1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

[James W.]

Does anyonee have a contact that has experience in restoring '65 396 air cleaner lids and appling the correct silk screening on the underside?

Thanks in advance.


James West

[Steve B.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

James, Richard Fortier does great work with silk screening, I highly recommend him.

[Edward J.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

Jim, Doesn't the 396 lid just have a black finish? If so I would just try to preserve the silk screening and underside and just repaint the top or powder coat the top.

[Carl N.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

Ed & Jim yes the L78 396 lid is black on top - if the silk screening is legible I agree with Ed clean bottom with dish detergent and paint top only - IMO you will receive very minor (if any deduction) for original vs obvious re-screen

[Bill W.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

What type of finish is under the black on an original 396 lid ? Was the underside just over sprayed or completely covered with paint ? If just oversprayed was there plating or primer under the black ?

[Jack H.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

I have to agree here! My L78 was 'ratty' on the top side of the A/C lid. But the bottom side had the original silk screen with quite a patina to the paint + modest evidence of overspray. When I campaigned the car for Duntov (man we're going WAY back now), I let the painter lay down fresh paint on the topside and do NOTHING to the underside of the lid.

Along the way to Duntov, Bloomington Gold & Triple Crown, I encountered more than one judge who THANKED me for not trying to restore the bottom side of the lid! Plus, there were maybe ten judges who told me point blank that because I'd left the part aged and original on the bottom side, their judgment was influenced in my favor by the tears of joy that clouded their eyes...

Bottom line, there are times when it's best to leave an original piece original, man up, and take the condition hit (often only a fraction of a judging point that winds up being simply a comment on the score sheet).

[James W.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

I do not have the orginal lid (long story there) so I am trying to duplicate an orginal lid with a correct big block air cleaner lid that I have recently had de-chromed. Thanks for the info regarding a contact for the silk screaning, I'll call Richard Fortier this weekend to get an idea how long it will take him to complete the work.

I do need to verify that an original 396 air cleaner lid does not have any type of plating applied to it. Can someone verify this as a fact for me? I have pictures of original lids that show a definite patten on the bottom where the lid was placed on what looks to be a piece of wood when it was painted and shows a paint pattern that does not completely cover the bottom side of the lid with black paint. Can someone send me more pictures to verify this? I'm trying to get it as accurate as possible.

Thanks agin for all the repliers and info.


Regards,

James West
Omaha, NE.

I have to agree here! My L78 was 'ratty' on the top side of the A/C lid. But the bottom side had the original silk screen with quite a patina to the paint + modest evidence of overspray. When I campaigned the car for Duntov (man we're going WAY back now), I let the painter lay down fresh paint on the topside and do NOTHING to the underside of the lid.

Along the way to Duntov, Bloomington Gold & Triple Crown, I encountered more than one judge who THANKED me for not trying to restore the bottom side of the lid! Plus, there were maybe ten judges who told me point blank that because I'd left the part aged and original on the bottom side, their judgment was influenced in my favor by the tears of joy that clouded their eyes...

Bottom line, there are times when it's best to leave an original piece original, man up, and take the condition hit (often only a fraction of a judging point that winds up being simply a comment on the score sheet).

[Carl N.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

I "believe" the one on the car I own to be original - I purchased car in 1970 so it could have been changed prior to that time - it does not show any signs of plating. I have a spare purchased at Pate in late seventies with no plating (not 4 sale). I have seen several with plated lids sprayed black. will try to send you a pm with picture - kinda busy right now

[James W.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

Hello Carl,

I was kind of hoping you would see this thread. If you could send me a picture or two when you have time that would be greatly appreciated.


Best Regards,

James West

I "believe" the one on the car I own to be original - I purchased car in 1970 so it could have been changed prior to that time - it does not show any signs of plating. I have a spare purchased at Pate in late seventies with no plating (not 4 sale). I have seen several with plated lids sprayed black. will try to send you a pm with picture - kinda busy right now

[Bill W.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

If there is no plating of any kind is the underside completely covered in black ? if not is there any sign of primer ? If it is bare metal what kept it from rusting ?

[Carl N.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

James I'll try and send pics tomorrow

[Carl N.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

Bill, underside of both the ones I have are painted black with white silkscreen - the chrome plated ones I have are silkscreened in black - as to plating under the black i'll have to check, but I do not think the were - they are not bare metal

[Gary C.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

Bill check this post regarding painting the underside.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?79773-65-L78-Air-Cleaner-Cover-too-much-paint

[Carl N.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

Bill, I took a close look in bright sunlight at both lids I have and cannot see any primer or plating --they have a very light "dusting" of semi-gloss black paint with areas of almost bare steel showing - follow link at end of this thread to pictures of lid off of Jodi's yellow coupe -- this is very close to what I have and have seen over the past 30+ years. I tried to post pictures but no luck - if you and James will send me your e-mail address in a pm i'll share pictures which are a bit better in detail than the ones posted by Jodi - btw - if Jodi is lurking out there - did you sell your L78 ?? just being nosey

[Ronald L.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Restoration & Stencil Application

There is another thread that will show you what a 'real' original lid looks like. There are a couple more factors than just de-chroming the lid, especially depending upon where you got the chromed lid to begin with.

But let's just say that the originals, of which I have a few, were bare steel and there was one "partial coat of paint" with a very special spray pattern that any one that really knows what to look for can tell if its real or repro; and that paint does not come off with regular things like carb cleaner.