1973 454 Bellhousing Inspection Plate

[John M.]

What is the correct correct color of a 1973 454 bellhousing inspection plate...Chevy orange or black?

Regards,
John

[Russ S.]

Re: 1973 454 Bellhousing Inspection Plate

Semi gloss black.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1973 454 Bellhousing Inspection Plate

Semi gloss black.

Russ and John-------


I don't think so. The bellhousing cover was painted with the engine and is Chevrolet orange. The bellhousing covers used in PRODUCTION were bare steel prior to painting. So, if any paint "holidays" are present (as they often are), they show through as bare steel. The "holiday" area is usually behind the oil pan. SERVICE bellhousing covers were usually painted black.

[Russ S.]

Re: 1973 454 Bellhousing Inspection Plate

Are we talking about an automatic or a four speed? Is a auto transmission to motor mounting area considered a bell housing or would that be four speed only? My 73 L82 auto which has the original flywheel cover is black. My 73 L82 4sp is orange and I know that one to be original. My 74 454 four speed is black with good amount of orange over spray at the top of it and only small amounts of orange at the bottom. In conclusion, for a four speed car I would have to agree with Joe. Joe, what are holidays?

[Joe L.]

Re: 1973 454 Bellhousing Inspection Plate

Are we talking about an automatic or a four speed? Is a auto transmission to motor mounting area considered a bell housing or would that be four speed only? My 73 L82 auto which has the original flywheel cover is black. My 73 L82 4sp is orange and I know that one to be original. My 74 454 four speed is black with good amount of orange over spray at the top of it and only small amounts of orange at the bottom. In conclusion, for a four speed car I would have to agree with Joe. Joe, what are holidays?

Russ-------


In my parlance, only manual transmission cars have a a bellhousing. Auto trans cars have a converter housing which is often part of the main case (as it is for THM-400). For 1974 auto transmission cars, the converter cover is definitely black. This is because the converter cover is installed at St. Louis and not at the engine plant. So, it's pre-painted black.

If you can see black through the engine orange paint on your 73 4 speed, I would expect that the cover has been replaced with a SERVICE cover and subsequently painted engine orange. I would not rule out that by 1973 the covers installed at the engine plants were supplied to the engine plants in pre-painted black and subsequently painted with the engine. It definitely was not that way for earlier.

"Holidays" are areas where sloppy painting results in missing coverage.

[Mark E.]

Re: 1973 454 Bellhousing Inspection Plate

Thanks a lot, Joe.

Now it's bugging me that my car's inspection cover is black. I knew it was replaced (by me), but didn't give its color much thought until now.

I wish this topic came up a few months ago before I replaced the rear main seal and oil pan. Maybe I can spray the cover "holiday" orange by masking the starter so I don't have to remove it.