1959 270 HP - Ready to paint the engine - what was installed - what was not

[Chris S.]

I have searched threads and threads.
1959 283 270hp - engine is built and already broke in
What was installed and what was not.
What rec'd overspray

Please correct me
Installed.....
- water pump
- intake
- valve covers
- distributor
- exhaust manifolds
- oil pan

- Fuel pump plate ?
- water outlet nipples?
- any spark plug wire holders or ing shielding

we want to get it as correct as possible first shot..
Thanks all
Chris

[Richard M.]

Re: 1959 270 HP - Ready to paint the engine - what was installed - what was not

Chris, I would imagine if the AIM shows a part# for a item to be installed on the "Engine Assembly" in St Louis, then it would not get paint or overspray. Flint was the engine assembler and painter, so I believe only the items they mounted on the Assembly would get painted.

Therefore, from memory, I don't think the water nipples or the Ign Shield brackets would be. Unsure about the fuel pump plate as I don't have a AIM in front of me, but I recall it was installed.

I believe these were installed also and would get painted ??

-Timing Chain Cover

-Harmonic Balancer (not the pulley)

-For Manual Trans - Bell Housing and Clutch Fork (both varying coverage)

-Clutch inspection covers and attaching bolts

I'm WAG'ing on a few of these sitting here thinking about it, so I may admit I may have some of this wrong.

Rich

[Chris S.]

Re: 1959 270 HP - Ready to paint the engine - what was installed - what was not

Thanks Richard !!

[David B.]

Re: 1959 270 HP - Ready to paint the engine - what was installed - what was not

Quote: "After engine was painted, it was crated and shipped to the St Louis assembly plant. There, it was uncrated and further subassembled before reaching the actual assembly line by installing the following parts:
1. Fan blade assembly, water pump pulley, and fan belt.
2. Spark plug wires, spark plug boot heat shields, spark plug wire supports.
3. Fuel pump, fuel pump elbows and fuel pump to carburetor or FI filter line.
4. Carburetor (s) and air cleaner (s).
5. Carburetor choke heat tube.
6. Crankcase ventilator tube, starter motor, exhaust valve (heat riser) negative battery ground strap and coil.
7. Generator with tach drive, generator bracket, generator brace and generator heat shield.
8. Dipstick and tube.
9. Oil filter assembly.
10. Clutch release bearing.
11. Transmission.
12. Fuel filter assemblies (carbureted models only).
Once this final subassembly occurred, the engines were brought to a testing area. There, the engines were started, checked for leaks and their timing set. If all testing was satisfactory, the engines were sent to a staging area ready to be mounted in the chassis." Unquote

[Mike M.]

Re: 1959 270 HP - Ready to paint the engine - what was installed - what was not

dave: thanks for the above info. there are those in the ncrs c-1 hierarchy who believe the stamped steel plate between the block and fuel pump should be bare metal, not painted engine orange. i've disassembled multiple sbc's in my lifetime and i believe this plate that , was bolted to the engine block, should be chevy engine orange. does your documentation show the plate affixed to the block pre-painting and pre-st louis arrival? thanks for all you contribute for us old c-1 owners. mike

[David B.]

Re: 1959 270 HP - Ready to paint the engine - what was installed - what was not

Mike, I would agree with you re: fuel pump plate painted engine color (red or orange). Plate would be installed at Flint engine assembly in order to hold fuel pump push rod. Have 55 V-8 engine prints etc. and will look to try and confirm. I know your pain, rumor persists that "hierarchy" is seeking papal infallibility status.

[Richard M.]

Re: 1959 270 HP - Ready to paint the engine - what was installed - what was not

After looking at AIM Section 6 (57 thru 62), I'm wondering ......

1957 AIM shows fuel pump pushrod(with lubricant), plate gasket, plate, bolts, fuel pump gasket, fuel pump, bolts, etc to be assembled to engine. This leads me to believe that the plate was not installed before paint at Flint. There is no mention of the "Shipping Plug", the "long" 3/8" bolt to be used later as a pinch-bolt to hold the FP pushrod, therefore that bolt appears not to have been installed in Flint.

However, the 1958 to 1962 AIMs shows something slightly different. It shows the "Shipping Plug", without part number assignment, with a note..."Plug hole in cyl case". Those AIMs also show fuel pump pushrod(with lubricant), plate gasket, plate, bolts, fuel pump gasket, fuel pump, bolts, etc to be assembled to engine.

The prints may show something totally different as we all know there were errors in the AIMs, but the above indicates to me that the pushrod, plate, gasket, and plate bolts were not installed and painted in Flint.

Of course I suppose it's possible that after the pushrod, gasket and plate was installed at St Louis, being a raw steel plate, it may have been then painted by the touch up guy holding the orange paint sprayers. Obvious WAG.

Rich