Missing COPO in Hot Rod magazine?

[ANDY M]

This may be a dumb question, but why is the overspray an issue on a CE motor? If the factory didn't paint the motor, what's the fuss all about?
About the flat hood, wasn't that replaced by the ZL 2 because of the intake needing extra room for enough clearance to close the hood?
I was told that was the reason it was called "ZL2", after the ZL1.

[olredalert]

------Andy,,,Aside from the lack of correct hood, the fuss in this case would be in doing a restoration correctly, as a car appeared when new. Overspray done in this way on an aluminum intake, chrome valve-cover engine just didnt ever happen. Overspray on the front and rear of the intake to some degree would be OK up to a point, but between the intake and valve-covers never. If you are going to do it, do it right!!! ......Bill S

[SS427]

The subject of overspray has been discussed as many times as rebodies and the jury is still out on both. These engines were massed produced on an assembly line and a template was placed over the intake and sometimes the valve covers. There are hundreds of photos documenting overspray on both the intake, valve covers, exhaust and by-pass hose. Some are barely noticeable while others are crude. I have had numerous survivor big blocks in my shop over the last 25 years and currently have Joe D's here and you can see orange overspray on several areas of the intake. When I restored Dennis L's LS6 he had just purchased it from the original owner. That owner bought the car specifically to race and removed all the OEM parts such as exhaust, smog, intake, carb, valve covers, etc from the car shortly after purchasing the car and had all the parts stored in boxes. You could clearly see orange overspray on many of those parts as well as the intake and valve covers. The were several areas on the length of the intake showing signs of orange paint. I also frequently see where the mating surface of the cylinder head and intake is orange. This would be hard to do unless some small amount got on the intake. In a lengthly conversation I had with Fran Preeve a little over a year ago he confirmed this. I guess it boils down to personal preference. I like a little overspray because I feel this was the way they were originally done and also I am not restoring a museum piece but rather a replication of what Chevrolet built. Just my opinion, let the flaming begin........

[Kurt S]

There's no mystery on the engine overspray. As William states, the engine plant put a mask over the intake and valve covers. The only overspray on the intake would be on the ends.

[Verne_Frantz]

To continue with the overspray slant to this thread, here's a photo taken in late '62. The same molded mask was employed back then at Tonawanda as well.


Paint can be seen on the intake side of the one head as well. Also note that the one valve cover never received its decals which is another example that they all weren't done the same way.

Here's another unmolested '62 intake which shows a "little" paint on the sides.


If the same technique was used in later years, I see no reason to doubt Rick's observations. If these motors were painted in a minute or less by various workers I would expect lots of variation in the results.
Verne

[Classic Automotive]

Here we go again? Nothing but criticism, people tell me I should not even pay attention to this forum but for some reason I keep coming back. For the record can one of you that has already posted to this thread tell me how the MSO system works? When a MSO is generated? Who Generates it and how NICB receives the data?

Now for the overspray, Mr. Nelson was the only guy in this post that I felt came close to being acturate. There is not absolute facts regarding overspray. It depended on the operator of the gun. Some were heavy and some were light.

As For Mr. Colvin and the GM Heritage Center. The owner supplied the thank you language to SEMA. Mr. Colvin did nothing other than discuss the car with me a year ago. Several phone conversations took place attempting to determine dates of components etc.., DO NOT interupt this as anything else. The owner simply wanted to thank him for time spent, nothing more or less. Other documents on the car will come out.

[olredalert]

-----I guess I could ask you then, Jim, why no cowl induction hood and air-cleaner??? Was it owner preference??? I could understand and agree with that, although I still would say that the factory didnt put it together that way.
-----You are right as far as my criticism goes. I did say what I felt about the overspray and the hood. I should probably say at this juncture that you appear to do good resto work from the few pics I have seen. The overspray added is a subjective thing. I think theres too much there, and that seems to be the general consensus, but you dont and you have every right to that opinion.
-----My other opinion on the matter is that it wasnt bashing, but simply information of the kind a lot of us look for and learn from every day on this forum. I am sorry if you choose to look at as bashing. Have a good holiday......Bill S