351w paint items

[musclecarman15]

am repainting the engine in my 1970 gt350 convertible... Should the exhaust manifold be on when painting and the bell housing ( it's a 4 spd), I know originally the stock valve covers and intake would have been painted but what about fittings on intake...I guess I really need to know what to leave on when painting...thx keith

[TOBKOB]

Exhaust manifolds were installed when the engine was painted. The manifolds should have blue paint near the heads and there should be shadows of bare metal under the manifold. I painted under the manifolds with cast blast to mimic bare cast iron.

TOB

[Bob Gaines]

Exhaust manifolds were installed when the engine was painted. The manifolds should have blue paint near the heads and there should be shadows of bare metal under the manifold. I painted under the manifolds with cast blast to mimic bare cast iron.

TOB

Just for a little clarification in case it is needed for those reading ,TOB is referring to minimal paint on the engine block where the exhaust manifolds would block the paint spray.

[musclecarman15]

bob,what about bellhousing, intake fittings,etc. thx keith

[Bob Gaines]

Block plate was on block when painted so a lot of engine paint on it except faded up to area where the starter bolts up so as to not compromise a good ground for the starter. None on bellhousing as it was added later apparently. Cast iron intake painted with engine then aluminum intake substituted so no overspray on aluminum . Typically if the painted reused from the cast iron intake heater hose fitting was damaged during the switching process a unpainted different heater hose fitting was used . The same goes for temperature sender. Ford engine plant used different new intake gaskets . The thermostat housing was reused typically with new gasket and not disconnected from bypass hose which is all painted including clamps . That bypass hose will typically have flex marks/cracks in paint from bending it back during the switching process. Painted reused bolts on thermostat housing and intake instead of having perfect paint should have marks from being taken out and reinstalled . If I missed anything someone else should be along to have my back.

[J_Speegle]

Some additional items off the top of my head

The following surfaces would not have been painted

- Fuel pump mating surface - Push in mask installed
- Heater hose attachment ends - Masks installed
- Radiator hose attachment ends at water pump and therm housing - Mask installed
- Water pump shaft end - where the pulley and fan would attache - Mask installed
- If the car was equipped with a ported vacuum switch a slip over mask was installed over it so the lower threads typically have some soft paint spray


Not installed
- Alternator to head bracket or any accessory bracket
- Oil pressure sender extension and switch/sender


- Intake hardware reused so they would be painted though may show a little or more damage from removal and reinstallation
- Fresh new cork end gaskets and white or off white intake to head gaskets. Originals have printing from the supplier on the flat surfaces

- Remember no visible silicon sealer if your tempted to use any 

Hope this helps

[musclecarman15]

Thank you Bob and Jeff..I assume new cork valve cover gaskets, and painted valve cover clips,what about valve cover bolts and intake vacuum fittings,like the brass block ,etc,thx again keith

[Bob Gaines]

Thank you Bob and Jeff..I assume new cork valve cover gaskets, and painted valve cover clips,what about valve cover bolts and intake vacuum fittings,like the brass block ,etc,thx again keith

New cork valve cover gaskets. Not always did they have the painted valve cover wire clips. Strangely I have only seen the sometimes painted wire clips  on 69/70 Shelby even though the other years Shelby's must have used the same installation technique . Valve cover bolts were not painted and not the same SEMS style used on the the Ford sheet metal valve covers . They were the typical generic bolt style like used on 65-70 Shelby's with separate flat washer in this case.  I typically see the brass fittings unpainted. Sometimes the steel vacuum fittings are painted but more often not.

[musclecarman15]

how about heat shield,timing pointer and pcv hose...thx again

[J_Speegle]

how about heat shield,timing pointer and pcv hose...thx again

Heat shield, air cleaner, snorkel were painted off the engine and supplied painted likely from the provider
and added during final assembly at the car (Ford)  plant

Engine hooks were painted by that provider and are painted a different tone blue - more along the line or towards the Pontiac blue

Timing pointer was attached to the engine when painted

PVC hose added later after painting on this engine

From that thread and a couple of others

[musclecarman15]

Thank you...do production line freeze plugs have a diamond on them?

[Bob Gaines]

Thank you...do production line freeze plugs have a diamond on them?

I have found some freeze plugs with the diamond trademark on the side of the freeze plug facing inside of the block so not always visible.

[musclecarman15]

do the valve cover bolts use a lock washer and a regular washer...also dipstick and tube painted correct ?

[Bob Gaines]

do the valve cover bolts use a lock washer and a regular washer...also dipstick and tube painted correct ?

For what ever reason on 69/70 Shelby I typically only find valve cover bolt and flat washer. Tube is painted because it was installed before the engine was painted.

[musclecarman15]

did all 351w have both lift hooks left on, or 1 or none? were the large flanged headed bolts that are used to mount the power steering and alternator blocks to heads painted?  am i correct that all waterpump bolts were painted then backed out to install acessory brackets? thank you