1969 Distributor

[Kelly Burnside]

I have a distributor that I am trying to determine if it were painted or not. I have the original from the engine (350/300)and under the base, there is evidence of black paint. On the side, it still has traces of the green paint dob mark. I can't tell if the sides were painted but I assume that if the bottom were painted then the sides should be painted as well. The TIM does not say if the distributor was painted or not.
If the distributor was painted, what color was it?

[george romano]

Re: 1969 Distributor

It was installed in the engine BEFORE the engine was painted, and it was covered with a coffee can prior to paint. There should be some orange overspray on the bottom where it goes into the intake manifold.

George

[Chas Henderson #28127]

71 sb as well? NM *NM*

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 Distributor

Kelly------

The distributor body casting was painted as far down as the collar which seats on the manifold. Below the collar (which you can't see when it is installed on the engine) was unpainted. The color was semi-gloss black, tending to the glossy side.

1971 was the same, too.

[Kelly Burnside]

Re: 1969 Distributor

Thanks, Makes more sense than the coffee can approach!!

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 Distributor

Kelly-----

No, the "coffee can" masking system WAS used. The distributor was installed before the engine was painted Chevrolet orange. So, if the distributor had not been masked, it would have ended up Chevrolet orange, too. As George mentioned, there is often a bit of Chevrolet orange on the collar since that's where the "coffee can" ended.

[Kelly Burnside]

Re: 1969 Distributor

Jeez, I just painted the engine with it out.... Everything is almost back on and distributor is laying to the side ready for paint and installation. Does NCRS judging take off any points if it does not have the orange paint on the bottom part of the distributor???

[george romano]

I dunno

It doesn't make sense.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1969 Distributor

The coffee can distributor cover was used before 1968 - maybe long before 1968. 1968-1972 the engine was painted before the distributor was installed. Both Tonawanda and Flint did it that way in 1968-1972.