Spark Plugs Painted??

[chester]

Many of you responded to "How the motor was painted", question I had posted and E-mailed me.--thanks. But I got both answers. Yes, they were painted with the block (orange) and no (installed later, after painting).Hummm, Just a bit corn-fused?? 68 427/390 non-air, numbers in the 17,000's car. Thanks, frames coming along just fine, still fighting the Trailing Arms still, got the front coils in, wow, talk about nerves. I should write a book--"Corvette, Resto-Web" author NCRS website.

[Terry M.]

Re: Spark Plugs Painted??

Hey Chester - Are you saying someone actually told you the spark plugs were installed before the engine was painted? I think there must be some misunderstanding.

Spark plugs were installed at the engine plant (in either SB or BB) AFTER the engine was painted.

I think they probrably would not work real well if they were covered with paint.

Terry McManmon

[chester]

Re: Spark Plugs Painted??

Thanks, I relooked into the past post of my questions and one gentleman said yes, one no. I thought the same as you. Thanks.

[Gene M.]

Re: Spark Plugs Painted??

Back in 1970 on new on the show room floor at Taylor Chevy sat a 69 big block vette and also on my 69 big block Chevelle that I purchased new, at 1st plug change the plugs (5 or 6 out of 8) in both cases were oversprayed orange. Overspray was on hex and part of ceramic but not near tip on the Chevelle. It must of been wiped clean. The vette overspray was not as bad as my Chevelle. This may not be the norm but was actually the case. These two situations may have been results from assembly line damage and repair. The vette was a 427 390 hp, my Chevelle was 396 350hp. The only other new GM 60's car and 1st plug change I did was a Camaro and I don't remember any orange overspray on the plugs.

[John]

Re: Spark Plugs Painted??

As all big-blocks (for all applications) were built at Tonawanda and all small-blocks destined for Corvettes were built at Flint, the two plants may well have used a different process sequence for painting-vs.-spark plug installation, or used a different type of paint shield. Would be an interesting subject for research, except there probably aren't many people left out there who can remember their first plug change, much less original owners of Corvettes that remember it after 30 years.

[John]

Re: Spark Plugs Painted??

As all big-blocks (for all applications) were built at Tonawanda and all small-blocks destined for Corvettes were built at Flint, the two plants may well have used a different process sequence for painting-vs.-spark plug installation, or used a different type of paint shield. Would be an interesting subject for research, except there probably aren't many people left out there who can remember their first plug change, much less original owners of Corvettes that remember it after 30 years!

[Terry M.]

Re: Spark Plugs Painted?? OOPS!!!

How can I say this delicately? OOPS!!!! Let me take back my answer to Chester.

Chester's heading "Painted Spark Plugs??" asks one question......I answered another question: "Spark plugs installed before painting?" These are not mutually exclusive; so let me try again......

A) Spark Plugs Painted??? Spark plugs were not intended to be painted in either small blocks or big blocks in any year. Please place emphasis on the word intended. That does NOT say that they were not painted....only that the intent of the engineers was that they not be painted.

B) In the engine assembly process the point of installation of spark plugs depends on the engine plant (basically small block or big block for Corvette purposes) and the year of production. Although the point of installation of the spark plugs may give us some clue as to whether they were painted or not - it does not address the issue of whether they were painted.

C) Since my best recollection is that Chester's vehicle is a 1968 big block I will restrict my answer regarding the point at which spark plugs were installed to that engine and year.

The folks at Tonawanda Engine Plant (where all Chevrolet big blocks were assembled) tell us that beginning with engines built for 1968 model year Corvettes the spark plugs and exhaust manifolds were installed AFTER the engine was painted. We have seen a number of apparently original (that is NOT repainted) big block engines from 1968 and 1969 Corvettes with orange over spray on the exhaust manifolds and dark shadows (apparently unpainted areas masked by the exhaust manifolds) on the side of the cylinder cases. This apparent contradiction regarding the painting of the exhaust manifolds may, or may not, give any testimony to the point of installation of the spark plugs in these engines. See the 1968-1969 Technical Information Manual and Judging Guide for more on engine painting.

Thanks to one of my good friends for gently and diplomatically pointing out off line the errors of my earlier post. I am surprised you all didn't flame me for my hasty and poorly thought out response. Keep teaching me Vinnie; I'll never learn.

BTW: If someone wants to start a separate thread about when the spark plugs were installed in other engines I will be happy to participate and share what I have learned since my earlier post.

Terry McManmon

[Patrick H.]

Re: Spark Plugs Painted?? OOPS!!!

That's OK, Terry. Anyone who doesn't think they can still learn in this hobby is fooling themselves.

Just another example of what was intended vs. what was actually done on the production floor don't always match.

Now if we would only allow for this type of production sloppiness in our judging every time... but that's another subject.

[chester]

Re: Spark Plugs Painted??

Thanks, Terry, had to laugh, don't know why, but your post was funny. What would you do for "correctness" 68, 17,000's car?