When painting the engine?

[Dave F.]

Should the engine # pad be masked? Mine had so much crud on it that I couldn't tell if it was originally painted or not.

[John P.]

Re: When painting the engine?

If you are going to have your car judged then you need to have the pad free of paint. The engine pad was painted at the factory and the paint offers some protection if you don't intend to participate in the judging program. The purpose of having a clean pad at judging is to allow the judges to see the factory original broach marks and stampings clearly.

[Dave F.]

Re: When painting the engine?

Thanks John. Almost seems like an oxymoron though if I am to restore the car as it came out of St. Louis, but "modify" it so that it is "easier" to judge. I understand the requirement of being able to accurately identify all of the numbers and will find a way of providing for it.

[Michael W.]

Re: When painting the engine?

The pad did NOT remain painted, it was wiped clean before leaving the factory.

[Jerry C.]

Re: When painting the engine?

Judges like to see paint down in the stamped numbers so I paint it with the engine and wipe the pad off after painting.

[Edward L.]

Re: When painting the engine?

You didn't mention the year of car in question. 1978-82 should have paint on the pad. Earlier cars should not.

[Dave F.]

Re: When painting the engine?

That's exactly what I thought I would do. Thanks for confirming my suspicion of the right thing to do.

[John H.]

Re: When painting the engine?

Don't use anything abrasive to clean the pad if you get paint on it - just solvents. Abrasives can obliterate the broach marks and introduce additional marks on the pad, which will put you at risk for losing the 38 points allocated to the pad surface.

[Robert C.]

Re: Paint on the pad?

I don't know where you guys are comming up with paint on the pad from the factory or later cars' pads were painted. I've never ever heard this. As far as I know or have believed, there should be NO paint on the pad. They were masked with either grease, tape , or something similar. And what judges want to see paint in the letters? paint in the numbers just says the the block has probably been repainted, which means the engine has possibly been out of the car etc.

[Patrick H.]

Re: When painting the engine?

Not always. As usual it depended on the guy doing the painting as well as the year of manufacture as to whether it got painted and then wiped, or taped off and tape removed.

Patrick

[Edward L.]

Re: Paint on the pad?

1978-1982 cars should have paint on the pad since the pads were painted along with the rest of the motor. The pads were not cleaned or masked. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact Brian Pierce, 78-82 National Team Leader.

[Dave F.]

Re: When painting the engine?

1968 L79

[Jack H.]

Re: When painting the engine?

Depends on specific year of car/engine regarding stamp pad being wiped clean....