Could someone explain the engine painting process?

[Keith B.]

I have often wondered about how they painted the engine and protected the pad. Was the motor stamped before painting. I have seen paint in the letters of what people claim to be unrestored cars. I am interested mostly in the mid years. Did the process change over the years?

[Terry M.]

Re: Could someone explain the engine painting process?

Yes the motor was stamped before painting. The pad was supposed to be protected from painting in most years -- except when the engine was blue.

Yes the painting process changed over the years, AND with the engine plant, so you should be a little more specific than "mid-years."

[John H.]

Re: Could someone explain the engine painting process?

I have often wondered about how they painted the engine and protected the pad. Was the motor stamped before painting. I have seen paint in the letters of what people claim to be unrestored cars. I am interested mostly in the mid years. Did the process change over the years?

Keith -

Engines in the midyear era had a piece of tape stuck on the pad to keep paint off it, so the engine usage could be readily determined after paint - the pad was the only clue, and at 300 per hour, they had to be able to read the pad in order to apply the correct code sticker on the valve cover and route the engine to the correct unload spot on the rail shipping dock. The suffix code that was grease-penciled on the side of the block at the bore air-gage station at the beginning of the engine assembly line was invisible after painting.

The pad on small-blocks was stamped right after the heads went on, and before the heads went on on big-blocks.

[Steve B.]

Re: Could someone explain the engine painting process?

I too have always wanted to know this, as I have seen some supposed unrestored cars with paint inside the characters. John, could this be possible?

[John H.]

Re: Could someone explain the engine painting process?

I too have always wanted to know this, as I have seen some supposed unrestored cars with paint inside the characters. John, could this be possible?

I suppose it could be if masking the pad was "missed" and it had the paint wiped off later.

[Mark F.]

Re: Could someone explain the engine painting process?

Keith -

Engines in the midyear era had a piece of tape stuck on the pad to keep paint off it, so the engine usage could be readily determined after paint - the pad was the only clue, and at 300 per hour, they had to be able to read the pad in order to apply the correct code sticker on the valve cover and route the engine to the correct unload spot on the rail shipping dock. The suffix code that was grease-penciled on the side of the block at the bore air-gage station at the beginning of the engine assembly line was invisible after painting.

The pad on small-blocks was stamped right after the heads went on, and before the heads went on on big-blocks.

Wow, stumbled across this while looking at the recent pad-painting posts…

Having worked in many automotive manufacturing facilities, including four engine assembly plants, I guess I never realized the huge volume and rate at which engines were produced as John Hinckley stated above !

Many Plants I was in at the time worked two, 10-hr. shifts…and sometimes 6 days/week.

@ 300 engines/hr. with two, 10-hr. shifts even at only 5 days/week (excluding holiday shut-downs), that’s 6,000 engines/day; 30,000/5-day week; and 1,560,000/year…

That’s 5 engines every minute, or 1 every 12 seconds !

Many hi-production facilities had multiple lines, so even if assuming two production lines (never saw a 3-line engine plant) that’s
2.5 engines every minute, or 1 every 24 seconds…

Wonder what it is today?