Motor Paint?

Has there been a thread on how Daytona motors were painted; and with what?
Ours shows clear signs that parts of it were brush painted. Typical??
Any help or leads will be appreciated as we are at that stage.
Thanks

 

Are you talking about the engine castings ? I am not sure if they were painted on the outside from the factory. I have painted some engine parts with Dupli-Color enamel with ceramic with great results. They even have a color called aluminum cast. However the latest and greatest in my opinion the vapor blasting. It give a beautiful clean result that looks amazing.

 

Yes, the castings. Thanks for the input. We do know about 'aluminum cast' but vapor blast is a new idea.

 

My (limited) experience and observations have made me believe that many, maybe most or perhaps even all Daytona engines (block, heads, timing chest & sumps) were externally painted by the factory, although afforded efforts and results were quite rudimentary at best, nothing like commonly seen in more recently rebuilt/restored examples.

 

Timo is correct, Daytona engines were painted silver by the factory.

 

Thank you Timo and Dyke, is that because the older aluminum castings were porous or is was it more for aesthetic reasons.

 

I believe castings (of vintage Ferraris) are/were quite good and the external painting, however rudimentary, was mainly for aesthetics.
OTOH, the internal coating/painting was likely done, I believe, to seal any casting sand residue potentially still stuck in the pours from getting loose and mixed with the oil.
I believe all the above applies to transaxle housings also, but as I’ve said before I wasn’t there when these cars or their components were made, so not able to fully confirm.

 

What I can tell you is that whether it is light sand blast, soda blast or vapor blast, the resulting bare casting surface will very quickly show any oily finger or hand print. Just another reason for the paint.

Best regards,

Robert

 

True Admiral, i agree. Plus bare aluminum can eventually tarnish and oxidize depending on what kind of climate it resides in.

 

Thank you Timo, yes now i remember my wonderful friend the late Allen Bishop helped me use the green zinc chromate on the inside of the valve covers when we were doing my 365 GT engine. Also if it is of any value, i painted the valve covers of my other Italian with the Dupli-color high temp paint with ceramic previously Image Unavailable, Please Login mentioned.

 

I appreciate all the input and, I believe, can assume the factory did paint the castings a 'silvery' color; and, perhaps in the early Daytona days, used a brush to do so!?

 

Do we also conclude that the inside of the cam covers were painted with zinc chromate?

 

I was told to paint the inside of my cam covers with a thin coating of zinc chromate as a primer followed a good coating of glyptal paint.

The cam cover casting are quite porous. Without this painting, oil will seep through them and ruin the outside back wrinkle.

 

not only the cam covers

 

Lowell said: ↑
The cam cover casting are quite porous.

I agree. I think that the whole block and sump are porous.

 

absolutely true, like a sponge

 

Thanks, looks like we need to do it where we have access.

 

I haven't seen that on Daytona engine castings, but accept both of you having more experience than I.

 

Daytona castings have the same processes as those on the Dino. I documented the restoration process in detail a decade ago with lots of forensic information of how I came to my conclusions. Here are the links:

http://dino246blog.blogspot.com/2011/11/more-investigation-three-ps-of.html

http://dino246blog.blogspot.com/2012/03/doing-work-of-sand-restoring-damaged.html

http://dino246blog.blogspot.com/2012/11/going-in-reverse-is-slow-way-to-move.html

http://dino246blog.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-final-step-painting-gearbox-casings.html

 

From what I have seen, by the early 1970s, casting quality was significantly improved from the earlier blocks and heads.

The lack of production volume and independent nature of Ferrari before Fiat got involved is readily apparent in porosity and other casting defects. I would love to know the extent of technical assistance in the foundry provided by Fiat.

 

Quite a project Nuvolari; thank you for passing on the details.

 

Most all of the engine parts were painted, but not the distributors. I like the Harley engine paint; great quality.

 

Greg uses Glasurit with fantastic results, 55-m 99/09 "Fine Aluminum" and 923-58 "Urethane Acrylic Clear Matte." He mixes the fine silver into the matte clear and it gives a very resilient finish that doesn't look like it has been painted and the castings look natural. You can see the contrast between the freshly restored and unpainted distributors against the painted angle drives.

-Prescott @ GSJFerrari
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