Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

[Gary B.]

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[Brian E.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

Gary, I've not yet had reason to learn about this yet on my 67, so I don't have great information for you, but I will copy / paste info from the current 8th edition of the 67 JG in hopes that you find some of this info helpful... <fingers crossed>

The current 67 judging guide reads as follows:

L79 350 horse intake manifolds are cast aluminum and may show a light spray of aluminum colored paint on the sides and orange overspray at the front and rear edges where they meet the block.

Original L79 350 horse cars used 3/8-16 x 1.25 black phosphate, hex head grade 5 bolts to attach the intake manifold. The bolts were typically painted aluminum during the intake painting process.

Regarding the ignition system and shield support brackets... The ignition shield spark plug wire brackets are painted semi-gloss black and are retained by the rear intake manifold bolts.

[Gary B.]

[Keith B.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

if those brackets were installed at St Louis they would not have "Silver" paint in them. but the bolt would with marks of the line worker removing the bolt and installing the bracket

[Gary B.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

Keith,

Yes, Alan Drake just told me something similar offline.

So, the intake got the aluminum paint on the sides prior to its arrival in St. Louis, and those two rear brackets were added later, once in St. Louis.

And what about the small clip on the right side, just aft of the choke? Was that clip attached on the intake before it got the AL paint?

Gary

[Keith B.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

For the vacuum advance line clip I am not sure where that was installed. In the drawings of the AIM they show that clip in the completed engine drawing and I don't recall ever seeing it called out with a part number. So that leaves me to believe that was installed at the engine plant in this case flint. This is how I painted a 65 L76 intake and engine. I don't recall it getting any points taken away last year at a regional

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[Gary B.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

Keith,

I too can find no listing of that clip by part number in the ‘66 AIM. And as you say, the only place I see it in place is on sheet UPC 6 C2.

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So, not installed at St. Louis. And in order not to unnecessarily install/torque, remove, and reinstall/torque an intake boot, I tend to think the vacuum advance line clip was in place when the intake got the aluminum paint.

In your photo, I don’t see that clip at all.

Gary

PS In the ‘66 JG that clip is mentioned once, with no description of its finish.

[Keith B.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

You're right l over looked that clip before I painted it.

[Gary B.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

Just to summarize everything in one posting for future readers, this is my conclusion based on everyone’s input.

On UPC 6, B3, it shows the part numbers for the “BRACKET ASM” and “SUPPORT ASM”, which are the two rear brackets for the spark plug wires and coil, and top shield mount. Those two brackets were both installed at St. Louis, after intake painting. For the passenger’s side bracket, it describes the attaching intake bolt as an “existing bolt”. So, that bolt was installed at the engine assembly plant, hit with aluminum paint, then removed and reused at St. Louis. Same with the driver’s side rear bolt, except that that rear most intake bolt is hidden from view in the AIM sketch, so no mention of it being an existing bolt. In any case, both rear intake bolts would be painted aluminum, but not any portion of those two brackets would have aluminum on them.

By contrast, the vacuum advance line clip was installed at the engine plant since it’s not mentioned in the AIM, and it would have been painted with aluminum, along with its securing intake bolt. Probably just the top side of that clip would have aluminum paint on it.

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Thanks all (including Akan Drake),

Gary

[Michael M.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

Is it possible that the clip was masked off during the painting process.

[Gary B.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

Is it possible that the clip was masked off during the painting process.

[Mark E.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

Interesting discussion.

Why did Chevy bother to spray the sides of an aluminum intake with silver paint? Seems unnecessary.

[Gary B.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

Interesting discussion.

Why did Chevy bother to spray the sides of an aluminum intake with silver paint? Seems unnecessary.

Mark,

I agree with you 100%. I doubt we will never know why.

I have to admit, after spraying the two intake sides, everything looks very neat, with a continuous aluminum colored appearance from intake to that edge valley to valve cover. Pretty purty.

Gary

[Larry E.]

Re: Painting two sides of L79 intake with dull aluminum/silver paint

Gary:Unless that paint is heat resistance;I do not think it will
last long in that area.JMHO-Larry

[Gary B.]