69 L36 engine paint

[Brad S.]

Getting ready to paint my 69 L36. I have a couple of questions. Were the valve covers on or shielded? I know the JG says they are not painted but I remember there was some controversy a while back. Was the dipstick tube painted or raw? Were the water pump bolts zinc plated or natural then painted or does it even mater? Was the area between the V/C and aluminum intake painted? was there any over spray on the distributor ? Thanks for any help.

[Brad S.]

Re: 69 L36 engine paint

Also since the exhaust manifolds were installed after paint did they shield the ports and mating surface or just paint them. I searched the archives but didnt get nay difinitive answers

[Terry M.]

Re: 69 L36 engine paint

Also since the exhaust manifolds were installed after paint did they shield the ports and mating surface or just paint them. I searched the archives but didnt get nay difinitive answers

According to the Tonawanda folks back in the late '80s their story was that the chrome valve covers were not on the engine when it was painted. A set of "travel covers" were installed for the trip through the paint line. Having seen orange valve springs on some engines I am sure the "travel cover" story was not 100%.

Water pump and bolts were on during engine paint. If brackets were subsequently installed to water pump fasteners a longer bolt was installed in St. Louis and that will be called out in the AIM, so let the AIM tell you what you need to know about the water pump fasteners.

The guys at Tonawanda also insisted the exhaust manifolds were installed after engine paint in 1968 and 1969 due to the smell of paint during hot fire. I have seen some original paint TRonawanda large motors that sure look like the exhaust manifolds were on when the engine was painted. I don't suppose there was any evidence on your motor before you began the restoration process? Sometimes your own car is the best example.

You will get all sorts of advice about the area between the intake and the valve cover. The good news is there are three options. Try to find some original point 1969 Mark IV motors to tell you.

[Chris H.]

Re: 69 L36 engine paint

For what it's worth, my '70 454, VIN 531, build date Jan 9, Bowtie car most definetly has engine paint on the exhaust manifolds. The distributor also has engine paint on it too.

[Dennis S.]

Re: 69 L36 engine paint

Brad

I have seen old black and white photos of big blocks being painted at Tonawanda in 1969 with the exhaust manifolds in place. I found evidence (yellowish residue) on the inner sides of the exhaust manifolds on my original L36 car, April build. This also means areas of the block behind the manifolds did not receive a very good coat of paint in the 15 second process. This was evidently a very hasty and somewhat messy outcome.

The intake manifold had a poorly-fitting mask placed over it, so there was overspray on the edges of the manifold. The water pump and bypass hose were in place, so there would be paint on the bolts and overspray on the hose and clamps. The center of the harmonic balancer and bolt were not painted.

I don't know what to tell you about the distributor. The chrome valve covers were installed after paint.

The bell housing was in place, so you should expect to overspray a portion of the housing, more on the top and sides where it meets the block. I even found large drips on my clutch fork and rubber boot, as well as on the sides of the bell housing.

[Terry M.]

Re: 69 L36 engine paint

The distributor was installed after engine paint in 1968 and newer, so in theory, it should have no orange paint on it. I don't know what scenario one could construct to explain factory orange over spray on it.