Exhaust Manifold finish options

[Greg H.]

Hi all,

I realize this subject has been discussed and debated over and over... I have read many posts on this subject, but now going through installing manifolds again I have a question which I have not seen addressed before. So please bear with me and correct me where necessary.

The manifolds were painted on the engine to varying degree of coverage. Some photos I recall having seen they are completely coated. Now the paint gets burned off "almost immediately" is the common description of when the paint is deteriorated and turns black and crusty... something I think we do not try to duplicate.

The judging process strives to recreate the condition of the car when presented to the customer, so I'm thinking the amount of time that engine has run would be highly variable. Some would have been test driven, some would have been "fresh" off the trailer. If I ordered a 1964 Corvette I would have expected it to be delivered with very little logged running time (and possibly not enough running time to burn off the manifold paint???). This is what is driving my question:

Why do we not prep the manifold with high heat chevy orange paint that will keep the "fresh off the trailer" appearance? Who can say how long it took for that paint to be burned off? Are there any examples or pictures or recollections of this finish from actual buyers? Are there any zero mileage cars known?

I appreciate any comments.

[Greg H.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

I guess I will just use WD-40.

[Michael J.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

I did the paint overspray on my '64's manifolds, and it burned off for the most part, then at the National the judges thought it had some complete, artificial "coating" on it, I said no it didn't, it was just over spray burned off. I won that one.

[Gene M.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

Most new cars of that era were 4 miles or more say 16 miles. Surely enough to heat up and blacken orange engine paint. But if you use high heat paint it may stay good for years depending on usage...... No?

[Michael J.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

I'm not sure the typical engine paint for a C2 in the day was a quality, high temperature enamel/ceramic we see for sale today by people like Eastwood. When I did my overspray on my '64, I bought the LIC engine paint, and it burns off nicely on the hottest parts, but stays fresh on the other areas.

[Gene M.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

I'm not sure the typical engine paint for a C2 in the day was a quality, high temperature enamel/ceramic we see for sale today by people like Eastwood. When I did my overspray on my '64, I bought the LIC engine paint, and it burns off nicely on the hottest parts, but stays fresh on the other areas.

Sounds like what you would want to be original looking. Should score well flight judging.

[Michael J.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

Sounds like what you would want to be original looking. Should score well flight judging.

It did, no deducts from chapter through nationals.

[Greg H.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

It did, no deducts from chapter through nationals.

My ultimate question is really to understand how much burn off should have been expected at time of delivery. We know that time would be variable, from several test drives to zero test drives. I'm wondering how little burn off might have occurred and without a time machine or experimenting I may never get to understand this fully...

[Michael J.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

You may not ever know for sure. I was not rich enough as a teenager to ever even look at new C2s, so I have no experience. Maybe somebody here who was a dealer or worked for a dealer can remember exactly what they looked like and how much variations existed.

[Edward J.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

Greg, I think really a lot of restorers are just painting the front part of the manifolds where the heat really does not seem to be affected by the heat, and be sure to paint the bolts and french locks orange, these seem to stay orange with the heat , at my regional last year the Judges were okay with this.

[Mark D.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

Bloomington judges 'out the back door of the plant' whereas NCRS judges 'after dealer prep.'
Seems to me, for NCRS, it's best to spray the entire front and sides of the manifold and let what wants to burn off, burn off. A judge may want to look at the studs, in the ends of the exhaust manifolds, to judge that paint pattern as well. (An old swamp dweller pointed that out to me, a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away)...something to think about.

[Edward J.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

Greg, I think your right with one word (variable) once the car went through the final inspection at the corvette plant they went to the yard to sit before they were loaded onto a truck, and then shipped to the dealership. sometime the cars sat at idle while be loaded and then again at check in to the dealer. My bet is the paint was already blackened from the heat. those manifold get so hot so quickly. I was a tech for many years at a Chevrolet dealership and prepped many cars, mileage on the cars off the truck varied from about 2/5miles, and sometimes more if the car was pulled for a track test. I think John H. could tell you more on this.

[Greg H.]

Re: Exhaust Manifold finish options

Thanks everyone. I learned a few new things here... glad I asked. Now, I think I will settle with the clean look of bare manifolds and fight the rust.