1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Paint

[James W.]

I'm getting ready to repaint my 396 air cleaner lid and have done a test paint for correct bottom side paint coverage. I know that original one are not to be completely painted and that they were paint on some type of stand. I perfomed a test paint to get opinions on the proper coverage based on picture that owners with original 396 air cleaner lids have sent me. I've attached a few pictures for your comments.


Thanks,

James West

[Bill W.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Paint

James Looks good to me but I've never seen a real one . Do you think it was painted over bare metal , primed bare metal or painted over chrome ?

[Mike M.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Paint

i have three original 396 lids and the paint coverage isn't like your examples. approximately one half of each of my lids were painted, say from zero degrees to about 180 degrees with just a tad of paint at the central hole, flaring out to the edges, in a 180 degree coverage pattern . mike

[Carl N.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Paint

Bill, the original I have along with other painted covers for GM applications are semigloss over bare metal. I don't believe the manufacture would have painted over chrome (expense & hard to paint over chrome). James based on what I can see from the pictures I agree with Mike - this is not the pattern you are looking for. I thought I sent you or Bill pictures last fall - also Jody had some pictures of his original cover from his low mileage yellow car posted on the forum at one time.

[James W.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Paint

Carl,

I went by the picture of your air cleaner lid. I guess I need to ask for more examples (pictures) of original lids. I guess some of te problem may have been for the glare from either the flash or sun light reflecting off of the back surface of the lid when photographed.

Mike and/or Carl please send me a few pictures of your original lids if you would please. I will send you both an email with my return email address.


Thanks for your input.

James West

[James W.]

Re: 1965 396 Air Cleaner Lid Paint

Here are the pictures that I have from Carl, Jody and Keith Burmeister.