VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 32 Valve Lifters

Should the Lifters have a slight convex shape at the bottom rather then concave? Also what is the correct color for the intake and exhaust manifolds of a 32?

The intake and exhaust manifolds were painted engine color which is dark blue-gray. You can get the correct engine paint from the Filling Station.

The lifters should have a slight convex shape rather than concave(approximately 60 inch radius). The exhaust manifold would not have been painted, but the intake manifold would have been the same color as the engine.

Melissa
Burien, WA.
www.earlsmachine.com

thanks for the info on the paint. Looks like I need to replace these lifters as they are worn to a slight concave

Hello Melissa,

I think you need to rethink you answer to what color the exhaust manafold was. If one was painted the other would have as well because the parts were assembled most likely before paint. Also if you look at any factory photo's you will see the manafold painted. The reason most manaifold look like they were not painted is because the paint they used could not take the heat.

Bruce

The exhaust manifold was most definitely painted at the factory. The engine was assembled, minus the accessories, and then the complete engine was painted as a unit.

In over 40 years of rebuilding engines I have never seen an exhaust manifold painted from the factory. If it had been painted the paint would have burned off when it was first run. Some of the more expensive cars have been porcelain-ed but Never have I seen a Chev done that way.

cdt,
Unless you worked on a brand spanking new engine the paint would have already burned off the manifold and probably some off the head next to the exhaust manifold before you even saw it.

There are factory photographs showing the chassis with the drive train and both the intake and exhaust manifolds were painted. The fact that both the intake and exhaust manifolds were painted has been documented years ago.

As mentioned in another post above, the factory painted the complete engine assembly, which included the manifolds since they were already bolted onto the engine. The factory would not have taken the time or expense to paint the intake manifold separately off of the engine and then assemble the intake manifold to the exhaust manifold, and then assemble the unit to the engine. It was quicker and easier to paint the manifolds on the engine when the complete engine assembly was painted. As Chipper said, once the engine was fired run it didn't take long for the paint on the exhaust manifold to burn off.

The paint was burt off before the car arrived at the dealership. The bolts and retainers that retain the manifolds to the head were also painted due to the fact that they were on the complete engine when it was painted. The exposed part of the rocker arm oil line was also painted along with the oil distributor valve on the left side of the engine. The acorn nuts that old down the rocker arm cover and side cover on earlier models was also painted along with the exposed edgeas of the engine gaskets.

I agree with Chev Nut, Chip and the Dog! Everything was painted at one time.

Just about anyone who is in the camshaft regrinding business can reface your lifters.

Mike

I ordered a new set of tappets from the Filling Station but shortly after they arrived they called me and told me not use use them as they may be defective. They are going to send me a new set in a couple of weeks as soon as they receive a new batch

Amen to everything being painted, right down to the edges of the gaskets. Take a close look at those factory photos mentioned above. So, even though they look nice and neat, nothing says "I've been taken apart and worked on" more than all new gasket edges.