C1 Engine painting question

[Mark P.]

I am getting ready to paint my 1960 245HP and plan to have these components bolted together when I paint:

Block, Oil Pan, Water Pump, Heads, Front Engine Mount, Timing Cover, Harmonic Balancer. I will put tape over the stamp pad.

Separately, I will fully paint the clutch bellhousing bolts, front and lower stamped steel bellhousing covers. I will also paint the first 3 inches or so of the bellhousing where it bolts to the engine block. My engine dolley and engine stand don't allow me to bolt these on to the engine.

I was not planning to have the aluminum intake manifold, aluminum valve covers or Oil Canister installed when I paint.

Here are my questions:
1. If I have no overspray on the intake manifold is that much of a deduction ? Could I get away with no deduction by installing it when the engine is already in the car and doing a nice masking job so only the bottom 1/8" of the manifold and the gasket get painted ?

2. Should the oil canister or its' adapter plate/by pass valve have any paint or overspray ?

3. Are there any other parts that should be bolted on when I paint the engine ?

4. should there be orange overspray on the valve cover mating surface on the top of the heads ? Were the aluminum valve covers installed when the engine was painted ?

5. Do the block drain plugs have square heads ?

[Gary C.]

Re: C1 Engine painting question

Mark, do a search on John Hinckley's discussion on the "engine paint mask" for aluminum intakes. There was alot of discussion about the process and mask used and what it covered earlier this year. Gary....

[Mark P.]

Re: C1 Engine painting question

Gary - thanks for the tip. I read the thread and it would seem that the masks were good enough to stop overspray on the valve covers but some could have slipped by the intake manifold mask.

If anyone has a top view color picture of a Top Flight or original engine with an aluminum intake manifold I would really appreciate it being posted.

Thanks,

Mark

[Gary C.]

Re: C1 Engine painting question

Mark, FYI - the 56-7 manual revision will specify no overspray paint in the aluminum intake in the head valleys. Gary....

[Christopher R.]

Re: C1 Engine painting question

I've never seen orange overspray on the exhaust manifolds, the AL intake manifold, the AL valve covers, or the distributor. But I've read at different places that those items could have some. I wouldn't bother. I think no overspray is more convincing than purposeful overpray.

All the C1 bellhousings I've seen have been completely covered with orange paint. Uneven, but complete. Never saw paint on the transmission.

If you paint the front of the engine with the waterpump, mount, and balancer installed, you won't get much paint behind them. I painted the backs of mine off the car to get coverage. I also shot some paint on the timing cover with these items off the car to get some coverage there. I don't know how the factory did it, but they seemed to be able to get paint back there. Uneven, yes, but mostly covered.

Neither the fuel pump nor that plate got any paint. But the bolt that goes in the front to hold up the fuel pump push rod did.

[John H.]

Re: C1 Engine painting question

I've never seen orange overspray on the exhaust manifolds

Although I don't like the appearance personally, the exhaust manifolds were in place when the engine was painted, and judges will expect to see some orange paint. Photo below shows the Engine Dress Line at Tarrytown in 1959, with full paint on the exhaust manifolds.

[Steven B.]

Re: C1 Engine painting question

I will have to search for my pictures but on my untouched '57 245 HP the valve covers, heads adjacent the al. intake in the valley and the al. intake had no overspray.