1966 Muffler Black Out

[Mark F.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

OK Owen - I too cannot resist bring the mitten subject up just to have fun ...Probably here is the location where the final black out was done (from the early 63 GM marketing photo's)

Hi Alan,

Thanks for this very odd and interesting photo.
It generates some questions and comments for me

1. Why is the guy painting the gas tank, differential, half-shafts, etc.? I didn't think that was in the Vette assembly process at all. I thought frames arrived at St. Louis already painted by A.O. Smith (later, DowSmith)
2. There's no exhaust installed, so this was not the muffler blackout station previously discussed.
3. Where in the process do you have frames with no bodies and bodies with no frames in the same paint booth?
4. Is the guy in the white shirt and tie there for an "NTFP" reason? Hence, why the photo was taken? Marketing gimmick?

Who knows???

[Tony S.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

Agreed, Michael - and this is what John said in post #10 of the link provided in the OP...

"Actually, the chassis blackout operation was done with the fully-assembled chassis right-side-up, in the last station on the Chassis Line, right before Body Drop, using airless spray guns fed from drums with Johnstone pumps.There was never any "mitting" process - that fairy tale was invented many years ago by someone who had never been in an assembly plant, and "mitting" subsequently became an almost unassailable "fact" when it found its way into a JG; I've worked to erase it from everyone's memory for the last twelve years - it never happened."

I agree Mark. Sprayed..not mitted. Tony

[Don L.]

[Danny P.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

Thanks to all for the posts on this subject. They seem to confirm my observation that either more research is needed or that blackout changed through the mid-year period.

I think I’ll apply black out on this ‘66 to show from the outboard sides only. This way, if future learnings cause more black out to be expected, it can be added then. Oh yeah, I think I’ll spray it on too vs wiping it on with a mitt 嵐.

Thanks again!

Don, just remove both rear wheels and just step back and look into the side fender well and black out everything that you SEE bare on the top and sides of muffler not from the rear or underneath that all the factory was trying to do is hide as much of the muffler, look at the photo i sent you and yes it was sprayed on not mitt.

[Jack M.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

I was under the impression that the black-out paint was applied with a mitt as it appears in the '66 line photo. The other examples look like a spray. What's up with that?

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Is this possibly a very POOR/HEAVY/RUNNY SPRAY job... was their weekly pay based on blackout spray neatness?
The line workers were in a hurry... seemz entirely plausible that blackout spray runs could exist in various levels.

Also consider the application via a mitt: Where is the bucket of paint... were there large SPILLS coming from that bucket... were the workers constantly tracking the paint around on their shoes... and how did the person easily handle other jobs and equipment, after the mitt application? I seriously doubt they were quickly changing disposable gloves after each application.

Not an argument... just differing opinions on how to evaluate the image.

[Owen L.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

All good and valid arguments against a non-spray application; a bucket would be very messy indeed. I suppose the muffler in the pic could have been sprayed from almost pointblank range so there is no obvious fan pattern - this too would account for the very heavy runs. The tailpipe on the muffler does appear to have a spray edge to it.

[Mike E.]

Don, just remove both rear wheels and just step back and look into the side fender well and black out everything that you SEE bare on the top and sides of muffler not from the rear or underneath that all the factory was trying to do is hide as much of the muffler, look at the photo i sent you and yes it was sprayed on not mitt.

[Alan D.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

May not be GM documents but well known, rumor has it Marketing was to blame.

MIDYEAR CORVETTE ASSEMBLY PROCESS 2011 NCRS National Convention Technical Seminar

Presented by John Hinckley, Michigan Chapter

Page 17

Push master cylinder forward and inboard for body drop clearance,

remove support tool.

Install battery tray, battery, and hold-down hardware

Install #1-2-3-4 body mount spacers/cushions with shims per frame

markings and tape to frame brackets.

Spray chassis blackout paint on the outboard side of both mufflers.

[Danny P.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

Mike , for sure it wasn’t a mitt that did the blackout , look at the photo a mitt would leave a smear finished a spray when load it will drip like the photo , John Hinckley is right when top and side of exhaust was sprayed

[James G.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

When I was looking for a set of early take off original - mid pipes welded to mufflers for my car I received this photo of some "1963" original mufflers and pipes, I thought it odd until I read this discussion, this looks like it was smeared on and then the excess ran.
dsc02011_1581632189.jpg-

[Michael J.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

Original '63 and '64 mufflers did not have embossed parts numbers, like the one shown above does.

[Kenneth F.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

Don, I have a 1966 I purchased from the original owner about April 1967. I used this car for about 2 years and it has been parked since. The original exhaust is still in the car and there is no undercoating.
The original owner told me he took delivery of the '66 at the St. Louis factory.
Ken

[Gary B.]

[Mark F.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

Don, I have a 1966 I purchased from the original owner about April 1967. I used this car for about 2 years and it has been parked since. The original exhaust is still in the car and there is no undercoating. The original owner told me he took delivery of the '66 at the St. Louis factory. Ken

Perhaps the drum of blackout material was emptied on the job ahead of Ken's car and they had to switch the Johnstone airless pump over to the replacement (full) drum. They certainly would not have stopped the line so Ken's car got its blackout when it passed that station. That may have been passed on to the Dealer to take care of...and it never got done(?) Stuff happens

[Michael J.]

Re: 1966 Muffler Black Out

Well, I still think that with most judges on a '66, if the pipes and mufflers are clean without a hint of blackout anywhere, you will get a deduction. Maybe not much, but the many pictures and much documentation of the process is impossible to deny.