Author Topic: bell housing bolt painted or black phos.  (Read 13537 times)

JohnZ

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Re: bell housing bolt painted or black phos.
« Reply #15 on: October 03, 2010, 03:28:52 PM »
<<However, regarding the stamping thread, perhaps John was meaning that the engine code was stamped long before painting, perhaps before assembly of the block even began.
After the long motor was assembled, the pad was masked and the motor painted - off it goes to Chevrolet.
The partial vin was then stamped at the start of the Chevrolet engine dress line to an already painted engine, with no paint on the pad.

But I surmise, we need John to guide us to the light. >>

At the engine plant, stamping the pad was just about the last operation on the engine assembly line, done after the heads were installed (except on Tonawanda big-blocks, which were stamped BEFORE the heads went on). The only I.D. on the engine when it started down the line was the suffix, scrawled with a paint stick on the side of the upside-down block; that's what told the line workers what innards to install in the block.

After the pad was stamped and assembly was completed, the engiine was painted (with the pad masked) and shipped to the assembly plants, three engines to a rack. The partial VIN was stamped on the pad at the car assembly plant (from the Chassis Broadcast Copy) shortly after the engine was hung on the Engine Dress Line conveyor.

Photo below shows the typical "bare-naked" Chevy V-8 on the shipping dock at Flint V-8; photo was taken in 1955, but it looked the same through the mid-70's; everything you don't see was added at the car assembly plant.
'69 Z/28
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My68SS

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Re: bell housing bolt painted or black phos.
« Reply #16 on: October 03, 2010, 04:26:26 PM »
Hi John, thanks for confirming stamping/painting timeline, but I'm still puzzled about overspray on the bellhousing [as per this thread] if the engine was already painted.
Rob
1968 12C SS
L34/M40
12 bolt posi 3.55

JohnZ

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Re: bell housing bolt painted or black phos.
« Reply #17 on: October 04, 2010, 03:22:24 PM »
Hi John, thanks for confirming stamping/painting timeline, but I'm still puzzled about overspray on the bellhousing [as per this thread] if the engine was already painted.

The flywheel, clutch, clutch fork, bellhousing, and bellhousing lower cover plate were all installed at the engine plant, and were all in place when the engine was painted. Automatic engines only had the flexplate installed.
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My68SS

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Re: bell housing bolt painted or black phos.
« Reply #18 on: October 04, 2010, 04:49:05 PM »
Hi John, thanks for confirming stamping/painting timeline, but I'm still puzzled about overspray on the bellhousing [as per this thread] if the engine was already painted.

The flywheel, clutch, clutch fork, bellhousing, and bellhousing lower cover plate were all installed at the engine plant, and were all in place when the engine was painted. Automatic engines only had the flexplate installed.
Ah of course, two piece bellhousing and transmission, autos are one piece. So no overspray on autos only.
Been looking at one piece autos/manuals too much lately!!  :D
Cheers John
Rob
1968 12C SS
L34/M40
12 bolt posi 3.55

My68SS

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Re: bell housing bolt painted or black phos.
« Reply #19 on: October 04, 2010, 04:57:06 PM »
Oh John, just a side thought here while we're talking about paint, I note in the color pic of the engines in the assembly report, that the exhaust manifods are orange as well.
Was this always the case, or did they change that procedure at some point?
What year was that pic taken? edit: oops, just noticed the date above the pic - 1959
« Last Edit: October 04, 2010, 05:19:57 PM by My68SS »
Rob
1968 12C SS
L34/M40
12 bolt posi 3.55

JohnZ

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Re: bell housing bolt painted or black phos.
« Reply #20 on: October 05, 2010, 01:57:48 PM »
Oh John, just a side thought here while we're talking about paint, I note in the color pic of the engines in the assembly report, that the exhaust manifods are orange as well.
Was this always the case, or did they change that procedure at some point?
What year was that pic taken? edit: oops, just noticed the date above the pic - 1959

The exhaust manifolds were on the engine when it was painted through 1964; the process changed in 1965 and the manifolds were installed after paint.
'69 Z/28
Fathom Green
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john302

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Re: bell housing bolt painted or black phos.
« Reply #21 on: October 06, 2010, 12:18:32 AM »
There is another detail I picked up on. The left side spark plug heat shield brackets are painted orange on my original 68z. The front bracket has to be installed before the manifold and then painted with the engine. I have seen many many restored cars and nobody gets this correct. When I restored my brown z I painted them orange. Not one person ever said anything about them. The bolts would also be painted orange on the left side only . Details seperate the nice cars from the super nice cars! John Allouez Restorations

 

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