Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

[Terry F.]

Were exhaust pipes/mufflers delivered painted black from the factory on C2 or C3? Just wondering. Terry

[Mike M.]

Nope *NM*

[Terry F.]

Thanks! *NM*

[Don G.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

The 1973-74 Judging Guide states " The mufflers are painted with a black-out spray to even the appearance from the rear.This is often carelessly and incompletely applied."

[Michael H.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

Terry,

Is your question "were the exhaust components delivered to the assembly plant painted black", or "were they painted black after installation"?

None of the components were coated with black as they arrived at the plant but they were coated during chassis assembly, in various amounts depending on the year, through at least the early 70's.

[Terry F.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

Yep, that is my question. It seems that the muffler and outlet pipe was painted black from the underside. I am wondering if this was common practice for C2 and C3 cars? I have seen some pictures of 1972-73 car pipes. I wonder if the muffler was blacked out before or after the body was on the car. I would think it would have been done before body placement. Thanks, Terry

[Michael H.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

Terry,

The final blackout, which included the lower outer section of the muffler, was done just prior to body drop. This is why we often see the blackout material on the sides of the spart tire carrier also. Until the end of 64 production, most of the muffler and pipes were black. Starting in 65, the exhaust blackout basically was limited to the muffler and this continued into the 70's.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

Michael,

I agree with you. Unfortunately, every time my 72 has been judged, I get points knocked off for blackout overspray on the sides of the spare tire carrier - even in Bowtie judging. Since it is a yellow car, I wouldn't be surprised if yellow overspray from the repair line ended up on the carrier, or they were just overzealous on the chassis line that day.

I REALLY don't want to remove the paint, but if I go for a Duntov, it's an easy few points to pick up by removing the paint....

The pic below shows my job of painting the muffler factory style.

Patrick

[Michael H.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

I have to wonder how a judge would assume the muffler could be shot WITHOUT getting some of the coating on the tire carrier. Both of these items were installed on the chassis long before the blackout was done and there was absolutely no attempt made to mask the carrier.

I don't know when the muffler blackout ended because I'm far from a C3 expert but if I remember correctly, it continued at least through the early 70's and most likely later.

Most of the paint repairs were on the upper sections of the body but certainly it's possible that something was repaired or painted near your tire carrier and body color wound up on part of it. Nearly all the cars went through the paint touch up line. There might have been one out of ten, or more likely, one out of twenty, that needed no touch up. Areas would be masked quickly and color coated. There wasn't time to mask completely to avoide overspray on underbody components.

[Terry M.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

I have seen several sets of NOS early C3 mufflers with paint on them when removed from the GM box. I know it doesn't mean the assembly line parts were painted before they arrived at St. Louis, and the black-out overspary on the spare tire tub argues for painting, or at least touch-up, on the line. None the less the paint on the over-the-counter pieces is interesting.

[Michael H.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

Terry,

That is interesting. I wonder if, in later years, the mufflers were coated prior to assy line because it certainly is possible. Does the coating on your mufflers look like semi flat black paint or is it chassis black? Thanks,

Michael

[Patrick H.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

If my 72 wasn't in hermetically sealed winter storage, I'd get a pic of the spare tire carrier. It's one of the few things I don't have a good pictureo f in my archive.

Patrick

[Terry M.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

I have never had an NOS muffler, I have just seen them, and fondled them. The mufflers looked just like the OEM 1968-1972 complete with the embossed W (and only the W) on the outer wrap. I don't think that there were two sets of brackets on them either. That would make them early '70s, I think. I'll check with someone who was much more familiar with one set to be sure about the number of brackets. The paint on them was just like that on the mufflers on my car. It is thick, with runs and flat. Calling it paint is being charitable. I know gasoline will dissolve it. I have yet to see anyone duplicate the material or the application that the factory did.

[Michael H.]

Re: Exhaust pipes/mufflers painted black?

Looks like I'm going to have to learn a little about 68 and newer. I'm getting into pretty deep water here on this so I don't think I'll be of much help. I do have a 69 printing of the parts book which will give us the correct number for the era but that's about all I have. Not sure if I have any assy line pic's from the era but I'll look.

Sounds like the coating that you describe is indeed chassis black.

[Terry F.]

Thanks, Terry *NM*