VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 engine paint color(s) and assembly procedure- 35 Standard

getting ready to paint and put back together.

I know the valve cover is dark battleship gray, per the Filling Station catalog, but what about the pushrod cover and oil pan?

old paint on both appeared to be black, is that correct?

what are the best procedures to follow for leakless gasket installation on all three of these items? engine is in the car.

TIA,
-Chris

All major parts on the engine were dark blue gray including water pump, covers, oil pan, etc. Bolt on items such as generator, starter were black.

Leakless gaskets......The old original cork gaskets were somewhat soft and would confirm to the wavy sheet metal parts. That was good. BUT oils could weep through the cork. Todays gaskets are quite hard but oil will ot seep through them. A good practice is to not over tighten at first and then retighten when convienent.
For the oil pan I use heavy grease to hold the gaskets in place. This maks it eaiser to remove the gaskets if necessary - as it often is after major engine work. For the push rod cover you can apply a very thin coat of RTV sealant, ocker arm cover nothing. Water out/thermost gaskets, etc. nothing.
Both the oil pan and side cover should be piened flat around the attaching holes.

As mentioned when the engine was painted at the engine plant the manifolds, water pump, balancer. flywheel housing and it's covers were all attached so the bolts and hardware holding them in place as wel as the visable edges of the gaskets were painted.

So why then was it painted black? Re-builders in the old days painted re-built engines black. It was a "sign" to anyone that that engine had been re-built.