C2: mitted black exhaust system

[Barbara S.]

I've noticed that the exhaust system on my '67 is supposed to be "mitted" black, whatever that means. I'm about to install the new exhaust system on my chassis. Can I just spray it black and call it a day?

Thanks.
Tony

[Gary B.]

Re: C2: mitted black exhaust system

Tony,

I suggest you search Archives 2 for "mitted" and "mufflers" to see how to do this correctly. GM didn't do any mitting, regardless of what the TIM&JG says. Particularly, Dale Pearman's and John Hinckley's postings.

Gary

[Barbara S.]

I'm still a little confused

Based on the research into the archives about the black out process on the exhaust system, it seems to me that the blackout process was sprayed on and not mitted. However, some of the discussion suggests that only the bottom of the muffler was sprayed (though with some over spray) with blackout.

However, the judging guide indicates that, "the entire lower surface of the exhaust system is black out..."

Is only the muffler blacked out on the bottom or are the exhaust pipes also blacked out??

Please help clarify this for me.
Best regards,
Tony
42269

[Gary B.]

John Hinckley; can you clarify?

Tony,

I don't know the answer to your question and I'd like to know what the experts have to say.

Gary

[Michael H.]

Re: I'm still a little confused

Tony,

Check the archives, December 3rd and 4th of last year. There was a discussion that covered this topic.

Michael

[Michael H.]

Re: John Hinckley; can you clarify?

(Here's the original post by John Hinckley and some other guy from 3 December)

1962 Exhaust System Finish

1962 Exhaust System Finish
John Tidwell -- Friday, 3 December 2004, at 10:23 a.m.

The JG specifically says the mufflers and pipes were painted black but is silent as to the clamps and hangers. What finish is generally accepted for them ?

Thanks for you thoughts

John

Re: 1962 Exhaust System Finish
Mike McCagh #14 -- Friday, 3 December 2004, at 10:38 a.m.

the assembly line workers were provided with a cotton glove which they dipped in the blackout paint then they did a hand job on the exh system so there wasn't full coverage on the clamps. rather sloppy job is what you want to duplicate. good luck, mike

Re: 1962 Exhaust System Finish
John Hinckley -- Friday, 3 December 2004, at 12:02 p.m.

Not to be a contrarian, but the "mitting" application of paint to the exhaust system is an "urban legend"; no such application technique would ever be tolerated in an assembly plant, especially with a solvent-based material as permanently-staining as the "chassis blackout" paint. As George Barlos (RIP) has described before, the chassis blackout operation was performed in a canvas-walled booth station at the end of the Chassis Line just prior to Body Drop, and the P/N 3686683 paint was sprayed using airless spray guns fed by Johnstone pumps from 55-gallon drums adjacent to the line. The "runs" observed on original cars (which are assumed to be a result of "mitting") are a result of the heavy application of the blackout paint mixing with the mill oils on the pipes from the supplier's pipe-bending operation and dribbling off the bottom of the pipes/mufflers. There are numerous GM archival photos of the C1 Chassis Line and Body Drop that confirm George's description of this operation.

Re: 1962 Exhaust System Finish
Mike McCagh #14 -- Friday, 3 December 2004, at 12:39 p.m.

learn something new every day. thanks john. mike

Re: 1962 Exhaust System Finish
Michael Hanson -- Friday, 3 December 2004, at 12:46 p.m.

John,

I agree 100%. I've heard the hand applied theory or story a lot over the years also and I know it wasn't something that was done at least as far back as 62. I wouldn't have made any sense to do a final blackout on the chassis and then coat the exhaust using a dipped glove when the spray operation would have done both. Spraying would have been much faster than hand application.

In the 70's, I was able to get good closeup photos of the exhaust system that was removed from a car just after it was delivered to the original owner. The car was drag raced in California since new and the system sat in a dry storage until the car was put back together in the mid/late 70's for show. The complete system was obviously factory sprayed black and it was still a bit sticky after all the years. It was a smooth evenly applied coating. (was a red/red 63 FI coupe with only 7000 miles)

What I DO seem to remember is a coating of something that may have been put on the system to prevent rust during storage/shippment of a new car but it wasn't black. If anything, it would have been almost clear and that would have been in the 70's.

[John H.]

Re: I'm still a little confused

Chassis blackout (sprayed, not "mitted") was quite extensive during the C1 years, and coverage was progressively reduced during the midyear era, when 67's only got some on the mufflers, sprayed from the side, with some overspray on the side of the spare tire tub. That minimal treatment continued into the early C3 years, and eventually disappeared entirely in the mid-70's.

[Jerry C.]

Re: C2: mitted black exhaust system

I use BBQ Grill paint from Wal Mart as it stand up to the heat better.

[Barbara S.]

Thanks all! *NM*

[Gary B.]

John; two more questions

John,

When you say the mufflers were sprayed from the side, do you mean the driver's side muffler was sprayed from an angle while the sprayer was standing outboard of the driver's side of the car? And the passengers's side would have been sprayed from outboard of the passenger's side? Thus, the paint hit primarily the outboard sides and part of the bottom of each muffler, but not necessarily the inboard side of each muffler?

In addition, by '66 would the exhaust pipes leading into or exiting the mufflers have received much paint?

Thanks,

Gary

[John H.]

Re: John; two more questions

Gary -

That's the way it was being done when I was at St. Louis in 1967; I don't think there was a conscious effort to spray the exhaust pipes ahead of the mufflers, although they'd catch some overspray. This was a very crude process - hardly "concours" in any sense of the word.

[Michael H.]

Re: I'm still a little confused

Tony,

As John Hinckley mentioned, the process changed over the years, especially in the middle of the C2 era. The 63 and 64 cars would have had almost all of the exhaust system coated in chassis black. In 65, the process started to change. The front pipes of the exhaust were only lightly coated and the main target, at least for the exhaust system, was the lower outer portion of the muffler. By 66 and 67, the pipes were pretty much eliminated from the operation.

The muffler would have been coated only on the lower outer body and very little of the ends would have ben hit, although they were at times. The position of the gun and angle of spray was from the outside and usually pointed up at about a 30 to 45 deg angle. Some of the workers took a 2nd swipe and covered more of the top of the muffler main body.

I can send a pic if the angle that I described is confusing. (if I can find it)

Michael

[Barbara S.]

Re: I'm still a little confused

Michael. Thanks again. You are a big help. I want to do my restoration right. Any photos would help, but if you can't find them, no problem. I just appreciate the help.

Have a great weekend.
Tony