assembly lines, right?
When I first visited, in the mid-1980s, they were running two V8 engine assembly lines. One was for injected engines and one for carbureted engines. Did they do it that way with the 1957 to 1965 injected engines?

[Dan H.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

Dan -

Nothing was "stockpiled" at Flint V-8; 300 engines per hour (one every 12 seconds) came out the end, 18 hours a day, and they all went into racks that then went into rail cars. F.I. units were installed after engine painting. In contrast to the cabureted engines, St. Louis only installed a few small parts on F.I. engines.

Thanks John, was the engine test run after the painting process? I'm under the impression the FI unit was installed for the test run. What all was on the engine for the test? Wish there was a picture of this proceedure. Thanks,
Dan

[Bob J.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

I don't claim to know originality on pre 63 cars but I've seen and owned 63s that had dull aluminum paint on nozzle blocks,idle tube hoses, FM pumps and on the very lowest portion of the fuel meter.
In the 70s this was not a uncommon sight while judging Bloomington.
Its usually never present on restored cars today.
I asked Michael Hanson and he stated that he thought units were on and many times oversprayed with dull aluminum paint.
Hanson went on to say that he has many parts showing the aluminum paint that were removed from low mileage 63-64 cars in the 70s.
Bob J

[Dan H.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

Thanks Bob, I know of another 64 owner who had silver over spray on his nozzle blocks. Looking at the AIM, it appears the distributor and its oil line to it, and drive cable were included in the Flint assembly due to no part numbers showing up as later St Louis assembly pieces.
Dan

[Alan D.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

Just to support what Bob and Michael have said, my 64 FI has silver over spray on the nozzle blocks also. Do have some pictures but not available at present. Recall - I purchased my car around Aug 1967 and have talked to original owner (NCRS member) to confirm what had and had not been done - no repaint of silver paint.

[John H.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

John,
Your Flint numbers are for both assembly lines, right?
When I first visited, in the mid-1980s, they were running two V8 engine assembly lines. One was for injected engines and one for carbureted engines. Did they do it that way with the 1957 to 1965 injected engines?

Terry -

In the 60's, there were two assembly lines at Flint V-8;, Line #1 ran at 170 per hour, and Line #2 ran at 130 per hour. Machining ran three shifts, assembly ran two. A buddy of mine ran the Piston Department, and I spent time at V-8 in '66 and '67, after Rochester F.I. had gone out of production - I never got to see the unique Rochester F.I. assembly and test process.

F.I. was a miniscule portion of daily production in '65 (3 per day out of 5,500 per day), and F.I. wasn't seen there again until the 80's.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

Terry -

In the 60's, there were two assembly lines at Flint V-8;, Line #1 ran at 170 per hour, and Line #2 ran at 130 per hour. Machining ran three shifts, assembly ran two. A buddy of mine ran the Piston Department, and I spent time at V-8 in '66 and '67, after Rochester F.I. had gone out of production - I never got to see the unique Rochester F.I. assembly and test process.

F.I. was a miniscule portion of daily production in '65 (3 per day out of 5,500 per day), and F.I. wasn't seen there again until the 80's.

Thanks John.
I have read your posts about the piston department and the select fitting of pistons and rod bearings. The synchronicity of the select fit process in those pre-computer days was a remarkable achievement.

[Rick A.]

Re: 1963, 64 HP engine build date lag to painting date?

Agree with Messrs Hanson and Jorjorian - many of the unrestored/unmolested/original cars noted to-date show evidence of aluminum paint on nozzle blocks, idle tube hoses, pumps