Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

[Kenny C.]

Okay this may be a dumb question. I am putting together all the ignition shield parts for my 69 small block (a real pleasure) and I have a couple of questions.
1. The support brackets that bolt to the rear of the block which hold the vertical sections of the wire tunnels, what color should they be. The kit I purchased has the driver side piece chrome and the passenger side black. Should they be orange like the top box brackets?
2. On the distributor shield box there is this serrated tab that looks as if it could be put on the front of the box, however it did not come attached to the box. Should it be installed for my application and what the heck is it for?

Your help would be appreciated as this stuff fits like jigsaw puzzel and I would like to get it right the first time (for a change).
Regards
Kenny

[Terry M.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

1) Both support brackets that bolt to the back of the block should be black paint. Semi-gloss toward glossy.

2) Yes that clip attaches to the front -- it serves as a ground conductor to the air cleaner base. Air rushing over the air cleaner base can induce an electrical charge to the base of the air cleaner assembly, and this clip serves to ground the charge.

Look at the AIM, as there are several shapes for the clip and different installations depending on the carburetor you have. I'm working from memory, but I believe the 1969 AIM has a diagram -- but it might be another year.

[Alan S.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

Hi Kenny & Terry,
I'm curious about the right side bracket... I'd expect it to be bright plated (zinc/cad?) with the end dipped in that black rubber compound, while the left side would be painted, (with a black rubber insert), as you said. Second thoughts?
Regards,
Alan

[Kenny C.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

Alan
Yes that's exactly how they came in the kit. It seemed od to me that they would be different. I thought maybe they came from different suppliers and then assembled into the kit and that's why they don't match. You seem to believe that this is actually the correct way they should be, my question is why do you think that? I'm curious how you arrived at this opinion, first hand knowledge or is there a reference publication which shows this?
Regards
Kenny

[Terry M.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

Gees -- I just covered the car back up. I may have the time to go disassemble the ignition shielding and look tonight -- but of course one car doesn't mean they were all like that, but on the other hand why would they change these from car to car?

Since they can't be seen during judging I think you will not find them described in the TIM&JG. Some might take the point of view -- since they can't be seen, and can't be judged -- who cares?

[Kenny C.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

Terry
You may be correct about it not amounting to anything worth worrying about, frankly like most of this stuff its not going to change how the earth spins its just idle curiosity for sick minds. Besides in my case since the body is off it real easy to deal with now if it matter at all. It occurs to me that it may be time for me to look into golf or something else to obsess over?

[Terry M.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

Terry
frankly like most of this stuff its not going to change how the earth spins its just idle curiosity for sick minds.

I really do understand that. Been there, done that and got the T-shirt to prove it. My wife did her undergrad work in Psychology, and I suggested she write her paper about "Corvette collecting" sickness. I am now grateful she didn't.

[Steven G.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

I'm thinking neither left or right (lower vertical shield with plug wire holders) were painted, just the black insulator (RH) for plug wires as Alan described, the left side has a black slide in rubberized plug wire insulator. It would be appreciated if Terry will take a look, I may be wrong. Steve

[Terry M.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

Okay this may be a dumb question. I am putting together all the ignition shield parts for my 69 small block (a real pleasure) and I have a couple of questions.
1. The support brackets that bolt to the rear of the block which hold the vertical sections of the wire tunnels, what color should they be. The kit I purchased has the driver side piece chrome and the passenger side black. Should they be orange like the top box brackets?
2. On the distributor shield box there is this serrated tab that looks as if it could be put on the front of the box, however it did not come attached to the box. Should it be installed for my application and what the heck is it for?

Your help would be appreciated as this stuff fits like jigsaw puzzel and I would like to get it right the first time (for a change).
Regards
Kenny

[Alan S.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

Hi Kenny,
My comment was based on my 71 sb, 44k. I'm the original owner.
I was able to see the remains of the black paint on the driver's side bracket when I slid the rubber grommet off the end. When I took the Plastisol dip off the passenger's side bracket the plating under it was still in nice shape.
It's fine for me to base the restored finishes on a sample of one but you might want to check a bit further and hear other input like Terry's. (For Sure)
Regards,
Alan

[Kenny C.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

Alan & Terry
First off I want to thank you both for taking the time to check into this for me and offering up your help. Based on each of your responses I would say that there is a likelihood that my early 69 should have both sides plated. Possibly a vendor change supplying the parts at some point accounts for the one side being painted? Since Terry found that his 69 had both brackets plated and Alan's 71 had one painted I would think that there may have been a supplier change between those times and production simply mixed in the old with the new for a while? I wonder if in 72 both the brackets were painted? Like I said earlier not exactly earth shattering stuff but its kind of entertaining.

[Terry M.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

Certainly for your situation -- if you find evidence of finishes, duplicate them for your car. And that should be generally true for everyone restoring a Corvette, but one should do a little research (like asking a question here) to be sure one is looking at an original finish and not some owner inspired addition.

Basing the Judging Manual on one or two cars is just not right. We may, with a larger sample, find the finish went back and forth or depended on suppliers or some other variable.

I am confident mine are unpainted, but I am not sure I want to disassemble the car enough to more closely examine the spark plug wire retainers. If I do decide to do that, I will post some pictures.

[Alan S.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

Hi Kenny,
Your reply continued to tickle my brain. You mention that perhaps both brackets might have been painted at some point.
I'm not sure if I've seen a part that had the Plastisol dip on it that was painted. I believe they're plated in some way. I'm thinking for instance of the various clips in the engine compartment for vacuum lines and the electrical harnesses which have a very dark (black?) finish on them, but not paint. Or the small clips on each side of the lower block that hold pairs of spark-plug wires and are plated zinc/cad (?). Also, the positive battery cable clips in the transmission tunnel that are plated and dipped.
Can you think of a 'painted' and 'dipped' bracket or clip?
Still having big fun playing with an old car!!!
Regards,
Alan

[Terry M.]

Re: Ignition shield "Stupid Question"

The spark plug wire retainers on my 1967 Chevelle are plastisol dipped and then were painted orange with the rest of the engine. The orange didn't stick well to the plastisol dip, so in the end the metal was orange paint and the plastic black. No sign of plating under the paint, but the car was in rough shape.