Different part number for painting diff

[Edward M.]

OK, a question regarding part numbers for parts that are painted differently.

Would a 1956 Corvette single four barrel stamped steel valve cover (that was painted red with the Chevrolet script in silver) have a different part number than the same valve cover for a passenger car engine (that was also red but without the Chevrolet script in silver)?

Does different paint treatment for basically the same part result in a different part number?

[Terry M.]

Re: Different part number for painting diff

Ed,
Do you really think the rocker arm cover you might buy at the parts counter in 1956 would have been painted red? I don't know because I was a wee little kid then , but I doubt it would have been painted red. I am sure some of the more senior members here will be able to tell us young whipper snappers the true story. The red paint was applied at the engine assembly plant to the complete (more or less) engine.

[Edward M.]

Re: Different part number for painting diff

Ed,
Do you really think the rocker arm cover you might buy at the parts counter in 1956 would have been painted red? I don't know because I was a wee little kid then , but I doubt it would have been painted red. I am sure some of the more senior members here will be able to tell us young whipper snappers the true story. The red paint was applied at the engine assembly plant to the complete (more or less) engine.

Terry, some times you just go brain dead (I'm not willing to call it a senior moment yet). You are absolutely right, the NOS covers I have seen are NOT painted.

I am still highly skeptical of the belief that these covers had the script painted silver at the engine plant. I think that was yet another "dealer accessory".

Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[Domenic T.]

Re: Different part number for painting diff

Edward,
I have to agree with terry (not to say it isn't so) but when I got parts from the parts dept including replacement blocks, they were all unpainted.
It was not in the time period you are asking about, but maybe a clue to the past.
The service manager would get mad when he cought me painting a block or other parts. He said "you/we don't get paid to clean or paint parts.

That was the beginning of the end for me as a line mechanic.

Can you imagine buying a new car and having the engine go out and then find that it was replaced without paint and it would rust?

DOM

[Joe L.]

Re: Different part number for painting diff

OK, a question regarding part numbers for parts that are painted differently.

Would a 1956 Corvette single four barrel stamped steel valve cover (that was painted red with the Chevrolet script in silver) have a different part number than the same valve cover for a passenger car engine (that was also red but without the Chevrolet script in silver)?

Does different paint treatment for basically the same part result in a different part number?

Ed------


If, in 1956, you had gone to a Chevrolet dealership to purchase a valve cover for any 1955-56 Chevrolet V-8 with stamped steel valve covers you would have been sold GM #3704892.

Just how this valve cover was configured and/or painted, I do not know. Most SERVICE steel valve covers were not painted, However, I have seen a few such valve covers that did come out of the box painted. Why, I do not know, but it may have been simply for rust prevention.

[Domenic T.]

Re: Different part number for painting diff

Can you imagine the confusion back then? some stampings went to paint and others went to production. Same with the rest of the parts, unless, I think they were vendor parts.

DOM