Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

[Carr C.]

I have a 1964 FI lower intake manifold that appears to have been painted silver at some time.

What is the best way to remove the paint and restore the correct NCRS finish to this manifold?

The car will be judged, so I need to do it right.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[Joe L.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

I have a 1964 FI lower intake manifold that appears to have been painted silver at some time.

What is the best way to remove the paint and restore the correct NCRS finish to this manifold?

The car will be judged, so I need to do it right.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Carr----


Your best bet is to send it to an experienced pro like Jerry MacNeish (www.z28camaro.com)

[Alan S.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

Hi Carr,
Jerry's business is just a few miles from where I live. People seem to be VERY pleased with the work he does for the prices he charges.
Regards,
Alan

[Ridge K.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

I've been extremely pleased with Jerry MacNeish's work. Highly recommend. Ridge.

[Wayne K.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

The above is probably the best advice but if your wanting to try to clean it up yourself I did an aluminum L-79 manifold using 3M water based paint stripper ( kind of like a thin jelly ) with different sized medium stiff brushes working small areas at a time following the directions on the bottle. After a good rinse I then used a pressure washer. Cleaned up real nice and didn't damage the original aluminum finish.

[Troy P.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

After stripping paint put it in a vibratory polisher with smooth ceramic stones. You may be able to find a shop near you that has one big enough. You'll love the look. If you use this approach you can bead blast the paint off as the stone will return the correct patina. BTW, the vibratory polisher is great for pot metal parts too. Look like new.

[Paul C.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

The judging manual states the aluminum intake manifolds were spray painted with dull aluminum paint--did they also paint the intake bolts?

Thanks Paul

[John D.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

Fuel Injection "intakes" were not painted. The 8 studs also were not painted but plated zincad. Now as mentioned in a post up higher on this very page-the FI, etc did have some dull aluminum paint on the edge near the heads,etc. Go see Michael Hanson and Dan Holsteins comments. MH takes credit for the big discovery though!!! I also remember this in the old days but most likely discovered it after Mikey. heee.
Carr if you just have the base plate refinished and not the valve covers and the rest of the fuel injection castings you might not be happy when the job is done. I realize getting the FI castings refinished is a major project but I do highly recommend you get the valve covers and base plate done at the same time. It will be a big improvement and then the base plate won't jump right out at you as looking like new. A judge might say the rest of your castings are aged and ding you.
In fact to remove the drivers side VC you must remove the FI unit most of the time so now would be a good time to send out the VC's and the baseplate all in one shot. Not an expensive project. To save money strip off the paint yourself. To refinish the part you must strip it 100% of all parts. Remove the studs, oil filler tube (good luck on saving it) and the fittings. Then I would send out those parts for replating. Good luck, John D.

P.S. I used the term dull aluminum paint. Actually throughout the years I have seen "silver" paint on the nozzle blocks and the edge of the base plate. I really never thought of it as dull aluminum or glossy aluminum. Just typical factory silver paint whatever that is. The term dull aluminum on the baseplate I learned from buying Krylon paint and now Michael Hanson reassures me (us) that it is the correct shade. I am sure in my hordes of FI parts I have some orignal junker nozzle blocks with paint on them. But to do a restoration with the paint on the blocks would be improper for an FI restorer. I mean Rochester Products didn't do it. That was done after the FI unit was installed. JD

[Joe L.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

The judging manual states the aluminum intake manifolds were spray painted with dull aluminum paint--did they also paint the intake bolts?

Thanks Paul

Paul-----


I don't know that all aluminum manifolds were painted with aluminum paint, but I know that some were. I believe the painting occurred AFTER the manifolds were installed on the engine. However, I just don't recall if the bolts and exposed area of the head and gaskets were painted. If the painting was done with the manifold installed on the engine, as I suspect, then I don't see how they could have avoided the aforementioned areas.

[Paul C.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

I'm sorry but I didn't specify my vet is a 1971 LT-1 with aluminum intake and the judging manual for 1971 state they were sprayed with aluminum paint. My fault for not stating a different year.

[Paul C.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

I agree Joe but since I am getting the car judged in the future I just wanted to double check. Thanks
Paul

[Michael H.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

Paul-----


I don't know that all aluminum manifolds were painted with aluminum paint, but I know that some were. I believe the painting occurred AFTER the manifolds were installed on the engine. However, I just don't recall if the bolts and exposed area of the head and gaskets were painted. If the painting was done with the manifold installed on the engine, as I suspect, then I don't see how they could have avoided the aforementioned areas.

Joe, you are absolutely correct. The area between the aluminum manifold and valve cover on the cyl head was painted with dull aluminum after the engine was assembled at Flint engine.
It was NOT limited to the head surface. The silver overspray/mist covered the cyl head/intake gasket surface and much of the inboard side of the valve cover. In fact, at times, silver overspray was seen on the top surface of exhaust manifolds.
The same dull aluminum paint cover the thermostat housing, it's studs and nuts.
On FI engines, dull aluminum is always seen on the sides of FI nozzle blocks. (yes, the silver was sprayed after the FI unit was installed)

The pic below is a low mileage 64 FI engine. The remains of the dull aluminum on the cyl head/manifold gasket surface clearly shows that the FI was in place during the operation.

I don't know if the dull aluminum paint process was used for 68 and newer. Someone familiar with original C3's will have to help on that.

[Carr C.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

Hi Guys,

So it looks like the FI is painted. It is also suggested that the FI unit was in place. Could it have just been just the baseplate, or was the plenum installed.

Does anyone have an idea of what the "mask" was?

Thank you VERY much!

[Michael H.]

Re: Aluminum Intake Manifold Restoration?

Could it have just been just the baseplate,

No. See my previous post above. The engine in the pic IS a 64 FI engine. It's completely unrestored, ultra low mileage and stamped F0227RF and belongs in car #12935.
The "dull aluminum" paint on the cyl head is very obvious and, also obvious, is the lack of coverage on the area of the fuel meter on the right/pass side.

We KNOW, without doubt, that all 63-65 FI engines were painted with a "dull aluminum" coating on the area in question, with the FI unit installed.

The thermostat housing, it's fasteners and the area around it was also painted with the same dull aluminum paint.