I'm painting my 69 442 the correct bronze color. What primer is best prior to top coat? I'm assuming with bronze you don't want a black primer?
Thanks,
Mike

 

Doubt it makes much difference since the engine plant didn't use a primer coat at all. Cast iron being dark gray, black might show up as closer to what the factory intended- which was basically enough paint for flash rust protection.

General rule of thumb with primers is use a similar color family as the topcoat. For bronze this would be a red oxide high-heat primer.

 

Rustoleum makes a high temp engine primer. I've used it and it seems to help, but I don't have long-term durability data yet.

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-ca...-engine-primer

 

Are the water pump bolts, timing indicator, oil pump housing painted bronze engine color to be factory correct?
Thanks!

 

yes

 

I assume you mean oil filter housing, but yeah, all of those parts had to be installed on the engine before it was painted.

 

I think they also got painted with dummy oil filters on them, and I am not sure what they did with distributors, maybe had a sacrificial one stabbed in the hole.

 

More likely would have been plastic plugs/covers, but I've seen lots of distributors and manual trans bellhousings with overspray on them.

 

Assembly line correct if you care. Fuel pump , starter, water bypass hose, bell housing(4 speed motors), Water pump/hardware, Distributors, Ex. manifolds. To name a few items, were all on prior to paint. Keep in mind also they were not painted to be in show cars. The engine paint treatment was terrible. Take the Ex manifolds for example they were not completely painted. Only over sprayed to get the heads/block painted.

 

Thanks, mine will definitely be more show car. I painted the manifolds with Eastwoods high temp coating factory grey. I am using their engine primer and Fusick top coat as it is the closest to the original overspray from factory.

 

I have a hard copy of the Tonowanda engine plant painting instructions for the big block Chevrolets. A former employee and plant historian shared them with me decades ago. They're very interesting, for example they identify using gasoline as a paint thinner if the proper solvent is unavailable! Most things like intake and distributor had masks and hence show evidence of overspray. Brakets, alternator, carburetor, etc where installed after painting (at engine dress). I don't recall it saying anything about spark plugs. Are such instructions available from the Oldsmobile engine plant? Where where the PIMs found?

 

Speaking of distributor overspray...

 

Don’t primer it. Primer is meant to be sanded before a top coat…you never apply a final coat on a car over unsanded primer.

do a couple lite coats of your color over the engine as it’s still tacky…then do couple final coats over that.

avoid putting it on too thick as it will flake off, especially on the heads.

 

Was the oil dipstick handle painted at the factory or no paint?