C2 65 Silver spray on intake edges

[Mike M.]

I'm trying to fix a few simple things found wrong in Windsor by the judges. I had no spray paint along the edges of the intake. The judging guide says intake edges may have a light spray of silver and the thermostat housing is painted silver, on a aluminum intake manifold for small blocks. I've seen 2 types of paint used on vettes, one is a silver and the other looks closer to the shade of the aluminum manifold. Which is correct for judging the silver or the aluminum paint which matches the intake manifold.
Thanks Mike

[Bill Stephenson]

Re: C2 65 Silver spray on intake edges

Mike,

-------Dont know about NCRS judging, but I have a can of Krylon "Dull Aluminum" out in the garage that I like a bunch for just this use. Id be interested if any of the rest of us has found this brand and color............Hope this helps..........Bill S

[Mike M.]

Aluminum Spray

Bill, I have a can of high temp. aluminum spray paint from Quantas. I'd be interested in the same what most people are using. I didn't want to paint the wrong shade and then have to redo it. I've learned a few things over the last 4 years, one is it's a real pain to have to redo something.
Thanks Mike

[Scott Butville]

Re: Aluminum Spray

I am very happy with the results I got with the Quanta paint on my '64 L76. At a recent chapter meet, I was told by one of the mechanical judges that the '63-4 TIM & JG is WRONG and the head surface should be orange! I didn't argue about it since by that time it was clear that I was going to be well over 94%. In the '63-4 book, the silver paint is mentioned in two places. In Engine Color and Paint it says, "Aluminum manifolds and the exposed surface of the cylinder heads are painted silver. The coverage of silver paint may or may not include the entire aluminum manifold." Several pages later, under Intake manifold, it says, "All 1963 and 1964 L76 intakes are aluminum and may show a light overspray of silver paint on the sides.... " Do the later TIM & JG's also have this contradiction? Both judges said that when the next revision of '63-4 comes out it will say orange on the heads. I am very interested in some opinions on what is really correct and the judge's deduction because he "knew the book was wrong"

[Michael H.]

Re: Aluminum Spray

Scott,

If one of the 63-64 judges told you that the TIM & JG is WRONG, then HE'S WRONG. The gasket surface on the head between the valve cover and intake manifold was sprayed silver on all 63-64 engines with aluminum intake manifolds and the intake manifold and valve cover wound up with a lot of that silver paint also. The stuff was everywhere. It wasn't like they used a little air brush to coat this surface. It was a regular sive spray gun so the spray pattern was wide. This coating would have included the thermostat housing, most of the outer portion of the intake manifold, most of the inboard and top sections of the valve cover and even a light mist on the top of the exhaust manifolds. On F.I. engines, there's silver mist on the nozzle holders and other items. There was almost always a band of silver on the rear 1/8" or 1/4" of the water pump by-pass hose and clamp.

I first saw/noticed this coating on the 1964 coupe that I bought brand new in early 64. It was quite obvious. The first time I had the valve covers off for valve adjustment, I watched the silver disolve and turn the solvent to a metallic color when I cleaned the covers. I could see the sparkle in it as it ran. In the 70's, I was the first to restore cars and reapply this silver coating to these areas. I had to prove to judges that this was real and I did this with a lot of pictures of brand new engines at Flint engine and many original parts that still had the remains of the coating. Over the years, the silver paint thing finally started to become accepted and today, the restorers that pay attention, reapply it. However, most won't use nearly as much as the factory did.

One thing that made it look as though there was no silver on the intake is the fact that the color of the paint seemed to be very close to the color of the aluminum so you really couldn't see where the coverage stopped.

I have a few excellent pic's of new engines and a few LOW mileage original engines that definitely show the silver. I'll try to dig them out and post.

Michael

[Scott Butville]

Re: Aluminum Spray

Michael, Thanks very much, your info agrees with everything I've learned on the subject. I'd like to also hear your opinion (as well as some of the other veterans on this board)on the issue of the judge disregarding the book.

[Michael H.]

Re: Aluminum Spray

Scott,

I think there were several previous posts on this issue that explained that the JG was just that, a guide, not the law. It's a constant work in progress and at any given moment, there are going to be incorrect statements in it. As long as members continue to find and report these problems, the guide will continue to improve. I'm sure others will be able to add more to this as I don't even know how to go about submitting corrections. I've tried here on the DB but that's not the proper procedure.

The most important part of judging is the actual knowledge and experience of the judge on the field. Not what's printed in the book. It would be impossible and completely inaccurate to judge a car using only the info in the guide.

Michael

[Mike M.]

Re: Aluminum Spray

Michael, Sounds like the aluminum paint that matches the intake would be the right paint Thanks Mike

[Jack H.]

Proper proceedure....

for making input(s) to a given Judging Guide is to write or e-mail the National Team Leader responsible for that Division of Corvette. The names and responsibility centers for NTL's are published in each edition of the NCRS Restorer Magazine. There's always a 'revision next' in work, but the judgement call of when there's sufficient correction(s) and new information to warrant the release of a revised edition is up to the NTL in concert with the National Judging Chairman....

[Patrick H.]

Re: Aluminum Spray

Here are some pictures of a 66 motor I painted earlier this year:



My personal interpretation of how it was done.

Patrick

[Michael H.]

Re: Aluminum Spray

Patrick,

The silver looks good. I especially like the little wisp of silver that wrapped around the front of the cyl head. Looks real.

Do we get to judge the rest of the engine now?

Michael

[Patrick H.]

Re: Aluminum Spray

You get to judge it if it's something easily fixable without having to ruin the nice paint job.

Any thoughts?

Patrick

[Mike M.]

Thanks Patrick Looks Great To Nice Job *NM*

[Bill Stephenson]

Re: Aluminum Spray

Patrick,

--------Not much of a big deal, but wouldnt the valve-cover gaskets have been silver along with the adjacent head surface? Over all, though, a thumbs up!!!!!.........Bill S

[Patrick H.]

Re: Aluminum Spray

Yeah, I know. I may yet touch up the valve cover gaskets, but they have to come off again to adjust the valves, so I'll consider it later.

Patrick