Question for John Hinckley; How where the engine painted on 68-69 L36?

[Larry E.]

John:

I have searched the archives and can not find a answer to this question. We know the 68-69 L36 had
steel heads; aluminum intake; and Flash Chrome Valve Covers. We know when the engine was painted
at the factory there was some type of "hood" that covered the intake to protect it as much as posible from
paint overspray. But how was the Flash Chrome Valve Covers protected? Did they have some
type of cover or where they left off during the painting process (replaced by some type of protector
valve cover) then put back on after the process was done. It would seem this would take too long to justify
it. What am I missing here?? Thanks in Advance; Larry

[John H.]

Re: Question for John Hinckley; How where the engine painted on 68-69 L36?

John:

I have searched the archives and can not find a answer to this question. We know the 68-69 L36 had
steel heads; aluminum intake; and Flash Chrome Valve Covers. We know when the engine was painted
at the factory there was some type of "hood" that covered the intake to protect it as much as posible from
paint overspray. But how was the Flash Chrome Valve Covers protected? Did they have some
type of cover or where they left off during the painting process (replaced by some type of protector
valve cover) then put back on after the process was done. It would seem this would take too long to justify
it. What am I missing here?? Thanks in Advance; Larry

Larry -

I'm not familiar with the details of the Tonawanda masking process, but at Flint V-8, they used vacuum-formed plastic masks to cover the aluminum intakes and aluminum valve covers; they made them in-house, in the Toolroom.